This bottle started to seep earlier in the year so was marked for consumption. Leaking slightly, base of neck fill but a very loose cork which dropped in with only a gentle push. Despite the loose cork the wine was a good colour. Dark rose tone but only 40% opaque. An attractive nose of sweet strawberry jam and rose perfume. Balanced entry, nice strawberry with a bitter birch sap core. The bitterness lasts through the palate and slowly resolves on the aftertaste to a bitter grapefruit zest. Nice complexity, medium bodied and slightly hot. Not a great bottle although it might improve with more time in the decanter. 85/100. Tasted 90 minutes after decanting.
A further hour of decanting helped this wine to get a better balance. The bitterness is less pronounced and much better integrated. A score on this performance would be 87/100.
18 hours after decanting this had had its bitterness turn into a lovely aniseed ball. A tasty and enjoyable Port without being great. 87/100. Opened 23-Sep-21.
1977 Cockburn
- Alex Bridgeman
- Graham’s 1948
- Posts: 14907
- Joined: 13:41 Mon 25 Jun 2007
- Location: Berkshire, UK
1977 Cockburn
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