1987 Cockburn Tua

Tasting notes for individual Ports, with an index sorted by vintage and alphabetically.
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Tasting notes for individual Ports, with an index sorted by vintage and alphabetically.
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Alex Bridgeman
Graham’s 1948
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1987 Cockburn Tua

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

Deep red, showing plenty of youth still. Deep and ripe bramble on the nose, with just a hint of rose perfume. Silky and elegant in the mouth. Full of fruit, mature but not aged. Lively tannins give structure and vivacity and support a wonderful complexity The longer this is held before swallowing the more the flavours develop. Swallowing releases a huge burst of flavour. A slight amount of burn detracts a little but the huge flavours and very long length more than make up for this. Truly delicious and drinking perfectly right now but will hold for 10-20 years. 91/100. 2 April 2009.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
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JacobH
Quinta do Vesuvio 1994
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Re: 1987 Quinta da Tua

Post by JacobH »

Alex,

Quinta da Tua isn’t somewhere I’ve come across before. Do you know anything about it, such as where it is or who owns it?
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DRT
Fonseca 1966
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Re: 1987 Quinta da Tua

Post by DRT »

According to Alex Liddell (Port Quintas of the Douro) Quinta do Tua is now part of Quinta da Chousa and is owned by Cockburn. It lies on the east bank of the mouth of the Rio Tua opposite Quinta dos Malvedos.
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
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uncle tom
Dalva Golden White Colheita 1952
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Re: 1987 Quinta da Tua

Post by uncle tom »

Sounds like another '87 that isn't quite ready for drinking yet - will keep mine safe for a few more years!

As far as I know, this is a one-off bottling, and that no other Tua VP vintages have been bottled.

Tom
I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly - W.S. Churchill
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Alex Bridgeman
Graham’s 1948
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Joined: 13:41 Mon 25 Jun 2007
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Re: 1987 Quinta da Tua

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

Tom - I would agree, you don't need to be in a rush to drink these, they will last plenty of time yet but are very good now. I believe that Miguel mentioned that this was the only bottling of Tua as a Single Quinta.

Jacob - I can't really add anything to Derek's recital of Alex Liddell!
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
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DRT
Fonseca 1966
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Re: 1987 Quinta da Tua

Post by DRT »

I don't want to spoil anyone's expectation of this wine but Liddle also notes that this was indeed the only Vintage porduced and that the Tua juice is principally used as a main ingredient in Cockburn's Special Reserve.
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
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RonnieRoots
Fonseca 1980
Posts: 1981
Joined: 08:28 Thu 21 Jun 2007
Location: Middle Earth

Re: 1987 Quinta da Tua

Post by RonnieRoots »

Grapes from Quinta do Tua are nowadays also used for Graham's Vintage Port. Below a small quote from Graham's Vintage Declaration of the 2007. The full text can be found on Graham's website.
Graham's Vintage 2007 Declaration wrote:This year is unique also in that it is the first time that wines from our newly acquired Quinta da Tua have formed a part of our Graham’s Vintage Port. This property lies immediately upstream from Malvedos on the North bank of the Douro, its tributary, the Tua, flowing between the two. Stylistically the wines show similarities to the Malvedos wines, with dark plum on the palate and a hint of eucalyptus on the nose.
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