1983 Kopke Sao Luiz

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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uncle tom
Dalva Golden White Colheita 1952
Posts: 3518
Joined: 23:43 Wed 20 Jun 2007
Location: Near Saffron Walden, England

1983 Kopke Sao Luiz

Post by uncle tom »

1983 Kopke Q. S. Luiz

I'm never quite sure whether all Kopke is S. Luiz or not, so looked in 'the' book - which acknowledges both names without a defining judgement as to whether they are different or not. What it does do is mention the very stash this bottle came from - one of 34 purchased cheaply at auction in July '08.

Considering they were only 25 years old at the time, some were in a dreadful state - two had dropped corks, some had major seepage, and the original wax capsules had almost all disintegrated.

Of those 34, 3 were summarity drunk through due to their condition and 19 were sold off as cheap quaffers to various people. The rest I re-waxed, but a couple had continuing spoilage activity in the bottle and continued to seep despite the wax. At least one was badly corked and the persistant seepers showed poorly with signs of VA.

It was ten years before I was content to take them off my 'watch' list - bottles that demand annual inspection - and the stash has been flagged for drinking up from the outset.

Finally I was down to just four bottles, with decent levels and no seepage. This was one of them.

Quite light on decanting, darkening and finding much more composure on day two. An easy decent quaff and holding up quite well.

Scoring has to be seen in the light that this was from the best 4 out of 34, my score reflecting how this bottle showed and how I hope the remaining good bottles will show. I've scored it 4-4.

With just three bottles left and no imperative now to be finished with them, the drink up flag is removed and the rest will probably find their way into tastings - 83@40 perhaps..
I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly - W.S. Churchill
Glenn E.
Graham’s 1977
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Joined: 22:27 Wed 09 Jul 2008
Location: Seattle, WA, USA

Re: 1983 Kopke Q. S. Luiz

Post by Glenn E. »

uncle tom wrote: 12:40 Sun 18 Jul 2021 I'm never quite sure whether all Kopke is S. Luiz or not, so looked in 'the' book - which acknowledges both names without a defining judgement as to whether they are different or not.
I don't think they are, but the only proof I have to offer is that there are 3 tasting notes on FTLOP for "1970 Kopke Vintage Port", one from yourself and two from Alex. I have personally tasted a couple of bottles of 1970 Kopke Sao Luiz, so this seems to indicate that both exist.

What gives me pause is that I cannot easily find pictures of a 1970 Kopke VP. All images that I've seen, even ones labeled 1970 Kopke, are in fact Kopke Sao Luiz.
Glenn Elliott
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uncle tom
Dalva Golden White Colheita 1952
Posts: 3518
Joined: 23:43 Wed 20 Jun 2007
Location: Near Saffron Walden, England

Re: 1983 Kopke Q. S. Luiz

Post by uncle tom »

but the only proof I have to offer is that there are 3 tasting notes on FTLOP for "1970 Kopke Vintage Port", one from yourself and two from Alex
Historically, my working assumption has been that they are the same, so don't read anything into my old notes. More recently, some have wondered whether variance of description evidences two different wines, but I've seen no hard evidence of this.
I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly - W.S. Churchill
Andy Velebil
Quinta do Vesuvio 1994
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Re: 1983 Kopke Q. S. Luiz

Post by Andy Velebil »

uncle tom wrote:
but the only proof I have to offer is that there are 3 tasting notes on FTLOP for "1970 Kopke Vintage Port", one from yourself and two from Alex
Historically, my working assumption has been that they are the same, so don't read anything into my old notes. More recently, some have wondered whether variance of description evidences two different wines, but I've seen no hard evidence of this.
Has anyone thought to email them and ask?
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Alex Bridgeman
Graham’s 1948
Posts: 14880
Joined: 13:41 Mon 25 Jun 2007
Location: Berkshire, UK

Re: 1983 Kopke Q. S. Luiz

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

Andy Velebil wrote: 04:56 Fri 23 Jul 2021
uncle tom wrote:
but the only proof I have to offer is that there are 3 tasting notes on FTLOP for "1970 Kopke Vintage Port", one from yourself and two from Alex
Historically, my working assumption has been that they are the same, so don't read anything into my old notes. More recently, some have wondered whether variance of description evidences two different wines, but I've seen no hard evidence of this.
Has anyone thought to email them and ask?
Or even ask someone who might be leading an online tasting which a Port Forum member might be attending soon...
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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