1977 Cockburn

[jdaw1]

Part of the large vertical of Cockburn which was held in The Crusting Pipe on Wednesday 8th October 2008. Links:

• Review of the evening as a whole;
• 189? Unknown, thought to be Taylor;
• 1908 Cockburn;
• 1912 Cockburn;
• 1924 Unknown;
• 1927 Cockburn;
• 1935 Cockburn (served to left side of table);
• 1935 Cockburn (served to right side of table);
• 1947 Cockburn;
• 1950 Cockburn;
• 1955 Cockburn;
• 1960 Cockburn;
• 1963 Cockburn;
• 1967 Cockburn;
• 1970 Cockburn;
• 1975 Cockburn;
• 1977 Cockburn (unofficial bottling);
• 1983 Cockburn;
• 1985 Cockburn;
• 1991 Cockburn;
• 1994 Cockburn;
• 1997 Cockburn;
• 2000 Cockburn;
• 2003 Cockburn;
• 2007 Cockburn cask sample (Touriga Nacional);
• 2007 Cockburn cask sample (Touriga Franca);
• Planning and arrangements;
• Placemats.

[jdaw1]

[jdaw1]

Plain capsule, rather out-of-focus:

[jdaw1]

[jdaw1]

1977 Cockburn: an unofficial partners’ bottling, kindly brought by Miguel Côrte-Real. Its unofficial nature was emphasised by the word ‘Crusted’ on the cork. MC-R told us that two thousand bottles were made, of which seven hundred remain. 

Translucent red, a really nice colour, even if an edge paler than perfection. On the nose citrus, especially lemon, which was also present in the mouth. Very fresh and soft, utterly lovely, with great length. I wrote in the narrow score column ‟Great — I want”. The lemon in particular makes this delightful and unusual.

[DRT]

Dark and bright ruby red. I noted the nose to be "very closed" but recall that it opened up towards the end of the tasting session. My note of the taste simply says "beautiful and delicate".

It was a real honour to be able to taste this wine and I repeat my thanks to Miguel for letting us include it in the line-up.

I marked this as my favourite wine of the afternoon flight.

[Alex Bridgeman]

An unreleased bottle of port from the undeclared 1977 vintage, brought from the cellars of Cockburn. Light red in colour, light centre but with the colour holding into the rim. Lots of cherries on the nose, and a small hint of the alcohol, together with the characteristic Cockburn aged nose of mace and All Spice. Sweet Christmas cake in the mouth with dried (slightly tart) cherries and raisins. Wonderful mid-palate complexity. A lingering and delicate aftertaste which caresses the cheeks and tongue. A beautiful wine. 92/100.

[jdaw1]

Miguel Corte-Real sent AHB some of his own notes on the various vintages, some obviously drafted in advance, some from the day itself.

1977

Generic Information
Crusted Port. Initially considered by some people outstanding and one of the best of the century, it is now considered of average quality and has a big differentiation among different houses. Declared by everybody with the exception of Corckburn's, Martinez and Noval.

Year/Viticulture
The year was cold and wet. During the vintage, in September, was very hot. At the beginning of October the rain started, reducing grape concentration. It was not an easy year.

Tasting Notes
In a recent tasting of all '77s in London with the Institute of Masters of Wine, I was invited as a speaker, together with David Guimaraens and Charles Symington, it was evident that the undeclared Cockburn's was on of the best, showing that even the best Port Houses make big mistakes. The wine is extremely well balanced, very, very enjoyable.

Other
There is a big division on the '77s: some are tannic but a little out of balance and others are nice and dekicate (as Croft) but lacking a bit of structure. Cockburn's is in the middle with the best of the two groups.

Last minute notes
Round, soft, elegant. Good example of good balance: acidity, sugar, alcohol, tannins.

MC-R notes
8.5/10 

[Andy Velebil]

1977 Cockburn: an unofficial partners’ bottling, kindly brought by Miguel Côrte-Real. Its unofficial nature was emphasised by the word ‘Crusted’ on the cork. MC-R told us that two thousand bottles were made, of which seven hundred remain. 

Translucent red, a really nice colour, even if an edge paler than perfection. On the nose citrus, especially lemon, which was also present in the mouth. Very fresh and soft, utterly lovely, with great length. I wrote in the narrow score column ‟Great — I want”. The lemon in particular makes this delightful and unusual.

I think he was a tad off on how many remain based on the Sym's releasing far more than that. And curious as to what this was originally declared as to the (then) IVP? Which really is just a curiosity since MC-R indicated it was a crusted port as evidence from the cork and this label tends to prove.

One can assume the late release from the Sym's will have new corks but how will it be labeled?

[RAYC]

Its an issue/problem I think the Symingtons have negotiated before, with the pre-Symington Malvedos originally being labelled as "crusted"

[Andy Velebil]

Its an issue/problem I think the Symingtons have negotiated before, with the pre-Symington Malvedos originally being labelled as "crusted"

And to be clear. I don't really care what they call it as it was made as and is a VP. I'm just curious as to what it was originally officially declared as there seems to be conflicting sets of information out there.