Hoopers port?? What is it?

gonzo · Post by **gonzo** » 12:23 Wed 21 Nov 2007

I have just found a bottle of Hoopers LBV that someone gave to me ages ago...i think its a 94 or 97. Either way...Hoopers??
I can't see any mention on the site of this brand ..am i to assume its best used in Spag bol?

uncle tom · Post by **uncle tom** » 13:01 Wed 21 Nov 2007

It's an old brand name that is now owned and used (amongst others) by Royal Oporto.

RO's wines are firmly in the second division, but you never know, it might be quite enjoyable! Open it, find out and report - but have the ingredients for a spag bol ready just in case..

Tom

gonzo · Post by **gonzo** » 16:15 Wed 21 Nov 2007

thought as much. I will open this weekend whilst i'm cooking and report my findings.

RonnieRoots · Post by **RonnieRoots** » 16:24 Wed 21 Nov 2007

I once drank a 30YO White port from Hoopers. It wasn't supposed to be that old, but it was bottled by the former Dutch importer, who discoverd a barrel somewhere recently and decided to bottle it. Dead cheap and suprisingly good.

You never know, you may get lucky with your bottle as well.

Rubby · Post by **Rubby** » 16:27 Wed 21 Nov 2007

uncle tom wrote:RO's wines are firmly in the second division

Which makes me wonder: which Port wines are in the 'second division'?
I noticed that (for instance) Kopke, whose Port wines are widely available over here, doesn't get much mention on this forum. Is it a 'lesser' Port?

Luc · Post by **Luc** » 16:47 Wed 21 Nov 2007

Hi Rubby .
Kopke make excellent 30 & 40 yr old tawny's as well as 30+ yr old Colheitas .

RonnieRoots · Post by **RonnieRoots** » 16:59 Wed 21 Nov 2007

Kopke is a very good producer when it comes to aged tawnies, but has a lesser reputation in Ruby-style ports. In the last couple of years the standard of their vintages has gone up. The 2000, 2003 and 2005 are all very enjoyable and reasonably priced. The LBV isn't worth much though.

You can wake me up anytime for a Kopke colheita from a good year!

Rubby · Post by **Rubby** » 17:10 Wed 21 Nov 2007

RonnieRoots wrote:Kopke is a very good producer when it comes to aged tawnies, but has a lesser reputation in Ruby-style ports. In the last couple of years the standard of their vintages has gone up. The 2000, 2003 and 2005 are all very enjoyable and reasonably priced. The LBV isn't worth much though.

You can wake me up anytime for a Kopke colheita from a good year!

Funny you should say that. I had a Kopke Colheita 1986 a while back, which was really nice. This week I had my first Kopke LBV (2001), which was disappointing indeed!

I haven't had a Kopke VP yet, but there's one 1980 waiting for me.

Andy Velebil · Post by **Andy Velebil** » 17:46 Wed 21 Nov 2007

Rubby wrote:
I haven't had a Kopke VP yet, but there's one 1980 waiting for me.

take a back up bottle is all I'll say. Their VP's are, well whats the polite way of saying this...below average

Now their Colheita's are just spectacular and some of my favorite across the board

gonzo · Post by **gonzo** » 18:54 Wed 21 Nov 2007

all that being said, can anyone tell me what the good vintages are for Colheitas are?? I'm going to look for a Kopke to try and would like to make sure its a good'un...

Andy Velebil · Post by **Andy Velebil** » 21:11 Wed 21 Nov 2007

anything that has a "7" at the end of the year. and the 1935 is a beauty too,
their 10 and 20 yr tawnys are also very good.

Post by **jdaw1** » 21:34 Wed 21 Nov 2007

Back to the original question, I own something described as “Hopper† vintages port, both 1938, and 1942.

RonnieRoots · Post by **RonnieRoots** » 23:36 Wed 21 Nov 2007

ADV wrote:
Rubby wrote:
I haven't had a Kopke VP yet, but there's one 1980 waiting for me.
take a back up bottle is all I'll say. Their VP's are, well whats the polite way of saying this...below average

Now their Colheita's are just spectacular and some of my favorite across the board

There is a risk that the 1980 will be past its prime. But the 1985 Kopke is very good. You could use that as a back up bottle.

gonzo · Post by **gonzo** » 10:13 Tue 27 Nov 2007

Quick update for you.. the Hoopers LBV 1997 was opened on Sunday. Without boring you with the dreadful details it was used in Mondays Spag bol

Simon Lisle · Post by **Simon Lisle** » 11:16 Mon 17 Dec 2007

The only Hooper's I've had was vintage 58 I'll try and be technical it was rubbish

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 17:45 Mon 17 Dec 2007

I have a feeling that the Hooper's brand name is not simply a brand in the Royal Oporto portfolio, I have a feeling that it is also a selection from a limited number of the RO vineyards.

Alex

Rubby · Post by **Rubby** » 02:23 Sun 24 Feb 2008

RonnieRoots wrote:
ADV wrote:
Rubby wrote:
I haven't had a Kopke VP yet, but there's one 1980 waiting for me.
take a back up bottle is all I'll say. Their VP's are, well whats the polite way of saying this...below average

Now their Colheita's are just spectacular and some of my favorite across the board
There is a risk that the 1980 will be past its prime. But the 1985 Kopke is very good. You could use that as a back up bottle.

Well, I finaly opened this 1980 Kopke VP. It's also my very first VP. Ever. That's why I decided not to post this in the proper Tasting Note thread because I don't have any VP's to compare it to.
For this same reason I have decided not to give any points, since it's the best ÃƒÂ¡nd worst VP I ever tasted.

Here's my first attempt at a tasting note:

1980 Kopke
decant +3: Color is somewhere between pink and orange. Very dominant taste of strawberries, with a tiny hint of orange and apricot. Reasonably long aftertaste but quite one dimensional (strawberries). Slightly mineral.
No tannins detected.
decant +20: A tiny amount of cocoa comes into the palette, while only strawberry is left from the initial tasting; orange and apricot have left the palette.

Quite a disapointing vintage for its price, which is definitely going downhill.

mosesbotbol · Post by **mosesbotbol** » 17:01 Mon 25 Feb 2008

I've had the 1960 Hoopers, which TN's are posted on the other port forum. Nice little port. Bottled by Real Companhia Velha.

RonnieRoots · Post by **RonnieRoots** » 17:15 Mon 25 Feb 2008

Rubby, that's not the best first VP experience you could wish. I hope your next bottle is better!

Post by **jdaw1** » 00:10 Tue 22 Mar 2022

The second edition of the book has a chapter for Hooper. But I lack a sourceable history of Hooper. Have any readers of these pages any helpful pointers?

Post by **PhilW** » 08:54 Tue 12 Apr 2022

jdaw1 wrote: ↑00:10 Tue 22 Mar 2022 The second edition of the book has a chapter for Hooper. But I lack a sourceable history of Hooper. Have any readers of these pages any helpful pointers?

Did a little searching; didn't come up with much except a lot of almost-going-bankrupt:

Richard Hooper and Sons

- Richard Hooper & Sons listed in 1852 London Business directory as wine merchants

- Liquidation in progress Dec 1877
- London Daily News, Nov 29 1877
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/iss ... 9/data.pdf

- Liverpool Mercury, Friday, November 30
"A circular has been issued announcing the failure of Messrs Richard Hooper and Sons, wine merchants ..."
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/409989986/

- 1880
https://vlex.co.uk/vid/banco-portugal-v ... -792864721
1 After hearing Counsel for the Appellants, as well on Tuesday last as this day, upon the Petition and Appeal of the Banco de Portugal, of Oporto, in the Kingdom of Portugal, Bankers, praying, That the matter of the Order set forth in the Schedule thereto, namely, an Order of Her Majesty's Court of Appeal sitting in Bankruptcy, of the 4th of April 1879, might be reviewed before Her Majesty the Queen in Her Court of Parliament, and that the said Order might be reversed, varied, or altered, or that the Petitioners might have such other relief in the premises as to Her Majesty the Queen in Her Court of Parliament might seem meet; as also upon the printed Case of James Waddell (the Trustee under the Liquidation of Richard Hooper and Sons) lodged in answer to the said Appeal; Counsel appearing for the Respondent but not being called on; and due consideration had of what was offered for the Appellants: </div> <div class="para-group">
2 It is Ordered and Adjudged, by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, in the Court of Parliament of Her Majesty the Queen assembled, That the said Order of Her Majesty's Court of Appeal sitting in Bankruptcy, of the 4th of April 1879, complained of in the said Appeal, be, and the same is hereby Affirmed, and that the said Petition and Appeal be, and the same is hereby dismissed this House: And it is further Ordered, That the Appellants do...

- liquidation again in 1883, having been suspended in 1877
- British newspaper archive; Dublin Daily Express, 15th Oct 1883
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co. ... %20ireland

- and in 1888
"third and final dividend" paid in the bankruptcy court
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/iss ... 6/data.pdf

- 15 Sep 1933, US Trademark filing for use of brand "Hooper's" for port wine, by Richard Hooper and Sons (Portugal)
https://trademark.trademarkia.com/hoopers-71341611.html

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