Otima Colheita 2013 Cask-Aged Dated Tawny Single Bottle.

Country: Portugal Region: Douro Valley

Vintage: N/V Colour: Red Style: Fortified/Dessert

Grape varieties: Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz, and old mixed vines.

Producer: Warre's

‘Colheita’ is the Portuguese word for harvest and a Colheita Port is thus a wine from a single year and — specifically — an aged tawny Port, matured solely in wood. These wines have some similarities with Warre’s Otima 10 and 20-Year-Old (both styles are old tawnies) but as wines from a single harvest, Colheita Ports distinctively reflect the individual characteristics of one year. Conversely, aged tawnies with an age indication are blended to express a consistent house style with little or no variation over time.After two very dry years, the winter of 2013 gave lots of water to the earth’s reservoirs. The spring was cool, which delayed flowering and shortened the ripening period. But an increasingly hot and dry summer (4.6 mm of rain in June-July-August) caught up with what was lost, and the grapes were very healthy at harvest despite the stressful heat. The big difference in 2013 came on September 5, when a day-long rainstorm hit the Douro Valley. It gave just the amount of water that was needed for the grapes to be fully ripe. Autumn started a little week later than usual, but the whole harvest took place in brilliant sunshine with masses of healthy grapes in perfect condition.

Tasting Note:
Intense deep amber with a dense centre. Bright concentrated colour. Slight hint of molasses & dates on the nose, orange peel freshness and warm, oriental spices. Creamy mouthfeel. Very rich, lingering freshness.

Food Matches: Colheita Ports are a fine accompaniment to assorted sweet desserts and are equally pleasurable sampled on their own. Once open, the wine will keep for up to a month