Legendary Colheita Ports
Some of the world’s oldest wineries are still quietly making some of the most profound wines for their region. These estates have been loved and sought-after for generations. Think of Saint Cosme in Gigondas, Schloss Gobelsburg in the Kamptal region of Austria, Karthäuserhof in the Mosel, Ricasoli and Antinori in Tuscany, and Kopke, the oldest Port House in the Douro or the world.
Kopke, founded in 1638, makes what might be the most vibrant and long-lived port wines available. They have been through adverse times in their nearly 400-year history, seeing dramatic shifts in the climate, swings in the popularity of their product, and the rise and fall of populist dictators. Through all of this, they’ve been consistent in their commitment to making the greatest Tawny and Colheita (vintage Tawny) Port available.
We’re fortunate to have a tremendous lineup available with additional stock that just landed, including Colheita vintages dating back to 1957, and a 30-year and 40-year Tawny. The unbelievably youthful 1957, 1966, and 1967 Colheitas are perfect examples of how age adds concentration and depth, with the traditional Kopke freshness that keeps these so vibrant. All of our selections will continue to show their highlights and develop rich spice and dried fruit characteristics for years to come.
Although the main focus of Kopke has always been its Colheita and Tawnies, they also craft exceptional Vintage Port. In 1922, the Port House acquired the Quinta de São Luiz, recognized as one of the most important estates in the Douro due to the quality of its vineyards and its history. You can experience two Vintage Ports from this estate, the 2015 and 2019.
Explore our fourteen in-stock options from Kopke on our webstore now or browse highlights below:
Kopke 20 Year Fine White Port 375ml $49 special, 3 half-bottles in stock now
Roger Voss-Wine Enthusiast 93 points “This wood-aged Port has a fine point of balance between fruit and old wood flavors. Its richness comes from the concentration and the acidity working in harmony. Drink the wine now.”
Importer note “A Malvasia Fina-based blend of traditional Douro white varieties, grown on schist-sandstone soils at 600 meters of elevation.”
Kopke 30 Year Old Tawny Port 750ml $119 special, 11 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 94 points “A very inviting, open style, with butterscotch and caramel notes framing the core of glazed pear, caramelized peach, golden raisin and warm fig flavors. The lush finish lets crème brûlée and ginger cream details hang, showing a flash of honeysuckle for lift. Drink now. 200 cases imported.”
Mark Squires-Wine Advocate 93 points “The NV 30 Year Old Tawny Port was bottled in 2017 with a bar-top cork and 130 grams per liter of residual sugar. The last release I saw of this was pretty fine. So, too, here. This adds a layer of depth and more complexity to the Burmester, although it lacks the Burmester’s elegance and sex appeal. While the finish here is bigger and more gripping, it is no more flavorful (actually, less so). Still, as this rolls around the mouth, it is impressive, not necessarily more exciting than the Burmester, but definitely different stylistically. They are good examples of the diversity you can get in one portfolio. As always, these last indefinitely, barring cork failures, but they are not really meant to be held.”
Importer note “A Touriga Nacional-based blend of traditional Douro red varieties, grown on schist-sandstone soils at 600 meters of elevation.”
Kopke 40 Year Old Tawny Port 750ml $199 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 95 points “This offers a dreamy mix of caramelized pear, fig and peach flavors at the core, while caramel, sesame oil and date notes fill in through the expansive finish. At first glance this is quite lush, but the finish lingers with cut and drive. Drink now. 200 cases imported.”
Mark Squires-Wine Advocate 93 points “The NV 40 Year Old Tawny Port was bottled in 2016 with a bar top cork and 145 grams per liter of residual sugar. This adds a bit more brandy as a nuance on the finish to the 30, reviewed this issue, but it still seems much like the 30 Year Old, surprisingly fresh and easy, beautifully balanced and on the lighter side in terms of mid-palate concentration. It is a lovely tawny on its own terms–I’m just not sure it delivers enough of an uptick to justify the price spike from the 30 (or, perhaps even the 20). On its own, though, it won’t disappoint. The price references a 750 milliliter bottle.”
Importer note “A Touriga Nacional-based blend of traditional Douro red varieties, grown on schist-sandstone soils at 600 meters of elevation.”
Kopke Colheita Tawny Port 1957 750ml $489 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Harriet Kininmonth-IWSC 98 points “Still showing elegance and incredible complexity when considering the age. Soft and mellow, loaded with ripe soft stone fruit. Harmonious yet still has austere delights to savour. Still has development to come.”
Mark Squires-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 1957 Colheita Tawny Port was seen before, but it’s worth revisiting in the USA, since it’s a great wine. This is also the new 2015 bottling. It has 127 grams per liter of residual sugar. It is stunning how youthful this is. Lush and rich on opening, it has mature flavors that emerge, easily demonstrating the complexity and concentrated aromatics one expects. Gripping on the finish, this delivers fruit flavor and seems to linger indefinitely. When I first saw this, it was tasted next to even more brilliant Colheitas and a bit overshadowed. On its own, it is even more stunning. It was pretty fine next to some other greats here as well.”
Roger Voss-Wine Enthusiast 95 points “There is a great balance between acidity and impressively fresh fruit considering the age of this venerable Port. Of course there are many flavors from the wood aging, but they are combined with orange marmalade, fig and raisin flavors in a riot of complex flavors that have created a very great wine. It comes from a year that was not generally declared as a vintage.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “Baked pear, dried apricot and roasted apple flavors dominate in this mature yet fresh-tasting version. White pepper and lightly smoky notes show on the fresh finish. Rich and complex. Drink now. 200 cases imported. — KM”
Kopke Colheita Tawny Port 1966 750ml $249 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Mark Squires-Wine Advocate 96 points “The 1966 Colheita Tawny Port was bottled in 2015 with 126.3 grams per liter of residual sugar, and comes with a bar top cork (as is typical here). As we start getting seriously old in the lineup from Sogevinus this issue, this shows what you get with increasing age: the superb concentration of flavor, the long, intense finishes and the complex medley of flavors that old Tawnies deliver effortlessly. That, to me, is what makes them worth the extra bucks. If some of the youngsters lean more to caramel, this adds more molasses with a touch of Brandy in the background. The concentrated flavors linger more or less endlessly, driven into the palate by the wine’s power and acidity. You can smell and taste this for a long time. The graceful mid-palate is deceptively friendly at first. It sure does grip the palate at the end, though, finishing with juicy bursts of fruit and sugar. Over several days, it acquired a bit more harmony and shed a touch of aggression. The alcohol, speaking relatively, is not as well integrated here as with the 1965, also reviewed, but that is relative. I tended to like this just slightly better anyway for its complexity and concentration on several fronts. The freshness on the 1965 is quite enticing, though. It tastes younger. It depends on what you want: that old-wine complexity and depth or a livelier feel. They both have plenty of power on the finish. You can’t go wrong, really.”
Kopke Colheita Tawny Port 1967 750ml $249 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Mark Squires-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 1967 Colheita Tawny Port comes in with 142 grams per liter of residual sugar. This is a nice step up compared to the younger parts of the lineup, elegant and focused, with a precise finish, a fresh feel, little discernible brandy and a long, long finish. The classic old tawny flavors of molasses and caramel wash over the palate. This isn’t big and thick, but some may very well prefer its elegant and brighter feel. In many ways, it is fresher than the 1981 or 1999 reviewed this issue, and it is better balanced than the 1937. It is very pretty.”
Kopke Colheita Tawny Port 1978 750ml $119 special, 8 bottles in stock now
Nick Room-IWSC 97 points “Excellent in all aspects. Caramel and molasses on the nose, palate abundant with deeper toffee, vanilla and ripe prune. Cedar spices combine with fine citrus fruit around a red fruit core. Balanced and with further evolution still to come. Seriously good.”
Mark Squires-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 1978 Colheita Tawny Port was bottled in 2015 with 119 grams per liter of residual sugar and a bar top cork (typical for the house). It is very graceful for its age, finishing with a wave of sweetness, fruit and sugar. Emphasizing the caramel more than the molasses, this is irresistibly delicious, but it becomes more complex and puts on weight as it airs and warms. The wine shows off its power and hints of Brandy on the rather tense finish, too. Overall, this is a beauty that becomes more impressive the longer you sit with it. Then, you realize that its balance is simply perfect, yet it stands out in most every category. This is very fine and the price is pretty nice for the age and the quality.”
Roger Voss-Wine Enthusiast 94 points “Not one of the generally declared vintages for Port, this year produced some ripe, sweet single quinta vintages. It also was a good year for rich, sweet tawnies. This is ripe, toffee-like in character packed with ripe raisin and sultana flavors. It is a luxurious wine, of course ready to drink.”
Kopke Colheita Tawny Port 1985 750ml $99 special, 4 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 91 points “Plum and blackberry aromas, with hints of chocolate and nut follow through to a full body, medium sweetness and a long caressing finish. Youthful, round and rich”
Kopke Colheita Tawny Port 1999 750ml $59 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Jamie Goode-Wine Anorak 94 points “Complex, spicy and raising with an appealing saline edge. Some lovely savoury notes developing here. Has warmth and complexity.”
Kopke Colheita Tawny Port 2005 750ml $49 special, 1 bottle in stock now
Wine & Spirits 93 points “Cool and refined upfront, this is polished and posh with sweet plum and vanilla scents in the middle. Then it gets a sunny lift in the end, lasting on honeycomb and notes of dried apricots. A gracious and refined way to end a holiday meal.”
Kopke Colheita Tawny Port 2007 750ml $41.90 special, 1 bottle in stock now
Wine Spectator 91 points “Warm toffee, cinnamon and ginger notes glide through, enhanced by a light streak of juniper. Ends with accents of dark tea and a flash of bitter almond. Drink now.”
Mark Squires-Wine Advocate 90 points “The 2007 Colheita Tawny Port comes in with 112 grams per liter of residual sugar. This is a friendly and easy ten-year Tawny, with a bright feel and an elegant mid-palate. It finishes well, tasty and fresh. There’s nothing overly complicated here, but it is impossible to dislike.”
Kopke Vintage Port Quinta de São Luiz 2015 750ml $59 special, 10 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 92 points “A flattering style, with a generous feel to the mix of raspberry, boysenberry and blackberry puree flavors that glide through. Light fruitcake and red licorice accents infuse the finish, which has a nice kick of freshness. Best from 2028 through 2045. 200 cases imported. — JM”
Mark Squires-Wine Advocate 90-92 points “The 2015 Vintage Port Quinta S. Luiz is a single-quinta Porto that is a 50/50 blend of Touriga Nacional and a field blend from old vines (over 50 years old). It comes in at 102 grams per liter of residual sugar. This is elegant and shows excellent finesse. There’s not a lot of concentration, perhaps, but this delicious Kopke does have fine structure. It finishes with tension and increasingly assertive tannins as it airs out. Nicely done overall, this shows the potential to age well and improve in the cellar. This single-quinta Porto is more or less as good as its declared vintage sibling (the Cálem, this issue, also from Sogevinus). This is a bit pricier, though, and the styles are rather different, that Cálem feeling fuller in the mouth, while this feels harder edged. This was a tank sample, out of barrel and the final blend, when tasted.”
Kopke Vintage Port Quinta de São Luiz 2019 750ml $79 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 94 points “This has some flash, with bright cassis, plum and boysenberry purée flavors that have a nice, caressing feel. Loads of anise, red tea, fruitcake and melted licorice notes entwine themselves to the fruit, leading to a seductive finish. Best from 2040 through 2060. 350 cases made, 10 cases imported. — JM”
Kopke Vintage Port 2016 750ml $89 special, 6 bottles in stock now
Roger Voss-Wine Enthusiast 96 points “This is a luscious wine, with tannins that are cushioned by the ripe plum and prune fruits. That doesn’t mean it is likely to develop too quickly, but is ready to take its time, bringing out the opulent character of the wine as well as its structure. Drink from 2028.”