1981 Kopke Colheita Port

Dark coral tawny color, spicy carnation nose with flavors of violets, old roses, citrus and macaroons with a lingering finish of dried lavender and clean linen. "Bottled in 2010. Medium orange with amber center and a golden meniscus. Fragrant dried figs, raisins and cocoa powder provide a dark desiccated aroma that was more profound a few days in. Initially medium-bodied this eventually emerged as full-bodied, dense, ultra smooth and unctuous with a gentle hint of spirit which fully integrated within two to three days. For its tender age, this Colheita delivers the goods. Lots of citrus on the palate tending towards mandarin orange, enhanced by brown sugar and a chocolate-coffee aftertaste. Kopke’s 1981 continued to improve with air time and was a very different wine three days open; delivering a rich and silky texture, delineated secondary character and excellent length. For those looking to celebrate 30th birthdays or anniversaries in 2011, this should be a serious consideration. Given the difficulty of finding almost any outstanding wine from 1981 today, I’d highly recommend this Colheita for upcoming celebrations."92 points, 11/22/10, Roy Hersh, FortheLoveofPort