Colheita

The 2002 Colheita Port is a blend of Touriga Franca (40%), Tina Barroca (32%), Tinta Roriz (16%), Touriga Nacional (10%) and Tinto Cão (2%) bottled in 2022 with 110 grams per liter of residual sugar and a long cork. The winery called 2002 the “biggest challenge of the decade.” They made no Vintage Port, so all those grapes went here. The winery concedes that there is less concentration but points to the wine’s purity and complexity. It has both of those, but the best feature here is the freshness. It’s bright, lively and elegant, completely irresistible if completely understated. This is not a monumental Colheita, and it does need more concentration for a Tawny that is basically a 20 Year Port. Viewed in a certain way, it is simply lacking, as the winery’s comments might suggest. Viewed as a graceful 10 Year Tawny, it’s lovely. It is easy to drink, perfectly balanced and pretty delicious. It is, of course, a bit on the pricey side for what it is. As always, these can age well if you must age them (the end-date drinking window is just a vague guideline), but they don’t need aging. Drink date: 2023 -2035.