"7 Decades of Porto Barros"

Douro Valley

Any tasting that begins with a "very old dry white port" from circa 1934 is likely to be extraordinary.  This very special tasting was held at Arrowine in Arlington on February 9, 2011.  An incredible event co-sponsored by Arrowine, Sogevinus and Dionysos Imports, hosted by the youthful and dynamic Sandra Marques, North American Export Manager for Sogevinus Fine Wines and a member of the Port Wine Confraria.  The tasting highlighted the spectacular range of Colheitas-the hallmark of Portuguese Port wine houses-produced by Porto Barros.  This traditional Portuguese house, founded in 1913, is a relative youngster by Port wine standards, and is now part of a family of Portuguese wine houses (among them Kopke and Calem) owned by the Spanish banking conglomerate Sogevinus.


Even if you are familiar with Port wine, you may not be so familiar with Colheita Ports.  We are not talking about Ruby or Vintage- English words for the styles of Port wine so fervently consumed, traded and popularized in the World Market.   We are talking Colheita (Kohl-YAY-tah)-a distinctly Portuguese name for a distinctly Portuguese style of Port.

Colheita-a distinctly Portuguese name for a distinctly Portuguese style of Port.

The Portuguese like their tawnies-or so I am told by Sandra who is a native of Oporto.  So it is no surprise that a style of tawny Port should be favored.  Colheita translates to harvest, and is a tawny Port that is representative of a single harvest and so bears a vintage date.  The duly revered 10, 20, and 40 year old tawny Ports which you are more likely to see gracing the shelves of wine shops and the pages of wine lists,  are more akin to a fine Champagne house's NV Brut.  They represent a house style-and each house has a team of Master blenders who are responsible for maintaining the quality and hallmark style of the brand-something you can hang your hat on.  They are also from multiple vintages-and so the 10-20-40 year designation represents an average age of the wine.   The Colheita tawny, on the other hand,  as a single harvest, reflects all of the caprice, condition (and risk) of climate variation-no two Colheitas are alike.  The Colheita must remain in wooden casks for a minimum of 7 years, only to be bottled when the market demands.  Porto Barros has Colheitas dating back to 1937.

"  when we drink Port, we are tasting history" 

-Fernando Oliveira, Master Blender for Sogevinus.

  The most remarkable aspect to me is this bit -"The Colheita remains in wooden casks for a minimum of 7 years (ok)-only to be bottled when the market demands"  Wait, what?  Back up, "only to be bottled when the market demands"  Let's think about that for a minute.   It is a common tradition to buy a bottle of vintage Port on a child's birth year.  We recognize the historical significance of this extraordinary and long lived bottle of wine.  Vintage Port, considered the highest tier of Port, declared only in the best years and among the most age worthy of wine investments, is the pride of every Port house and many a cellar.  The finest grapes, from the finest years, aged for a required two years in large barrels, and then bottled unfined and unfiltered.  Bottled, swaddled and sent out into the world a baby (a bruiser of a baby-I'll grant you) but a baby none the less-dependent upon the lucky procurer for its future development.

Bottled only when the market demands...

Colheitas on the other hand-are reared in the Port lodges that produced them.  Sometimes, as Sandra points out, even from inauspicious beginnings, a finely layered and complex wine can be produced.  Such is the case in 1979.  Considered a poor year and not a declared vintage-this "ugly duckling" has been transformed into a beautiful swan of a Colheita-and in 2009 the winery commemorated the harvest with a 30 year anniversary bottling.  In the perfect climate of Vila Nova de Gaia with its humidity thanks to the close proximity of the sea-these wines are looked after and gently coaxed into maturity by the Port wine Masters.  As they age, each bottling projects a unique snapshot of its birth and evolution-to sing a particular song marking a particular time.  We could only hope for so much for our children.  



Barros Very Old Dry White Port (1934 Solera)
Almost an essence-the finish and persistence on this wine is unbelievable.  Truly the summation of 70 years in cask-roasted nuts, caramel, toffee-on a light, airy and bone dry frame...this just goes on and on.

1995 Barros Colheita Port
Amber with orange highlights, aromas of hazelnuts and toffee mingle with creme brulee, the palate is fiery and still hinting at red fruits-pomegranate and orange zest.

1988 Barros Colheita Port
Deeper in color than the 1995-with a rosier hue-the 1988 has an expressive nose and a full, generous body.  Showing more sweetness and a touch of fire-full round and spicy-cinnamon scented nuts.

1978 Barros Colheita Port
 With a pronounced iodine note on the nose, a robust, spicy palate swims with caramel and hazelnuts on the long spicy finish.

1963 Barros Colheita Port
 Roasted pralines and coffee on the nose.  The palate is to die for with silky brandied coconut and orange caramel.  Pecan pie with freshly grated baking spices.

1957 Barros Colheita Port 
 Caramel aromas translate into a rich buttery caramel on the palate-tinged with candied orange and toasty vanilla notes.  Surprisingly fresh acids balance the richness of the flavors.

1937 Barros Colheita Port 
A deep amber hue, the sensational 1937 Colheita leaps out of the glass with aromas of sweet tobacco, pipe smoke, honey, golden raisins and chocolate gingerbread.  The orange zest tinged palate is a revelation of rich, vibrant flavors of fruitcake, hazelnuts and golden raisins.  The finish is incredibly long.  

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