Port and Revolution

Friday in Porto, our second day, began with a lovely visit to Burmester´s lodge, where Sonja Figueira and winemakers Carla Tiago presented some nice bottles from Sogevinus – the group that beside Burmester owns brands like Cálem, Barros, Kopke, Hutcheson and Feist. Before the tasting we had a short tour around the beautiful restored lodge, which first of all is a visit center for the many tourists and Port lovers. The main building for storing Port is further up behind in Gaia.

This time the tasting took place in a room behind the lodge with a magnificent view to the Don Louis I Bridge. Above there is a terrace, where you can enjoy the Bridge from a more seldom angle and the tasting room below has large windows too the river as well. A lovely place to spend a couple of hours together with nice glasses of Port. 

First we hand a couple of table wines. Kopke Doc White 2013 is made of a blend of Arinto, Gouveio and Rabigato. It is very fresh and straight forward with nice acid and some exotic fruit notes, but perhaps a bit short tail. Kopke Doc Red 2011 is made from typical Douro grapes. Beautiful red, cherries and some spices, nice soft tannins and a long end. 

The followed a nice row of Port.

Burmester Vintager 2011: Young, but drinkable, dark and purple, a nice nose with red fruit and some violet, good fruitiness and some notes of flowers and then a nice long end.

Kopke 10 years Tawny: Mahogany. Some dried fruits in the nose, almonds and fruit and a nice balance.  

Burmester Colheita 1998: Brown, a bit orange in the nose, intense and fruity with cherries and other red berries, a nice balance and some pepper in the end.

Kopke 20 years White: Delicious, elegant and with notes of coconuts, almonds and some orange. Soft in the mouth, but perhaps a bit sharp in the nose.

Kopke Colheita 1989, Dark brown, dried fruit and vanilla, but still with fruit too. Deep.

Kopke 40 years White. A bit sharp in the nose. Still with coconuts, but more character from the oak. Nuts and fruits, a bit orange, nice acidity.

Barros Special Edition Colheita 1974: Released as a celebration of the 40 year anniversary of the revolution and therefore the bottle is decorated with a poem, a hymn to freedom, formed as a carnation. Amber, very well balanced with great fruitiness and lots of almonds. Elegant and delicious.  “Freedom, Evidence of Portuguese Talent”, as the poems says.

After the visit at Burmester we went straight to Sandeman. Report will follow.