Colheita Port

Colheita Port | Single Harvest Port

Colheita Port is a single vintage-dated Tawny Port, made from grapes harvested in one year and aged in wood. In Portuguese, the word Colheita means harvest. Colheitas can offer excellent value and are often less expensive than similarly aged Vintage Ports.

By law, Colheita Ports must be matured in wooden casks for at least seven years, although in practice they are usually aged for much longer, sometimes for many decades. They are bottled only when the producer decides the Port is ready to drink. Unlike Vintage Port, they do not improve after bottling, but they will keep for many years. The label should carry both the vintage and the bottling date.

Colheita Port is often exceptional, combining the sweet dried fruit and nutty finesse of an aged Tawny with individual vintage character. In order to make the category more appealing to consumers, some shippers such as Taylor's have replaced 'Colheita' with the term 'Single Harvest', with some success.

It should also be noted that there are White Colheitas. These have a beautiful flavour profile and extraordinary aromatics and, although a rare category, they are well worth seeking out.

Storing and Serving Colheita Port

Bottles with T-stoppers, such as Colheita Ports, should be stored upright. Tawny and Colheita Ports will drink well once opened for far longer than Vintage Port and do not require decanting to remove sediment. Their ready-to-drink style makes them especially user-friendly. We recommend serving at room temperature or slightly chilled.

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