Cockburn Port, 2016

Vintage Port - 6x75cl Bottle Case

IN-BOND PRICE £

ALSO AVAILABLE DUTY PAID AT £ PER CASE (Link below)

Description and Reviews:
The 2016 is the third Cockburn’s Vintage Port declaration under Symington ownership. Since acquiring the historic name in 2010, the family has worked hard to recover the reputation that made Cockburn’s the leading Vintage Port in the 19th century and during the first half of the 20th. The memorable retrospective Vintage Port tastings of 2012 and 2015 included Cockburn’s wines dating as far back as 1863 and provided key insights into the style that made Cockburn’s so admired. The Cockburn’s 1908 emerged as one of the greatest Ports ever made, and the Douro Superior as the birthplace of the finest Cockburn’s Ports, with Quinta dos Canais at its heart. Charles Symington, head winemaker, inspired by the great Cockburn’s Vintages of the past, made the outstanding 2011 debut Cockburn’s Vintage under Symington stewardship, an excellent 2015, and now the remarkable 2016, a thoroughbred Cockburn’s Vintage of which the family are rightly proud.

Harvest Report
2016 brought an unusual viticultural year that required the experience and knowledge of the viticulture and winemaking teams. Abundant rain through the winter and spring replenished the water reserves that sustained the vines through a hot and dry summer. A cool and wet spring delayed the vines’ development, significantly slowing the pace of maturation, whose progress was further checked by the heat and absence of rain in August. The vines were remarkably healthy and it was clear that a late harvest was desirable to bring the crop to optimal maturity.
Courage was needed to hold back on picking prematurely. Many picked too early and lost out on the fantastic quality which rewarded those with patience, and who read the signs in the vineyards. The vintage was scheduled for the 15th September, but rain fell at Quinta dos Canais and Quinta do Vale do Coelho on the 13th and 14th. This caused Charles Symington to suspend picking so that the berries could benefit from what was the turning point for the vintage. Picking the finest vineyards at Canais restarted on the 22nd, only to be deferred again until September 26th to allow the berries to reap the full benefit of the well-timed rain. Some of the prime vineyards at both properties were harvested well into October under perfect sunny and dry conditions. Seldom have Baumés, acidity and phenolics been so well-balanced, delivering wines of great structure, freshness and elegance.
The backbone of the Cockburn’s 2016 comes from the mature Bico de Pato (‘duck’s bill’) vineyard, planted at an altitude of 250 metres at Quinta dos Canais. This area is planted with the best Touriga Nacional of the entire estate, which yielded just 1.17Kg/vine. Higher still at 350 metres is the Vinha do Alexandre, the other principal component from Canais, whose west-facing Touriga Franca prospered in the year’s abundant heat. This is a late-ripening variety which thrives in dry and warm harvest conditions. Charles commented that in 2016 he was spoilt for choice at Canais; while the estate is largely south-facing, it encompasses varied aspects and altitudes which make for a wide variety of wines.
The principal structure for the 2016, provided by Canais was complemented, as in all Cockburn’s Vintage Ports, by the finest production from the small Quinta do Vale Coelho vineyard, 10 km upriver. Vale Coelho adds the seasoning to the blend, with its Sousão grapes bringing acidity and an attractive spicy element. A further contribution came from a vineyard at Quinta do Cachão de Arnozelo, owned privately by a member of the Symington family, just around a bend in the river from Canais. Its Alicante Bouschet added an extra dimension to the wine.


Tasting Note:
Aromas of red fruits with hints of clove and ginger. On the palate combines focused red fruit flavours with a dry character with a long finish marked by Cockburn’s signature ‘grip’. The Cockburn 2016 displays archetypal schistous-soil structure, complexity and length.


Grape variety percentages:
· Touriga Nacional – 62%
· Touriga Franca – 21%
· Sousão – 9%
· Alicante Bouschet – 8%


Wine Specification:
· Alcohol by volume – 20% v/v (20oC)
· Total acidity – 4.42 (g/l)
· Baumé – 3.40
· Bottled during May 2018 with no filtration
· Winemakers: Charles Symington and Ricardo Carvalho


DUTY PAID AT £249 PER CASE

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