Colheita Port Wine
Colheita Port WineColheita Port is a type of tawny Port where all grapes are from one harvest. This is sometimes called 'Single Harvest Port'. In Portuguese, the word Colheita means harvest and can be construed therefore, to mean vintage as well. Colheitas can offer excellent value as they're usually less expensive than similarly aged Vintage Ports. There's even less Colheita bottled than Vintage Port, typically only 1% of all Port produced in any given year. By law, Colheitas should be matured in wooden casks for at least seven years, although in practice they tend to be aged for much longer - sometimes up to 100 years. They are bottled only when the producer decides that the Port is ready to drink. Unlike Vintage Port they will not improve after bottling but will keep for many years. The label should carry both the vintage and the bottling date. Colheita port combines all 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 have replaced `Colheita' with the term `Single Harvest Reserve', with some success. It should be noted that there are also White Colheitas, These have a beautiful flavor profile and extraordinary aromatics and although it is a rare category, they're really worth seeking out. |