Dalva 2000 Colheita Portugal Port Wine 75 cl 20%

The 2000 harvest in the Douro is long gone, yet here it still is: in wood, in the dark, slowly turning into something quite unlike grapes. Burnt sugar, dried fruit, toasted nuts. This is a Port that was never in a hurry.

Expert description

Dalva Colheita 2000 is a Tawny Port from the Douro in Portugal, made from Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca and Tinta Roriz, with an alcohol content of 20%.

Colheita is Portuguese for harvest, and that is the whole point. An aged Tawny labelled 10 or 20 years is a blend of many vintages. Here, every drop comes from the same harvest in 2000. According to the label, a Colheita must spend at least seven years in wood before it can be bottled. Dalva Colheita 2000 has spent far longer than that, and the years have softened the wine until the sweetness and fruit feel deep and rounded.

Dalva is a Port house from Vila Nova de Gaia, founded in 1862. Since the 1970s the da Silva family has put real weight behind Colheita, and the house now holds an unusually deep range of vintages.

It is ready to drink now. A Colheita changes only slowly in the bottle, so there is no rush, but no reason to wait either.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dried plums and raisins, orange peel and sweet tobacco. Behind them sits something light and perfumed, and a hint of Christmas cake.

Palate

Sweet and full-bodied, with moderate acidity and soft tannins. Dark dried fruit, caramel and toasted nuts. The acidity keeps the sweetness in check, so it never turns sticky.

Finish

Long and warm. Walnut, burnt coffee and a little leather around the edges.

Serving & Food Pairing

Serve at 14 to 16°C in a Port glass, as the back label also says. It normally does not need decanting. Try it with desserts built on caramel and nuts, dark chocolate, or a strong, mature cheese such as a blue. Or on its own, late in the evening.

Specifications

Name: Dalva Colheita 2000
Producer/Winery: Dalva
Region/Country: Douro, Portugal
Appellation/Classification: Porto, Colheita (single-harvest Tawny)
Grape variety: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz
Vintage: 2000
ABV: 20%
Size: 75 CL
Cask maturation: Wood, minimum seven years
Serving temperature: 14 to 16°C
Glass type: Port glass
EAN no.: 5603003330003

Flavour profile

Sweet · Full-bodied · Nutty · Caramel · Dried fruit · Soft

Did you know?

Dalva is simply da Silva said quickly. The name is a contraction of the family name, which is part of why the house sounds so distinctly Portuguese.

See our full range of Dalva

Frequently asked questions about Dalva Colheita 2000

What is a Colheita, and how does it differ from an ordinary Tawny?

Colheita means harvest in Portuguese. The wine comes from a single vintage and has spent at least seven years in wood. An aged Tawny of 10 or 20 years is a blend of several vintages. A Vintage Port, by contrast, is bottled early and matures in the bottle, whereas Dalva Colheita 2000 has done all its maturing in wood.

What does Dalva Colheita 2000 taste like?

Sweet and full-bodied with moderate acidity and soft tannins. Expect dried dark fruit, plums, caramel and toasted nuts, and a long finish of walnut and burnt coffee.

What temperature and glass suit Dalva Colheita 2000?

14 to 16°C in a Port glass, which matches the recommendation on the back label. Served cold, it shuts down the nuts and caramel.

What should I serve with Dalva Colheita 2000?

Caramel or nut desserts, dark chocolate and strong, mature cheese all work well. It is also happy on its own after dinner.

Should I drink Dalva Colheita 2000 now or keep it?

It is ready now. A Colheita changes only slowly in the bottle, so it can sit, but it will not improve by waiting for years. Store it cool and dark. An open bottle lasts well, since the wine has already had plenty of air in the cask.

Who is behind Dalva?

Dalva is a Port house founded in 1862, and the name is a contraction of da Silva. Since the 1970s the family has focused especially on Colheita, and the house is known for a wide range of vintages.

Is Dalva Colheita 2000 a good gift?

Yes, especially for someone born in 2000 who turns 26 this year. It is a bottle that works for a birthday and does not require the recipient to know anything about Port.