Hutcheson 2010 Colheita Portuguese Port Wine 75 cl 20%

One harvest, one cask, many years of patience. Colheita is Port's answer to the single vintage - here from 2010, where the grapes were left to mature quietly, long before the bottle was ever filled.

Expert's Description

Hutcheson 2010 Colheita is a Portuguese Colheita Port from the Douro Valley, aged in oak casks and bottled at 20%.

The word Colheita simply means 'harvest' in Portuguese and denotes a Tawny Port from a single, named vintage, unlike most Tawny Ports, which are blended from several years. Port regulations require a minimum of seven years' cask ageing before a Colheita can be sold - in practice many spend far longer, often decades, on oak.

Hutcheson is one of Porto's older trading houses, founded in 1881 by Thomas Page Hutcheson and Alexander Davidson Taylor. The house has historically specialised in exactly the Tawny and Colheita styles and is today part of the Sogevinus group, which took over the running of the formerly family-owned Douro houses in 2006.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose offers dried apricot, walnut and a mild caramel tone, shaped by more than a decade of cask ageing.

Palate

The palate is round and mature, with raisin, orange peel and a fine, almost honeyed sweetness.

Finish

The finish is long and warm, with a light nutty bitterness that balances the sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Hutcheson 2010 Colheita
Winery: Hutcheson
Region-Country: Douro, Portugal
Type: Colheita Port
Grape varieties: Traditional Douro grapes, including Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz
ABV: 20%
Size: 75 CL
Ageing: Oak cask, min. 7 years
Vintage: 2010
Serving suggestion: Serve at 14-16°C in a port glass, ideally with nutty desserts or mature cheese

Flavour Profile

Nutty · Honeyed · Mature · Complex

Investment Potential

A genuine single-vintage Colheita from a named harvest year is a recognised collector's style, because each bottle tells the story of that specific year - unlike most Tawny Ports, which are blended from several vintages and can't be dated in the same way.

Did You Know?

Because the law requires a minimum of seven years' cask ageing before a Colheita can leave the cellar, the producer is free to leave it far longer - some Colheita Ports aren't sold until decades after the harvest year, making each bottle a small piece of liquid history.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Hutcheson 2010 Colheita

What does Colheita mean, and what makes this style special?

Colheita means 'harvest' and denotes a Tawny Port from a single, named vintage, here 2010, unlike most Tawny Ports, which are blended from several years.

What does Hutcheson 2010 Colheita taste like?

It offers dried apricot, walnut and an almost honeyed sweetness, with a long, warm finish.

Is this bottle suitable as a gift or collector's item?

Yes, as a genuine single-vintage Colheita from a named harvest year, it appeals both as a gift bottle and as an interesting item for collectors.

At what temperature and in which glass should it be served?

Serve it at 14-16°C in a port glass so the mature, nutty notes can show their best.

How long does the bottle keep once opened?

Thanks to its long oxidative ageing, an opened Colheita stays fresh for several months if the cork is replaced.

What defines Hutcheson as a wine house?

Hutcheson was founded in 1881 and has historically specialised in Tawny and Colheita styles, today part of the Sogevinus group.

What food pairs well with this Colheita?

It works well with nut-based desserts, mature cheese or as a finish to a meal on its own.