Cockburn's Vintage Port 2017 (Portugal)

Cockburn's Vintage Port 2017 (Portugal)"Insane aromas of crushed berry, flowers and lifted ester like a fermenting lagar. Full body, tannic yet so finely grained in texture. Extremely long and beautiful. It goes on for minutes" James Suckling, Jamessuckling, May 2019 "Packed with creamed blueberry, aa berry and boysenberry fruit and carried by waves of velvety structure and warm fruitcake notes, this is showy in style, featuring an embedded graphite spine, alluring spice details and a

"Insane aromas of crushed berry, flowers and lifted ester like a fermenting lagar. Full body, tannic yet so finely grained in texture. Extremely long and beautiful. It goes on for minutes" James Suckling, Jamessuckling, May 2019

"Packed with creamed blueberry, açaí berry and boysenberry fruit and carried by waves of velvety structure and warm fruitcake notes, this is showy in style, featuring an embedded graphite spine, alluring spice details and a flash of floral nuance through the finish, imparting superior range and length. Best from 2032 through 2050" James Molesworth, Wine Spectator, Oct 2019

"This wine’s opulent intensity comes from the powerful tannins. A jammy blackberry flavor shines through and is lifted by bright acidity. Depth and structure ensure long-term aging. Drink from 2030" Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast, Oct 2019

"The 2017 Cockburn’s Vintage Port, picked from August 28, comes mainly from Quinta dos Canais (74% of the blend.) It sports an iridescent purple hue. It has an irresistible nose with black plum, raisin, vanilla and blackcurrant, super-concentrated but managing to maintain superb delineation. The palate is medium-bodied and full of tension. I must admit to being shocked how tense and agile this Cockburn’s is showing. It is a livewire young Port, brimming over with energy and bridle and with an almost citrus-fresh finish that leaves the mouth tingling. The name might be synonymous with the more commercial end of Port, however, recent vintages testify a fortified wine that should be taken very seriously. Superb" Neil Martin, Jun 2019

"Mostly sourced from Quinta dos Canais, this is a blend of 52% Touriga Nacional and 30% Touriga Franca, backed by Sousão and Alicante Bouschet. It’s a well priced example and looks to be one of the best value wines of the vintage. This is one of few wines in 2017 showing a touch of warmth on the nose, with opulent, heady floral fruit. The palate is sweet and fleshy initially, with ripe berry fruits and solid, spicy tannins. It’s classically structured with lovely concentration and a powerful finish, perhaps not showing the freshness of some other ’17s but still very impressive. Drinking Window 2035 – 2060" Richard Mayson, Decanter, Jul 2019

The Cockburn 2017 has resinous, forest floor aromas with bergamot notes mingling with rockrose scents. Fresh, mineral notes are evocative of eucalyptus and anise. The palate is intense with layers of blueberry and kirsch flavours underpinned by peppery tannins which provide Cockburn's signature grip. A very complete wine, complex and finely tuned that suggests impressive longevity.

2017 will be remembered as one of the hottest and driest years in the Douro. At Quinta dos Canais we had half the rainfall of an average year (just 246 mm) and temperatures broke several records during the spring. The summer was bone dry, just 6.2 mm recorded in June (monthly average: 24.3 mm), and not a single drop fell during July, August or September. It is quite extraordinary just how well-adapted our indigenous grape varieties are to the Douro’s challenging conditions. Fortunately, summer temperatures provided
some respite – they were slightly below the 30-year average. This was critically important; if the lack of rain had been combined with extreme temperatures, the outcome could have been very different. Because the very dry conditions were in place from the start of the growth cycle, the vines adjusted early, lowering their water intake and thus conserving the meagre water reserves for the months ahead. The dryness also checked excess plant vigour; smaller vine canopies meant the vines had less demand for water. The heat also helped check vine diseases, contributing to a very healthy crop.

It is often the case in the Douro that years that test the vines to the limit are those that deliver the most memorable wines: 2017 is one of those years. The low yields resulted in very concentrated and well-structured wines of incredible intensity. The well-ripened fruit shines through, giving the wines stunning freshness and vitality. The 2017 Cockburn has the usual important Touriga Nacional component, but the proportion of Touriga Franca, given its excellent performance, was increased relative to the previous Cockburn’s Vintage.