Porto Kopke Special Reserve ($28.99)

Porto Kopke Special Reserve, formerly known as Late Bottled Vintage, is made from a typical Douro blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, and Tinta Roriz grapes. Dark purple in color, it starts with a shy but deep black-fruit scent. Black plums and blackberries come on in a full-bodied, acidic flavor with firm but palatable tannins alongside. Its sturdy 19.5% alcohol is typical for a Port, and to its credit, doesn’t show up as undesirable heat. U.S. importer: Sogevinus Fine Wines USA Inc., Bellevue, Wash. (Nov. 27, 2019)

FOOD MATCH: Port is fine for sipping by itself, in my mind ideally on a chilly evening with a roaring fire in the fireplace. It also went well with light bites: Thin slices of Parmigiano-Reggiano, chopped pecans, and even dark bittersweet chocolate.

WHEN TO DRINK: Reserve Ruby Ports generally don’t improve with bottle age, but they would take a long time to deteriorate on the other hand. Drink it any time you like. Once opened, it’s best to finish the bottle within a few weeks.

VALUE:
Pricing in the $25 to $30 range is more than fair for this good-quality Special Reserve Port.

WEB LINK
Here’s a tech sheet on Kopke Reserve Ruby on the producer’s website.

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
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