ABOUT THE WINE The history of the Kope Port House began in 1638, when Nicolau Kopke, Consul General of the Hanseatic League of Baltic states, began shipping wine to northern Europe. In 1781 a farm in the Douro was purchased, and the House began producing their own wines. The company remained in the hands of the Kopke family into the 1800s, when the great-great grandson of the founder was elevated to the title of Baron of Vilar. In 1922, the Quinta de San Luiz was purchased, an A-grade 125-hectare estate which would become the home of Kopke.
TASTING NOTES Ethereal aromas of dried cherries, cranberries and wood-spice, with fresh dough and pine-tree sawdust in the background. The palate is full and rounded, with red fruit and ground walnut flavours, super-soft and rounded yet deliciously fresh. Best served lightly chilled.
FOOD PAIRING Beautiful on its own as a winter-warmer, or with cheese, especially a creamy blue. Pairs well with light cakes, or with savoury snacks like nuts and olives in brine.
FRIARWOOD SAYS Kopke specialises in wood-aged Ports; this is produced in a more savoury style than mass-market examples, a superbly balanced, complex treat.