Halloween day I feel like it’s a Port day!

Good cheese and fine port could be a good idea before hitting the dance floor in costume.

What I would like to have now is this Burmester Colheita 1966 that I had at a cozy private dinner earlier with James Suckling, few others wine professionals (and lovers, of course!) and Andy Lench, owner of Chateau Carignan at his Chateau in Bordeaux earlier this summer.

Every brings something to the table, James brought this Colheita, it was so deliciously matched with the Comté at the end of dinner.  A wonderful wine, complex and concentrated.  It has so much in it: orange peels, toffee, caramel and yet fresh, vanilla cream, old muscat, … you could go on. It was harmonious and yet strong, balanced sweetness, backed with refined acidity.  Not a porto expert but I was in love in this wine. (Around 200-250Euro/bottle retail)

We had so much to drink, blind taste, and eat (wonderfully prepared by James’ beautiful fiancé Marie).  Few of the bottles of the amazing were the always lovely Montrose, the rich, pure and silky Echezeaux 2010 and Clos De Vougeot 2010 from Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux, a Ducru Beaucaillou 1970 which was left forgotten (undrunk!) and of course wine from Chateau itself which is in amazing quality and superb value.

Now, gotta run to get some port to bring to table tonight!

Wine Facts:

A Colheita (literally `harvest’ or `crop’) is an aged Tawny Port made with grapes from a single vintage. By law, Colheitas should be matured in wooden casks for at least seven years, although in practice they tend to be aged for much longer – sometimes up to 50 years. They are bottled only when the producer decides that the Port is ready to drink, and should be drunk in the following year or so. The label should carry both the vintage and the bottling date.

Colheita is a relatively rare style which is a shame as many are exceptional, combining all the sweet, dried fruit and nutty finesse of an aged Tawny with individual vintage character.