Certified Port Educator (CPE) Course

Porto, Portugal
Tasted Monday, April 18, 2022 - Sunday, April 24, 2022 by theportguy with 288 views

Introduction

I was selected to attend the April 2022 Certified Port Education course run by the IVDP in Porto, Portugal. I earned my CPE Certification after successfully completing this three day course.

Flight 1 - April 18, 2022 (4 Notes)

  • NV Val Moreira Porto 10 Year Old Tawny 91 Points

    Portugal, Douro, Porto

    (4/18/2022)

    This Port is produced and bottled by Alchemy Wines, who also produce wines under the Blackett label. The wine is dark ruby-amber in color. There is a touch of primary fruit and some spirit on the nose. There are pleasant red fruits on the approach, with a fairly well-integrated flavor profile and a freshness on the palate. Nice long finish.

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  • NV Val Moreira Porto 20 Year Old Tawny 92 Points

    Portugal, Douro, Porto

    (4/18/2022)

    This Port is produced and bottled by Alchemy Wines, who also produce wines under the Blackett label. Amber in color. Really interesting notes of light cinnamon and marzipan on the nose. Christmas spices, with some light curry and nuts on the palate. The tannins lightly dance across the mid-palate, giving way to light spicy notes notes the long finish.

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  • NV Val Moreira Porto Extra Dry White Port 88 Points

    Portugal, Douro, Porto

    (4/18/2022)

    This Port is produced and bottled by Alchemy Wines, who also produce wines under the Blackett label. Pale yellow in color. There is noticeable minerality on the nose. On the palate, I noticed a slight astringent note alongside some white peach and tropical notes. Light, ethereal finish, but just a touch of bitterness on the end of the finish.

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  • NV Sandeman Porto Very Old Tawny Cask 33 Limited Edition 94 Points

    Portugal, Douro, Porto

    (4/18/2022)

    Amber tawny in color. Likely in the realm of 60 years old. Sandeman had not planned to bottle this wine on its own, but rather to use it to blend into its older Tawny Ports. However, with the explosion of other "old, ultra-premium Ports" that were starting to hit the market, they decided to showcase this old wine and bottle it. This was the last of George Sandeman’s 375ml sample bottles for Cask 33. The finished product was bottled in hand-blown bottles left over from the anniversary bottling in 1999. Complex notes of vanilla, caramel, and old wood on the nose. Very elegant approach with nuts, a touch of vanilla, and excellent acidity. The finish is smooth, with tannins still present on the tail end of the finish. This wine is smooth, elegant, and fresh.

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Flight 2 - April 19, 2022 (13 Notes)

  • NV Kopke Porto 20-Year-Old White Porto 91 Points

    Portugal, Douro, Porto

    (4/19/2022)

    Bottled in 2021. Yellow-gold in color. Nice tropical fruits and some light floral notes on the nose. Fresh, intense mouthfeel with good acidity. Honey, tropical fruits, and well-balanced, long finish.

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  • 2003 Kopke Porto White Colheita 93 Points

    Portugal, Douro, Porto

    (4/19/2022)

    Light yellow-honey in color. Nose of cedar and orange blossom. Smooth and elegant profile. Complex flavors with good freshness and acidity. Nice long finish.

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  • NV Kopke Porto 30 Year Old Tawny 93 Points

    Portugal, Douro, Porto

    (4/19/2022)

    Bottled in 2022. Elegant nose of light spice and some soft touches of wood. A little alcohol/heat on the entry, giving way to warmth and Christmas spices. Nice rich, warm finish.

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  • 1987 Kopke Porto Colheita 92 Points

    Portugal, Douro, Porto

    (4/19/2022)

    Bottled in 2022. Orange-amber in color. Nice notes of wood and orange spice on the nose. Smooth, elegant flavor profile but with some richness and a nice warmth.

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  • 1966 Kopke Porto Colheita 94 Points

    Portugal, Douro, Porto

    (4/19/2022)

    Bottled in 2022. Beautiful orange in color with a little green around the edges. It has a very powerful nose of old wood and burnt sugar. Rich, intense flavor profile with great complexity, rich caramel, and spice notes.

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  • NV Quinta do Noval Porto 10 Year Old Tawny 90 Points

    Portugal, Douro, Porto

    (4/19/2022)

    Dark amber in color with some orange on the edges. Still some red fruit notes on the nose with some pronounced spices. Rich, fresh red fruit with some oak and a nice rich flavor profile.

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  • 1957 Kopke Porto Colheita 95 Points

    Portugal, Douro, Porto

    (4/19/2022)

    Orange-brown in color. A touch of vinegrenio with and old wood component. Super rich with a complex flavor profile. Honey, caramel, and a touch of sweet orange spice. Excellent balance between the sweetness and the acidity. Extremely well-integrated.

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  • 2007 Quinta do Noval Porto Colheita 91 Points

    Portugal, Douro, Porto

    (4/19/2022)

    Bottled in 2022. Great complexity on the nose with old wood and a touch of oxidation that lends itself to the complexity of this wine. Rich flavor profile with some red fruit, nice oak, and a touch of cinnamon. Long finish.

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  • 2020 Niepoort Douro Voyeur

    Portugal, Douro

    (4/19/2022)

    This is a new "category" of wine championed by Dirk Niepoort, To be Nat'Cool, a wine must align to a set of "rules" (though to be fair, rule #1 is "There are no rules"). However, Nat'Cool wines "should" be produced using natural or low-intervention methods, be low in alcohol, be terroir-driven and be affordable. Affordable drinkability is the name of the game here. The Voyeur is aged 8 months in amphora, which adds notes of clay and earthiness. Not overly complex or sophisticated, but an interesting wine to try. I think this might be my first wine aged in a clay amphora.

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  • 2020 Niepoort Nat Cool Drink Me

    Portugal

    (4/19/2022)

    This is a new "category" of wine championed by Dirk Niepoort. To be Nat'Cool, a wine must align to a set of "rules" (though to be fair, rule #1 is "There are no rules"). However, Nat'Cool wines "should" be produced using natural or low-intervention methods, be low in alcohol, be terroir-driven and be affordable. Affordable drinkability is the name of the game here. The "Drink Me" is produced from Grenache Old Vines from Navarro. It is pale red in color, and the nose shows cherry, herbal, and fresh cut flowers notes. There is nice acidity and freshness on the palate, with some nice spicy notes on the long finish.

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  • 2005 Krohn Porto Colheita 93 Points

    Portugal, Douro, Porto

    (4/19/2022)

    Bottled in 2021. Amber color with a touch of orange on the edge. Freshness with a touch of red fruit and some nice complex wood and earthy notes. Some cranberry and tart red fruit on the palate. It has a very complex mid palate and wonderful long finish with a great balance.

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  • 1983 Fonseca Porto Vintage 94 Points

    Portugal, Douro, Porto

    (4/19/2022)

    Amber-orange in color. Some sediment in the glass. Light cinnamon and Christmas spice on the nose. Very rich mouthfeel with red fruit, and with nice balance, tannins, and structure. Very long finish.

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  • 2005 Krohn Porto Vintage 93 Points

    Portugal, Douro, Porto

    (4/19/2022)

    Dark opaque purple in color. Crushed blackberry and blueberry with some light herbal notes. Smooth elegant floral profile with dark fruit and a touch of chocolate. Some well-integrated but present tannins. Long finish. Very nice VP.

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Flight 3 - April 20, 2022 (1 Note)

Flight 4 - April 21, 2022 (11 Notes)

Flight 5 - April 23, 2022 (3 Notes)

  • 1971 Dalva Porto Golden White Colheita 94 Points

    Portugal, Douro, Porto

    (4/23/2022)

    Yellow-brown in color with slight green edging. Nose of caramel, honey, and a little Christmas spice. Rich mouthfeel with salted caramel and woody notes giving way to some noticeable tannins and mouth-coating texture on the mid-palate. Very long finish with great balanced acidity. This used to present with a lot more heat/alcohol but it seems like those are resolving nicely in the wine.

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  • 1977 Factory House Jubilee Porto Vintage 94 Points

    Portugal, Douro, Porto

    (4/23/2022)

    Opened by George Sandeman. Light amber in color. Bubblegum and red fruit on the nose. Beautiful rich palate with red fruit, light spice, and very nice balanced acidity. Very long, rich finish.

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  • 1987 Niepoort Porto Garrafeira 95 Points

    Portugal, Douro, Porto

    (4/23/2022)

    Amber in color. Beautiful warm red fruit and spice on the nose. Rich elegant mouthfeel with strawberry, spice, and nice acidity. Beautiful long finish with spice and excellent balance.

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