The backbone of the Cockburn’s 2016 comes from the mature Bico de Pato (‘duck’s bill’) vineyard, planted at an altitude of 250 metres at Quinta dos Canais. This area is planted with the best Touriga Nacional of the entire estate, which yielded just 1.17Kg/vine. Higher still at 350 metres is the Vinha do Alexandre, the other principal component from Canais, whose west-facing Touriga Franca prospered in the year’s abundant heat. This is a late-ripening variety which thrives in dry and warm harvest conditions. Charles commented that in 2016 he was spoilt for choice at Canais; while the estate is largely south-facing, it encompasses varied aspects and altitudes which make for a wide variety of wines.
The principal structure for the 2016, provided by Canais was complemented, as in all Cockburn’s Vintage Ports, by the finest production from the small Quinta do Vale do Coelho vineyard, 10 km upriver. Vale Coelho adds the seasoning to the blend, with its Sousão grapes bringing acidity and an attractive spicy element. A further contribution came from a vineyard at Quinta do Cachão de Arnozelo, owned privately by a member of the Symington family, just around a bend in the river from Canais. Its Alicante Bouschet added an extra dimension to the wine.
Reviews
This shows fantastic graphite and dark-berry character with black-stone undertones and hints of dried roses. Full-bodied and very tight and precise. Good kick in the end. Love the polished tannins, which are totally folded into the wine. Reminds me of the 1947 Cockburn.
This is quite primal, with lush waves of plum, blackberry and açai berry reduction rolling through, pushed by warm licorice and Black Forest cake notes. A substantial bass line thumps on the finish, showing plenty of sparkly spice and incense details hitting the top range. — JM
A Douro Superior blend of Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca supported by Sousão and Alicante Bouschet. Relatively closed and restrained on the nose but with an underlying ripeness with intense dark cassis backed by powerful yet fine-grained tannins, big and broad on the finish. This is a wine for the long haul and excellent value – Cockburn is truly back on form.
The wine has structure, swathes of juicy fruit and acidity along with fine tannins. It is certainly balanced with deliciously luscious fruit, and a rich texture that is suggesting good aging potential.
It comes in with 106 grams of residual sugar. Fairly intense and even tighter than Graham's, this might be somewhat approachable in a few years.
The ripeness comes first in dark scents of figs and dates, then freshness follows it up with red raspberry flavors infusing the chocolate-rich tannins. This is a pretty vintage, clean and lovely to drink after a few hours in a decanter. Even so, it’s tightly built, with enough lift in the middle to age with grace for ten years or more.