Q&A: Wine & Food Questions
1952 Port
I have an unopened bottle of port dated 1952. The bottle is full and sealed and the wine appears to be in good condition except for a lot of sediment. The bottle reads Colheita Porto 1952 Niepoort+C.L. Portugal Do you think it could be worth anything, being that it is so old and could it still be drinkable? Thanks!
Answer From Expert Roger C. Bohmrich, MW
First of all, Colheita is one of the least known, yet very finest, of all the classic Port styles. A Colheita is a dated - or, as it is commonly called - a vintage Tawny. The production of this type of Port is very limited overall, and Niepoort is a benchmark producer. These fortified wines are nearly immortal in wine terms. A few years ago, I was lucky enough to taste a range of Niepoort Colheita starting with 1994 and ending with 1934, 1900 and 1863. Bottled history! The 1952 is currently being offered at retail in the U.S. for $450 to $640 per bottle.
About The Expert
Roger has enjoyed a lengthy career in the wine trade as an importer and retailer, and at present he is an educator, speaker and consultant. He set up and managed Millesima USA, a New York merchant affiliated with Europe's leader in direct sales of fine wines to consumers. Previously, he served as senior executive of Frederick Wildman & Sons, traveling regularly around the world to visit wineries and taste the new vintage from barrel. Roger became one of America's first Masters of Wine in 1993.
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