Vineyard and winemaking
Cockburn’s Vintage Port 1963 was drawn from the house’s finest parcels in Portugal’s Douro Valley, where vines are rooted into steep, schistous slopes. The blend comprises Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz and Tinta Cão, with proportions not disclosed. The hot, dry growing conditions concentrate these traditional Port varieties, while the fractured rock encourages roots to search deeply for water and supports the intensity required for long bottle ageing.
The grapes were harvested by hand and fermented with extraction in traditional lagares before the addition of grape spirit arrested fermentation, preserving natural sweetness. As a Vintage Port, the wine spent only a relatively short period in wood before bottling and has developed slowly in glass for more than six decades.
Tasting notes
Appearance
Translucent garnet fading towards tawny and amber at the rim, entirely in keeping with its considerable age.
Nose
Delicate yet intricate, with dried cherry, fig and redcurrant joined by rose petal, walnut, tobacco leaf and warm cinnamon. Further notes of orange peel, polished wood and cocoa may emerge gently in the glass.
Palate
Silky and composed, carrying mature dried fruit, caramelised plum and baking spice on a fine thread of acidity. The sweetness is mellow rather than heavy, with resolved tannin and a long, graceful finish of nuts, citrus peel and soft spice.
Food pairing
Pour with mature Stilton, walnut tart, dark chocolate truffles or a simple plate of dried figs and toasted almonds. At this age it is equally rewarding served alone, in small glasses, at the close of a meal.
Background story
Robert Cockburn established the Port house in 1815 after serving in Portugal during the Peninsular War. The 1963 harvest became one of the defining declarations of the 20th century, with the leading houses recognising a year of exceptional concentration, balance and longevity.
This is a mature bottle and its condition and character will vary according to storage. Stand it upright for at least a day, open carefully and decant slowly from its sediment, tasting during service rather than exposing it to prolonged air. Serve lightly cool at around 16–18°C and enjoy on the day it is opened.
