Colheita

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. They normally offer outstanding value too. In order to make the category more appealing to consumers, some shippers have replaced `Colheita' with the term `Single Harvest Reserve', with some success. The term Colheita is also used for single-vintage Madeiras.