What is the required minimum wood aging period for Colheita Port before bottling?
Answer
A minimum of seven years
Colheita Port is a specific classification within the Tawny family, representing a single vintage year that has undergone oxidative aging, much like Vintage Port, but matured extensively in wood before release. The key requirement that defines a Colheita is its maturation period in oak barrels. Before it can be bottled and labeled as Colheita, the wine must spend a minimum duration of seven years aging in wood. This minimum aging allows the single-vintage wine to develop the complexity, nutty character, and mature profile typical of oxidative styles, while still retaining the snapshot of that specific year's harvest.
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