Joao Luis of Quinta do InfantadoSo,
It's been a minute since my last report. Of course this adventure started out like so many others in the past - Lillian happened to ask me a question about port while we were at work, we got into an extended conversation about it, and by the time it was over we were planning the evening around buying and drinking a bottle (sound familiar?). Anyway, being that we weren't in the market for anything particularly extravagant, we decided to go for something young and reasonably affordable. We ended up choosing the Quinta do Infantado 2003 - on the shelf for $49.99. Being that I had fond memories of the 85 Infantado that I drank a number of years ago, as well as the 92 LBV, and along with the fact that I have yet to pop anything from the 03 vintage, it seemed like an intriguing choice. Here were my notes:
The color is a dark, royal purple. On the nose it's still a little tight, but shows pleasing notes of dark fruit, chocolate, and damp earth. The palate is full with lots of ripe boysenberry fruit and black pepper, and is permeated by a certain earthiness similar to the earthy notes on the nose. That particular quality makes this an interesting port to drink and gives it an almost handmade sort of appeal - like a port with a real sense of terroir. I mean that in a good way; it still has nice structure, good concentration, and very smoothed-out tannins for such a young port. It's definitely enjoyable now, thuough it obviously has a long way to go to reach it's peak. I'd probably like to pop it again in about 10 years, maybe 15. It seems to me, from the three bottles that I've now sampled from Quinta do Infantado, that they definitely make they're own breed of port, and it's a tasty breed at that. If you like something a little more homegrown and unique, try Infantado.
- Lamont Huxley
It's been a minute since my last report. Of course this adventure started out like so many others in the past - Lillian happened to ask me a question about port while we were at work, we got into an extended conversation about it, and by the time it was over we were planning the evening around buying and drinking a bottle (sound familiar?). Anyway, being that we weren't in the market for anything particularly extravagant, we decided to go for something young and reasonably affordable. We ended up choosing the Quinta do Infantado 2003 - on the shelf for $49.99. Being that I had fond memories of the 85 Infantado that I drank a number of years ago, as well as the 92 LBV, and along with the fact that I have yet to pop anything from the 03 vintage, it seemed like an intriguing choice. Here were my notes:
The color is a dark, royal purple. On the nose it's still a little tight, but shows pleasing notes of dark fruit, chocolate, and damp earth. The palate is full with lots of ripe boysenberry fruit and black pepper, and is permeated by a certain earthiness similar to the earthy notes on the nose. That particular quality makes this an interesting port to drink and gives it an almost handmade sort of appeal - like a port with a real sense of terroir. I mean that in a good way; it still has nice structure, good concentration, and very smoothed-out tannins for such a young port. It's definitely enjoyable now, thuough it obviously has a long way to go to reach it's peak. I'd probably like to pop it again in about 10 years, maybe 15. It seems to me, from the three bottles that I've now sampled from Quinta do Infantado, that they definitely make they're own breed of port, and it's a tasty breed at that. If you like something a little more homegrown and unique, try Infantado.
- Lamont Huxley
1 comment:
Quite the review, Lamont. I'll put one in the cellar, if I find the bottle. I remember those 80s Infantado vintages, too. Quite reasonably priced at Home Liquor in Hackensack. I believe they were consumed prior to our formal reviews.
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