Reeewiiiiiiiind...

So, now that several weeks have gone by without the posting of any new tasting notes, I'm sure you're wondering what the hell is going on. Well, I discovered the forum boards on fortheloveofport.com and starting posting my notes on there. In the meantime I've neglected my duties on JS so, here we go. Six bottles of port have hit the deck since my last post, so here in chronological order, and without further ado...

Dow's Quinta do Bonfim 1995
A rather flat purple hue with a wide burgundy rim showing a brownish tinge. The nose has a slightly baked and meaty character to it and displays notes of prune, cherry, dried blueberries, and some noticable spirit. Pleasant dark berry fruit on the palate, moderately sweet, and showing just a dash of that cocoa character that I always seem to notice in Dow's vintages. The mid-palate takes on a spicy/spirity edge and drops off into a rather short finish, leaving me a bit disappointed. An enjoyable port, especially considering the affordable price, but doesn't stack up to the to the level of excellence that I'm accustomed to from Dow's. I would drink this one in the near term. Tasted 4/23, 85pts

Quinta de la Rosa Vintage 2000
Just popped this last night and enjoyed it very much...Blackish purple at the core with a purplish burgundy rim - very young looking. It took a good 4 to 5 hours for the nose to come around. When it did it offered a sweet smelling bouquet of raspberry, black mission fig, dark chocolate, and a whiff of roses. The palate shows cherry/blackberry fruit that is concentrated, sweet, and very chocolatey, with a peppery spiciness that hits you right up front and continues through the well balanced, medium length finish. There's a mouthwatering quality to the acidity and the tannins are firm but softly textured. Scrumptious and quite well balanced. Probably a good one to age for the medium-term. I sipped this again today after 24 hours of decanting with consistent notes, though its grip had mellowed out somewhat. Tasted 4/08, 91pts

Churchill's Crusted Porto (Bottled 2002)
I've always been curious to try a crusted port. If memory serves me correctly, this is only the second or third one that I've come across in my years of perusing wine shops in the NY/NJ area (I'm pretty sure I remember seeing a Dow's crusted port - does that sound right? Come to think of it, does anyone know exactly which houses produce this style of port? (I'm guessing it's a limited number)). I just picked this one up today at a local shop here in Brooklyn and decanted it about three and a half hours ago.

The bottle states: "Churchill's Crusted Port is a blend of the very best Ports from two different years*. Matured for 2 years in sesoned oak casks, it is then bottled and laid down to age in our cellars for at least 3 years before being released for sale."

*Interesting that they don't tell us which 2 years are in the bottle!

Here are my notes as I'm sipping...

A dark burgundy in color with a bright cherry candy colored rim; pretty. The nose is already quite open, dominated by sweet black raspberry fruit along with notes of grape skins, cherries, dried herbs, and a subtle roasted coffee bean/chocolate undertone. The palate has gained in weight with each glass, now solidly medium bodied, with smooth, sweet fruit up front, lots of raspberry again, taking on a slightly darker edge on the midpalate, a touch of spice, and showing a subtle chocolatey quality, again echoing the nose. There's good balance here and a respectably long finish, though the tannins are very tame, making it particularly easy to just keep on sipping. I'm enjoying this a great deal. It's not on the level of a serious VP, but probably as good as any LBV that I've had to date. At $25 I'd definitely call it a bargain. I'll follow up as the night progresses if there are any evolutions of note, and perhaps post my notes on my impressions tomorrow if it lasts that long (read: chances of that are nil).

Coming down towards the end of the bottle now with over 7 hours of decanting. This port continued to darken in character, now taking on some blackberry and licorice notes on the nose and showing a darker edge to the palate also. The tannins have also begun to emerge, showing a slightly more mouth-drying quality than they did earlier. Very nice stuff and maybe even a little more firmly structured than I thought at first... Tasted 4/08, 87/88pts

Warre's Quinta da Cavadinha 1987
I bought this bottle at a rather dubious shop over on 2nd Avenue in Midtown near where I work. I can't say that I'm all that comfortable buying port there as the place is a little dingy, they have all of their vintage ports (including some older bottles) standing up, and the staff doesn't offer anything in the way of assistance. I had just happened to pop in there one day on my lunch break and discovered that they actually have a very nice selection of vingtage port, some at good prices. I bought a couple of bottles there previously that showed very well, so I decided to give it another whirl, despite the shaky circumstances. I've had lots of Warre's VP's, but never a Cavadinha, so I was intrigued.

My girlfriend and I popped it last night when we got home from work. The cork looked clean, but as I pulled it out , it crumbled to bits - not the most auspicious of signs. We decanted it thruough an extra-thorough chunk of cheesecloth to ensure that no cork bits infiltrated the decanter. It seemed to work well as the port came through clean. We had a glass just after decanting, drank some more a few hours later, and finished it off about an hour ago, which was roughly 24 hours after decanting. Although it did open up noticibly between the initial glass and the following tasting, it was drinking consistenly tonight with how it showed last night, just a bit mellower. My notes were as follows:

Quite dark - purple/burgundy with a vague ruddiness evident on the rim. The nose is moderately expressive, if somewhat simple. I noted cherry fruit with a prominent prune character and a mild musty/earthiness that was not unpleasant. Prune and cherry fruit come through strongly again on the front of the palate, slightly stewed, though not overly so (perhaps due to poor temperature control while sitting on that shelf for who-knows-how-long?). The midpalate adds some licorice into the mix as well as a little spirit, but this integrated by the second day, and the tannins are soft and mellow. The finish is surprisingly long with lingering notes of brown sugar and bitters. Tasty stuff, nothing to complain about really, outside of the stewed edge that I mentioned, but not exceptional either. However, considering the very questionable provenance of the bottle, along with the poor cork, I have to wonder if a better stored example might show better. Going by the bottle I tasted, I'd guess this probably has another 10 years or so of good drinking left in it, maybe a little longer. Tasted 5/08, 85pts

Quinta de Ventozelo 10 Year Tawny
I found this bottle while I was up in Albany this weekend. Until just recently I had never even heard of this producer, and this is the first one of their ports that I've ever come across - a good enough reason as any to check it out...

The color is almost fully tawny with rusty orange highlights and just a touch of reddish-pink still evident under good light. The nose is very pleasant with warm notes of figs, vanilla, hazelnuts, and butterscotch. Medium Intensity and sweetness on the palate, showing good balance. Figs come through strongly again, with a hint of strawberry fruit as well, building to a dash of spiciness and finishing long and smooth with roasted nuts and brown sugar notes carrying on for a good 30 seconds. Pretty much has all of the qualities I would look for in a 10-year tawny - a very nice example of the style. Tasted 5/08, 88pts


Smith-Woodhouse Colheita 1986
Mostly tawny, but not completely, still showing a little bit of red in its burnt orange hue with a honey colored rim. The nose is generous and complex, the dominant character being something like cherry-vanilla and kola nuts with secondary notes of orange marmalade, sandalwood, apple pie, and spices. Quite rich and sweet on the palate, though not cloying at all, with a mildly viscous texture. I found the flavors redolent of caramelized walnuts, candied apples, a touch of raspberry fruit still way in the background, and a compliment of spicy cinnamon. A fresh acidity kicks in on the back end of the palate, cutting the sweetness and balancing everything out. The finish is smooth and very persistent with the wine still coating the mouth and the flavors still lingering long after swallowing. Delicious colheita – rich but well balanced - I would certainly recommend it if you can find it. Tasted 5/08, 93pts

Chesterfield in town for a tasting!

My young brother Harrington Chesterfield was in town this weekend and Lillian and I spent an evening in the Neck with the family. To celebrate this mini reunion, we decided to go digging in the Johnson Avenue vault and pop something special. Upon assessing my collection, I realized that I was still sitting on 3 Niepoort 1997s. Hmmm... I'd been loving the 97's I'd had recently, and it had been a good 8 years now since I first tasted it so hey... why not? I can't say I regret the decision - it was a decidedly different wine from the first sampling. **Bill - I supplemented the collection with a bottle of Niepoort 2000 at the same time as I removed this bottle of 97, so don't worry, we'll still be enjoying plenty of good Niepoort together in the future!** As is often the case when a bottle gets popped early in the evening at number 175, a second bottle was soon to follow. I'd been sitting on a bottle of Romariz 97 for about 7 or 8 years, and as I had recently read some pretty lackluster opinions of it, thought it might be a good one to sacrifice. It turns out it lived up to the drab reviews. Oh well, you can't win em all...

NIEPOORT VINTAGE 1997

Since drinking this wine last - 8 years ago now - the color has certainly begun to show some maturity. It's become a very pretty purple/raspberry hue at this point. The nose offers a very unique and intense bouquet of eucalyptus, coffee, bittersweet chocolate, and a high-toned and prominent note that is redolent of enamel paint or nail polish. This may have been due to a bit of taint in the wine, though in any case, as strange of a note as it sounds, it doesn't distract from the other notes in the wine, it's just rather unusual. Fills the mouth with a full-bodied attack, though only moderately sweet, it dishes up a decidedly earthy palate of flavors - the eucalyptus and coffee characters on the nose are also apparent here, as well as cranberry, a strong medicinal cherry aspect, and notes of tar on the long finish. Although it's opened up a great deal since first tasted as a baby, this port still has a brawny tannic foundation and great depth on the palate that should carry it for a very long time to come. An iconoclastic and delicious offering from one of my favorite producers. 95pts, Tasted 4/08

And here were Harrington's thoughts...

Cherry-purple in color, starting to show it's age a bit. A perplexing, slightly spirited nose with strange hints of sourness, but in a pleasant way, sweet and slightly syrupy. Notes of medicinal cherry, bitter orange rind and spice. One of the most unique ports i have tasted, very different from how it tasted 8 years ago. This port might be a chamaeleon, changing in character as it ages.

ROMARIZ VINTAGE 1997

Medium dark purple in color with burgundy highlights. Shows some pleasant dark fruit on the nose along with a leafy/cabbagey aspect - perhaps a sign of a lack of ripeness? Comes off a bit better on the palate with medium sweet blackberry fruit, black pepper, and just a hint of dark chocolate. The tannins are soft and the finish is on the short side. Overall, one-dimensional and unexciting. 81pts, Tasted 4/08

WOODHOUSE ROCKS THE HOUSE...

Cheers! In keeping with the theme of tasting younger vintages of late, Lillian and I picked up the Smith Woodhouse 2000 to pop this past weekend. I'd read some flattering press about it when the 2000's first came on the market and had always been curious to try it. The only other vintages I've sampled from this particular member of the Symington stable are the 1985, which I had nearly 10 years ago, and at the time was a big juicy fruit bomb type of a port, and the 1997, which I drank recently and was of a rather lighter-bodied and more open style. Both were very enjoyable, though if memory serves me correctly with respect to the 85, I'd say this is my favorite so far.

SMITH WOODHOUSE VINTAGE 2000

Royal purple color with a raspberry red rim. The nose is deep and inviting and opened up nicely after about three hours of decanting: boysenberry, strawberry, violets, licorice, and a touch of leather. Full bodied palate offering lots of sweet, plummy dark cherry fruit, big, chocolately tannins, and Christmas spices that linger through the long and rich finish. A well built, delicious, cellar-worthy vintage port from Smith-Woodhouse that should become a beauty as it ages. I'd probably give it until 2020 before it's at its best, but I certainly enjoyed it now. 93pts, Tasted 4/08

EPTT website updated

It's hard to keep up with the tasting adventures out east, but I think I got them all.
http://www.freewebs.com/jammysense/

Bill

Calem gets a second go 'round

After a pleasant experience drinking a bottle of the 1994 vintage from the house of Calem recently, Lillian and I decided to give the 97 a shot when we spotted it at a local shop here in Park Slope...

CALEM VINTAGE 1997

Fairly dark colored port - eggplant purple at the center becoming a bright burgundy toward the rim. The nose has a warm, roasty quality to it with prominent scents of raspberries, blueberries, and grape jelly. Sweet fruit on the palate - lots of raspberry and blueberry coming across strongly again; there's an almost candied quality to it, with subtle hints of tar and a dash of pepper. Medium bodied with mild tannins and a mid-range length of finish w/ a touch of a medicinal edge to it - well balanced and very tasty. Doesn't have the heavyweight structure for long aging, but a straightforwardly enjoyable port that will probably be at it's best in the shorter-term - over the next 10 to 15 years. 88 pts, Tasted 4/08

April is still port season...isn't it?

Lillian Petherbridge and I recently indulged in another night of vintage port sipping...

TAYLOR FLADGATE
QUINTA DE VARGELLAS 2001

Very dark in color, virtually black at the core still. The nose also has a dense and dark quality to it. It comes across with aromas of blackberry, raspberry, and black cherry fruit along with rich notes of dark chocolate and roasted coffee beans. The palate is full and sweet with plump, tar-edged dark fruit, a prominent tannic backbone, and a burst of pepper and spice that leads into the long and persistent finish. A strong and burly style of port with the balance and structure to hold it all together. Delicious stuff. I'd give this at least another 10 to 15 years before it really shows it's full potential, and my guess is that it will probably still be going strong 30 years from now and then some...93 pts, Tasted 4/08

Warre's hits the mark again...

First off I'd like to say cheers to Bill on the recent tastings. Nice to see that the drought has ended, and I hope you enjoyed that Graham's 77 as much as I did! Here's the most recent update from the east coast:

WARRE'S VINTAGE 2003

Rich dark purple in color - like concord grape juice - with a bright burgundy rim. As with most vintages as young as this, it took quite a number of hours of decanting before the nose opened up. It shows warm scents of dark berry jam, like cherry or blueberry pie filling, with perfumed aromas of orange blossom intermingling, adding a pleasingly exotic aspect. Delivers pure sweet black cherry and raspberry fruit on the palate - good depth of flavor - with a milk chocolate undertone, firm tannins, and a long mouthwatering finish. 92pts, Tasted 4/08

Having now tasted through the 94, 97, 00, and 03 offerings from this house, it is apparent that Warre's has produced an excellent string of recent vintages. I still feel that the 97 is the standout of the bunch, and would guess that it will live the longest, but all four are delicious and well structured ports that should age very well. I certainly hope I have the chance to sample all of them again as they continue to mature and develop.

Kalyra 20 year old Muscat tawny

My friend picked this up at the winery in California, but the bottle indicates it was produced in Australia.

Hazy orange-red in color. Bright notes of orange peel, cardamom, and dried fruits on the nose. Sweet and concentrated the palate with tastes of dates, figs, and caramel. The finish is slightly sweet, but the woody character makes this wine on point with Portugal's better tawanies. Livigingston 4/08

Comparing port color to paint charts?

Noting the color of port always seemed a bit subjective to me. I have to admit that I am not well educated when it comes to color and I pale in comparision to Lamont's knowledge of an artist's palate. What are you thoughts about comparing the color of port to a paint chart? It seems that this is could be a way to document the change in color over time. Maybe its the scientist in me, but I'd like something more definitave than purplish-red (like my Graham's 1977 review).

Bill sips a vintange - 1977 Graham's

My first attempt to taste this wine was cancelled due to a cold. Having since recovered, it was time to sip port. My review was similar to Lamont's and I agree that this wine will only improve with a few more years.

Graham's 1977 Vintage
Translucent purple-red in color. The nose is sweet and thick with jammy red fruits. The palate is fully fleshed out with exceptional notes of raspberries, plums and a touch of vanilla. The tannis are soft and the finish is long and smooth. Nothing two dimensional about this wine; it is very well balanced. It is delicious now, and should improve over the next ten years. Livingston, 4/2008.

A Toast to Lamont and Lillian!

The Best Western in DeKalb, IL is not exciting, but Lamont's and Lillian's port adventures are! Here are the bottles they have tasted since January 2008.

1970 Burmester
1970 Fonseca
1975 Taylor
1977 Royal Oporto colheita
1983 Dow's
1985 Sandeman
1986 De La Force colheita
1994 Calem
1994 Croft
1994 Sandeman
1995 Quinta do Noval Sival
1997 Smith Woodhouse
1997 Taylor
1997 Warre's
2001 Niepoort LBV
2003 Quinta do Vesuvio

Another one bites the dust...

I suppose I won't try to qualify myself any further...we'll just get down to the nitty gritty...

SANDEMAN VINTAGE 1994

Dark burgundy with only a hint of brick red developing on the rim. The nose is open and warm and marked by prominent raisin, prune, and black currant aromas as well as an undercurrent of faint smoked meat. Soft, smooth fruit on entry, medium sweet, transitioning through a drier mid-palate of holiday spices, then into a well balanced, medium-long finish with a medicinal cherry character to it. Very nice. There's no harm in popping this bottle now - it's laid back style makes it easy to enjoy - but I would guess it will be another 10 years at least before it really hits it's peak. 89/90pts, Tasted 3/08

1992 Niepoort Vintage - Rare in the US

Reading Lamont's post about the 2003 Vesuivo got me thinking about the blockbuster Niepoort wines from the 1990s. I wanted to know how they had appreciated in price so I checked the three most popular sites, winezap.com, winecommune.com and wine-searcher.com. I was surprised to find that the 1992 Niepoort vintage is not available in the US, based on these sites. I found an auction on Wine Commune that closed in early March 2008 where the 1992 vintage sold for $180. You may be able to find it at a random shop, but I wouldn't bet on it. I think the EPTT currently holds three 1992 vintages. Based on our reviews, we have tasted it in 1998, 2000, and 2006. Being that it is such a long-term wine, I propose a strategic popping so that we can taste the wine when it is at least 40 years old (which will make us almost 60!). The Niepoort lodge will be a sure stop during the trip to Portugal!

Here is a great article about Niepoort (that is Dirk Niepoort in the photo above), including a nice review of a 1863 - yes 1863 - Colheita.
http://www.wineloverspage.com/port/niepoort.phtml

Surprise Banger...

So, just as I'm thinking that this winter 08 port drinking madness is starting to wind down, Lillian Petherbridge returns from Foxwoods casino with a pocketfull of poker winnings burning a hole in her pocket and a thirst for vintage port. Oh well, what can you do? I wasn't arguing. And so we wound up back at a local spot with a decent selection of port and the logical choice seemed to be the 2003 Vesuvio. I've never tasted a Vesuvio to present, and have only sampled one wine from the 2003 vintage to this point. I'd read rave reviews of this particular port and so perhaps I approached it with high expectations, but luckily I was not the least bit disappointed. This is one of the best ports that I've tasted to date, particularly at such a young stage of it's life - multi-layered, fragrant, deeply flavored, and very elegant, but with a powerful underlying structure - excels on all levels. Here were my thoughts...

QUINTA DO VESUVIO VINTAGE 2003

This is a beautiful looking port - dark eggplant purple in the core transitioning to a glowing oxblood colored rim - very vibrant. After the first couple of hours in the decanter the nose remained quite closed - just not giving up much at all. After another couple of hours of decanting it really opened up with an intoxicating perfume of earth, blackberry, cherry, strawberry, flowers, and dark chocolate. On the palate it's decadent and elegant at the same time; there are layers and layers of sweet, ripe, dark fruit with a sumptuous and velvety texture backed by a sprinkling of black pepper and big chalky tannins. The finish is long and lingering. This obviously has years - decades really - before it fleshes out fully, but it is so expressive and the tannins are so well woven in that with sufficient decanting it's totally enjoyable right now. I was very curious to see how this would show after sitting in the decanter overnight - forget about it - it was way too good to stop sipping and was gone way too soon. It was one of those times that I wanted to cry when I saw the last drop dripping out of the decanter. This is a fantastic young port, I love it, and will definitely be going back for more to store away for the years to come. Close to perfect stuff in my book. Thanks Lillian! 99pts, Tasted 3/08

Time for a break?...not.

After the whirlwind of tastings over the past several weeks, I had planned on chilling out for a while. Well, of course that didn't happen. I ran into this bottle of Silval 1995 on sale for $25 and thought that it couldn't hurt to give it a shot...

SILVAL (QUINTA DO NOVAL) VINTAGE 1995
Burgundy in color with a ruddy rim. The nose is fairly intense with aromas of raisin, dried cherry, coffee, and a prominent earthiness that reminded me of damp autumn leaves. The palate gives soft fruit up front - more like raisin / dried berry fruit than fresh - and on the mid-palate gives way to mild spices and a moderate length finish with a sightly stemmy edge to it. There was a good deal of heat coming through on the first tasting (to be fair, we didn't give it a very long time to air out before sipping it), but after more time in the decanter it calmed down and the alcohol seemed much more integrated into the wine. Overall, this is a softly structured and early-maturing port with some nice qualities but lacking a bit in freshness and depth. Tasty, but not one made to age for the long term - drink this one sooner rather than later. 86 pts, Tasted 3/08

MINI HORIZONTAL - 1997 VINTAGE

Being that the 97's are still widely available in stores, coupled with the fact that this is a heralded vintage of which I've only sampled two examples in the past, I thought it might be an interesting exercise - in the interest of research of course - to taste through a few more specimens of the 97 ilk and see if the wines actually live up to the hype. Well, in a nut shell, so far so good. With the gracious assistance of fellow EPTT member Lillian Petherbridge, I made my way through the 97 Smith Woodhouse, the 97 Taylor Fladgate, and the 97 Warre's over the past week or so. It made for a very impressive lineup. Although the Smith Woodhouse leaned a bit toward the early-maturing, lighter bodied side compared to the other two, it was nevertheless a delicious and well balanced port that I enjoyed thoroughly - and I must say it was up against some stiff competition. The Taylor and the Warre's both impressed with their huge layers of fruit and extremely age-worthy structures, the Taylor's being more meaty, deep, and complex, the Warre's being tightly wound and filled with ripe fruit and juicy acidity. Both are of classic proportions and excellent choices for cellaring. I definitely slept on picking up the 97's early on, I suppose because the 94's were still being so highly touted at the time, as well as the fact that the prices shot up a whole lot between the 94 and 97 vintages, but I can't sleep on them anymore...here's the notes...

SMITH WOODHOUSE VINTAGE 1997

Royal purple with a burgandy rim. The nose is inviting, giving sweet boysenberry syrup, black currant, and raisin with whiffs of licorice and violet. Medium weight in the mouth, this port displays sweet cherry and plum fruit with a smooth layer of milk chocolate overlaying it and a streak of tobacco-like spice running through it. The tannins are soft and round and the finish is of medium length. This is a very tasty and open VP that should be drinking well over the next 10 to 20 years and will probably live longer than that. 90pts - Tasted 3/08

TAYLOR FLADGATE VINTAGE 1997

Still a dark purple color with only a hint of redness developing on its edge. The nose took a good deal of patience before it revealed itself, but after about 5 hours of decanting it began to open, although it's still fairly tight - rich, heavy, dark fruit, smoked meats, and a heady floral edge - beautiful. It's huge on the palate, attacking with a crush of black cherry fruit and notes of tar with a lovely espresso-like bitterness, all centered around a solid core of spicy black pepper. The tannins are strapping, but not harsh at all - this port has great structure and a long finish. Impressively deep, this is an awesome and powerful wine that should only continue getting better for a really long time. 97pts - tasted 3/08

WARRE'S VINTAGE 1997

This is a vibrant looking port, dark plummy purple in color - still very young in appearance. The nose is still tightly closed only giving a general impression of dark berry fruit, and by the second day in the decanter a bit of a violety note, but it was hard to get a lot out of - it definitely needs some more time in bottle to blossom. On the palate it's a whole different story - it is overflowing with ripe, juicy black cherry fruit that gushes over the tongue, backed by big mouthwatering acidity and a wave of pepper and spices. The tannins are boldly structured, but still overpowered by the lushness of the fruit at this point. The finish is long and persistent. Having recently sampled the bookends of this Warre's vintage, the 94 and 00 respectively, I can say that the 97 is definitely of a different breed. Whereas the 94 and 00 both showcase a more dried fruit profile, prune, raisin, etc., and a soft and silky texture, the 97 is ripe, juicy, and has a much more tightly wound, heavyweight kind of structure. This is definitely a wine built to age for the long haul and one that I probably wouldn't venture to open again for at least another decade, if not longer. Excellent. 95pts - Tasted 3/08

Huxley assumes presidency, Livingston's membership questioned

Brooklyn, NY - Lamont Huxley has recently assumed the presidency of the EPTT. Fresh off a run of consumption that surpasses anything in EPTT history, Huxley easily moved into the leadership role. A new member, Lillian Petherbridge, has strongly supported Huxley in his move to the top. EPTT co-founder, Bill Livingston, has almost been absent from the scene. Livingston is quoted as saying "There is no port in Portland", and "Where the hell can I find a vintage for a decent price?" Although Livingston has purchased the most prestigious bottle in the EPTT collection, Graham's 1963 Vintage, he has done little tasting within the last year. Livingston attributes the absences of port in Portland to the fact that wine is sold in grocery stores in Oregon, which makes the speciality wine shop obsolete. However, Livingston is committed to staying active through internet purchasing.
Photo caption: Lamont (L) and Bill (R) enjoy a glass of 1977 Smith Woodhouse Vintage at the 2002 EPTT Winter Event.

Winter Bender spins out of control...

Without further ado, enjoy the notes...


NIEPOORT LBV 2001
-------------------------
About halfway between purple and maroon. The nose is brooding - deep blackberry, tar and menthol. The palate comes across medium sweet with a full feel in the mouth - big ripe plum and currant fruit with peppery notes coming through on the medium length finish. This is a well balanced wine with integrated tannins and is drinking nicely. Niepoort delivers another big tasty port. 87pts, Tasted 2/08

DOW'S VINTAGE 1983
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A fairly dark purple hue, though going ruddy around the edges, showing some age. The nose is not particularly giving - there are notes of dark fruit, sort of kirsch-like, a bit raisiny, but hard to coax out of the glass. Opens with soft but fairly full fruit with flavors of black cherry and prune followed by black pepper and a little bit of spirit. There is decent structure there, but the tannins are now well in the background and the finish is of moderate length showing hints of cocoa and a bit of spirit persisting. Decent but unexciting. 84pts, Tasted 2/08

CROFT VINTAGE 1994
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Deep burgundy color with just a hint of maturity beginning to show on the rim. It took quite a while in the decanter before the nose opened up, though it still seems to be holding something back. It shows notes of smokey prune, raspberry jam, and tobacco. The palate is generous, delivering layers of sweet dark fruit - blueberry, blackberry, and raisin come across and just keep on going - smooth, ripe and rich, it builds into a long spicy finish. A delicious vintage port at this stage, but this one should definitely get even more impressive as it fleshes out over the next several decades. 93pts, Tasted 2/08

FONSECA VINTAGE 1970
------------------------------
Dark raspberry red in color, almost purplish still, and rimmed with just a hint of orange. The nose initially had a very musty character, but this mostly blew off after a few hours of decanting, revealing a bouquet of red berries, roasted nuts, leather, and orange marmalade. The palate is decadent, with big smooth layers of cherry, plum, raspberry and strawberry jam filling the mouth transitioning into notes of pepper, vanilla, roses and licorice on the very long finish. There is still major structure to this port - big tannins and ripe acidity - although the texture is supple and well woven together. It certainly doesn't come off as a 38 year old wine! Still showing strong tannins but excellent mature character as well. Probably hasn't even reached it's peak at this point. Great stuff! 95pts, Tasted 2/08

DELAFORCE COLHEITA 1986
(bottled in 05)
-----------------------------------
Fully tawny in color - golden at the edges with only a slight hint of red left. Good intensity on the nose showing hazelnut, marmalade, cinnamon, vanilla, and buttery oak notes. There's good weight to the palate as well, it's smooth and medium sweet with carmelized fruit flavors and butterscotch, balanced by a tart cherry acidity. The finish is long and elegant. Very nice colheita. 91pts, Tasted 3/08

SANDEMANS VINTAGE 1985
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Light maroon color with a tawny hue to the rim. The nose shows a lot of maturity as well - cherry and strawberry, hazelnut, clove and cinnamon - quite nice. Smooth palate of maraschino cherry and caramel apple, pleasantly sweet with some black pepper and nutty notes rounding out the medium length finish. Seems fully fleshed out at this stage, moving toward the delicate side, though it has good balance and is drinking very well - definitely one to drink in the near-term. My first vintage port from this producer and it was a pleasing introduction. 89/90pts, Tasted 3/08

DOW'S VINTAGE 1997
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After several hours in the decanter this was a dark purple color, almost inky, with a vibrant plum-colored rim. The nose is deep-toned and really complex, with a heady blend of blueberry, blackberry, black cherry, prunes, tar, menthol, and cocoa. Rich fruit comes across upon sipping - black raspberry, plum and cassis, with a smokey black pepper edge. Well structured with solid tannins and balanced acidity, it's moderately sweet - typical Dow's style - and has a very long finish. This is an awesome Dow's, probably my favorite of the half dozen vintages I've sampled from them, although side by side with the 94 it would be really hard to say which one would reign supreme. Excellent. 95pts, Tasted 3/08

CALEM VINTAGE 1994
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I was initially impressed by this wine as soon as I started to pour it into the decanter. After 13 years (11 in bottle) it's still virtually black at the core, trimmed with a brilliant reddish purple edge - a pretty port. The nose is concentrated and, as perhaps was portended by the appearance of the wine, dark-toned as well. Black mission fig and boysenberry dominate, with hints of prune, sweet strawberry jam, and lavender coming out after being in decanter overnight - a little bit tight still, yet shows good complexity. It's quite impressive on the palate as well - juicy dark cherry and mixed berry fruit is right up front - generous and with a harmonious texture. The tannins just barely start to come out on the mid-palate, but they are quickly subdued by the lushness of the fruit, and even on the finish, which is of medium-long length, it is still the fruit that continues to echo, taking on a tasty licorice nuance as it draws out - no heat showing here at all. This was my first tasting of a Calem VP and I must say that I was really pleased. It shows the great ripeness and up-front fruit of the 94 vintage, with tannins that already come off as so well integrated that you could easily overlook them. This port seems to have a pretty solid underlying structure, and if that structure can hold up long enough to let the big tasty fruit flesh out, it should turn out to be delicious in it's maturity - my guess is that it will start to be at it's best in another 10 years, and will probably drink well for another decade thereafter, if not longer. With a pricetag of $40 retail (at least half, and even up to only one fifth the price of the big name 94's), this is certainly a good bargain in vintage port. 91pts, Tasted 3/08

New EPTT website

I justed created a new EPTT website on a free web hosting program. It is pretty basic and I didn't go crazy with the pages, so it is just reviews. There may be some font issues, but the reviews are there, the site is free, and the adds are not egregious.
It is pretty wild to look back at some of the old reviews. Niepoort 1992 vintage reviewed in June 1998 - that review is almost 10 years old! Some great bottles and great memories are listed.

Enjoy the reviews...
http://www.freewebs.com/jammysense/index.htm

Graham's 10 Year Tawny

With all of the tastings in BK, I thought I'd sip a staple of the 10 year tawny class. Graham's 10 year tawny is widely available and often receives high scores.

Color is a vibrant amber. The nose is full with orange peel, caramel, and dried fruits. The wine has good concentration on the palate and is well balanced. Hints of dried fruits, nuts, and vanilla give way to a long finish. Still, after all of these years of tastings, my favorite 10 year tawny. Bottled 2006.

Tasted 2/08

Chalking it up...

If any of my fellow sippers are checking this out, I just wanted to say a little something about the scoring system that I recently decided to add to my port reviews. My last batch of notes was the first time that I used it. Basically, I chose to use a scale of 70-100 and this is the way that I've broken it down in my mind:

70 - 74

A seventy would have to be a wine that I'd just about pour down the sink as soon as I'd drink it. Seventy four would be the lowest end of tolerable, but not enjoyable - flawed in some way.

75 - 79

This range covers wines that might have a thing or two going for them, but wouldn't make you want to pour yourself another glass. Not total duds, but definitely not recommended. Blah.

80 - 84

Eighty one starts to say that this is pretty tasty port, 84 being the pivotal point where I start to want to pour a second glass,and probably feel that the wine was worth investing in. Anything above an eighty four would be considered as recommended sipping.

85 - 89

Solid, quality port - lacking that wow factor in one way or another, but still, good to very good stuff - A pleasure to drink.

90 - 95

To score in this range a port needs to have numerous desirable characteristics - balance, complexity, power, good length of finish, etc. Wines that score in the lower 90s might not be all-time classics, but they are wines that show character well above the average fare.

96 - 100

Wines that score in this upper echelon are the total package. They give you everything you want in a great port, and do it in an exceptional way. Any wine scoring in this range is a memorable, classic bottle that would be well worth specifically seeking out - even if it costs you quite a pretty penny.



Basically, this is meant to be a measure of simply how enjoyable the port is to drink - regardless of any other factors (e.g. price, quality relative to other wines of the vintage or producer, etc...). Hopefully this will add a little more consistency to the notes as well as a good quick reference point.

Let me know what you think...

PORT DRINKING SEASON CONTINUES UNABATED IN BROOKLYN...

The past week brought a sudden burst of port drinking, beginning with the evening of my birthday when Lillian Petherbridge generously popped a Taylor's 1975 in my honor. It turned out to be an excellent surprise from what, by most accounts that I've heard, was an unexciting and now over the hill year in vintage port. That was the highlight.

I also had the chance to sample a Royal Oporto 1977 Colheita which turned out to be an enjoyable wine as well. Not a tawny that impresses with complexity, but a pleasingly rich port well suited to sipping with dessert.

The week ended with a Burmester 1970 which I thought I had found for a very good deal. Although I know that Burmester is known for making great colheitas, not necessarily vintage ports, I figured that a great vintage like 1970 would be a decent bet regardless of the fact that it was coming from a less prestigious name. It was a bad bet. It turns out this was one of those instances when I just could't help but be disappointed. Oh well, I suppose you always have to risk a bum bottle here and there - two outta three ain't bad. Notes as follows:

TAYLOR FLADGATE VINTAGE 1975

Bright brick red in color with orangey hints on the rim. The nose is expressive and complex: dried cherry, cranberry, orange peel and coffee bean - there was also a bit of alcohol but this blew off after a little more airing out. The palate is well fleshed out: smooth cherry fruit and tangerine mingle with a mild spiciness and continue to evolve through the medium length finish, revealing nutty caramel nuances as well. The tannins are velvety and the mouthfeel a bit creamy - overall drinking lovely. I would think that this is one that would be best to open now or in the very near future - it's delicious but getting delicate. My first tasting of a port from my birth year and it turned out to be a winner. Great fully mature port! 91 pts.

- Tasted 2/08

ROYAL OPORTO COLHEITA 1977





Dark amber in color - The nose is sweet and rich, something like caramelized bananas and cinnamon with vanilla ice cream. The palate is also on the sweet side, though short of being overwhelmingly so, as the acidity is just enough to balance out the full carmelized fruit flavor profile, edged with citrus notes and ending with a fairly long finish. This colheita doesn't show quite as much complexity as I might expect from a tawny of this age, however it's a nice rich treat. It went perfectly with the vanilla-pear cake that I ate with it. 85 pts.

- Tasted 2/08

BURMESTER VINTAGE 1970




A mature brick red in color, beginning to take on a slightly orange hue. The nose is subdued and somewhat musty, reminiscent of strawberries and marischino cherries, with a strong hint of tar as well. Initially the palate gives a pleasant dose of mellow fruit, basically echoing the flavors that came through on the nose, but comes apart a little on the mid-palate with some spirit showing through and the fruit sort of falling into the background. The finish adds a bit of complexity, lingering with a nutty undertone, but it's relatively short and covered up somewhat by the spirt that's there also. Not exactly unpleasant, but overall has a slighly out of balance and tired out feel to it. Not a bottle I would recommend - there is much better to be had for your buck. 78 pts.

- Tasted 2/08


- Lamont Huxley

Three Graham's

It's been a while since the last post. I don't have any tasting notes to add, but I wanted to post a flick of three Graham's vintages that I can't wait to taste.

Cheers,

Bill

Unposted Notes of 07

So,


It's been a while since I've sat down to post notes on anything, and in the meanwhile, I've done a good bit of sipping. Here are my thoughts on a number of bottles consumed last year...





GRAHAM'S VINTAGE 1977

A clear, mature burgundy/maroon - relatively dark compared to the other 77's that I've sampled. The nose is lovely, giving lush aromas of black raspberry jam and smokey exotic spices with hints of vanilla bean.

The palate is beautifully smooth with waves of spicy, plummy fruit and that streak of licorice that seems to be characteristic of Graham's style. The tannins are silky and the finish goes on and on.

Overall, a beauty of a port - it has that powerful decadent quality that you would expect from Graham's, but with the refined elegance of thirty years of age. This one definitely lived up to the billing of this classic vintage and has a long life left.

-Tasted May 07

DOW'S VINTAGE 1994

Showing a moderate amount of maturity in it's color at this point, being a vibrant garnet/purple with a slightly rusty hue around the rim. The nose is beautiful, bursting with black raspberry, blueberry, cocoa, and figs.

The palate initially packs a wallop of ripe dark berry fruit and then reveals a subtler layer of earthy dark chocolate notes that flow smoothly into an exceptionally long finish with notes of spices - licorice, cardomom and black tea come to mind. The tannins are smooth at this point but firm and very approachable.

Though it is quite obvious that this is a port that will continue to flesh out and develop for a long time to come, I certainly don't regret having cracked it at this stage - it's simply delicious - balanced, complex, and with that refined dryness unique to Dow's. It was one of those ports that I was already missing before it was gone, and another piece of proof to me that the 94's are definitely deserving of the praise they've received.

-Tasted late 07

FONSECA, QUINTA DO PANASCAL VINTAGE 2001

Vibrant royal purple in color going ruby around the edge. The first night that i opened the bottle the nose was a bit hesitant, though there was definitely some ripe dark fruit present, as well as a hint of a floral note. The following day it opened up wonderfully, giving damp earth, raspberry preserves, truffles, flowers and mineral notes.

The palate also opened up on the second day showing loads of ripe black fruit followed by a wave of black pepper, which was very prominent on the first night, but integrated nicely on day two. The structure is solid but not huge, with silky tannins and balanced acidity.

This isn't the blockbuster type, this wine has a sensual and exotic style, enticing the senses similar to the way that a fine burgundy does. I found it impressively complex for a wine from a single Quinta. Probably not a bottle to store for the long haul, though it definitely has aging potential - and coming in at half the price of the 97, 00, or 03 Fonseca vintages, this is a great option for drinking on the younger side.

-Tasted Jan 08

A COUPLE OF UN-NOTED BOTTLES:

WARRE'S VINTAGE 2000

I drank this bottle in late 07 and didn't write notes on it. However, to summarize my impression, I enjoyed it very much. It reminded me very much of the Warre's 94, with that same very smooth and full palate of velvety, slightly raisin and prune laced dark fruits backed up with black pepper and licorice notes, though not as evolved as the 94 at this stage of course. Well structured and balanced. I would love to have this port again a bit further down the line when it has fleshed out some more, but it was pretty approachable and very delicious to drink now.

FONSECA, GUIMARAENS VINTAGE 1991

I drank this one in late 07 as well, around Thanksgiving I believe, with Harrington Chesterfield. This was my second time sampling this vintage of this Fonseca single quinta port, the first time being 5 or 6 years prior. I can't say I was overly impressed this time around. I remember it being a big fat fruit bomb the first time around - dark color and lots of big dark fruit. This time, though it's still a dark purple color and packs a good deal of jammy fruit on the palate, the alcohol seems to be showing through the fruit a bit. I did enjoy it for sure, but it just didn't have that structure and balance of a great port that makes you want to keep on sipping it. One to drink now.