For The Love Of Port

Thanks Roy and Derek for shedding some light on the 1983 Cockburn. I actually had no idea about the wine's past when I popped it last night. Anyway, the bottle I opened was not only not flawed, it was perfectly mature and giving ample pleasure (especially considering the vintage). I awarded the bott...

1975 Cockburn -- Like the other 75s, this was quite pale in color. Hints of vanilla and dark cherries on the nose. Fairly light in the mouth -- I got almost a cinnamon component about half way through. Someone also chimed in with red liquorices, which struck a chord. Lightweight, but not stupid. I w...

1980 Croft Quinta do Roeda -- Fairly muted nose. Some maple syrup component which is rather interesting, if a bit feint. Very smooth in the mouth. Not a tremendous amount of flavor, but it is quite silky. More weight than the 75s, which stood out at first blush, but over time, the lack of flavor/com...

1975 Martinez -- Again -- a bit of sugar syrup on the nose. Very thin in the mouth, and largely lacking in fruit. I believe 'grapefruit sugar water' hit this one quite squarely. 81

This tasting note is one of several related tasting notes. Click [here] to see the original note in context.

1975 Kopke St. Luiz -- Not hot, or difficult to drink in any way, but not the least bit interesting. Totally devoid of any flavor/complexity. At least it is an unusual bottle. 80.

This tasting note is one of several related tasting notes. Click [here] to see the original note in context.

1970 Dow -- This was the clear POTN for me. Pretty dark caramel and just a bit of spice on the nose. Good weight in the mouth, smooth transition from attack to mid to finish. How I like my women -- rich and elegant, but somehow understated and comfortable. A bit of heat on the finish, but so many tr...

1986 Taylor Vargelles -- Quite a nice combination of walnuts and rose pedals on the nose. A bit lighter in the mouth than the Dow, but no slouch. Supple. Firm tannins still in place, with a bit of alcohol that suggests you can hold this guy for quite a few years still. While only two points lower th...

1982 Sandeman -- group buy-in towards the end of the night for ~45gbp, this was quite an interesting port to finish with. I got what I can only describe as "Fall Forest Floor" (F^3) on the nose. A combination of dried leaves, dirt/mud, wood, and a bit of an almost decomposition-al componen...

This week I picked up a bottle of Quinta do Vesuvio 2003 for $75. Perhaps not the bargain of the century, but considering that this is the most beautiful young VP I've ever tasted it felt like a steal. I'm psyched to finally have one in my collection! [cheers.gif] Had this last night -- really exce...

Yeah -- I didn't have high hopes for the 75s. FWIW, the Kopke was my bottle, and I had a bit of it late last night at it had gained a bit of heft in the mouth -- though still nothing special (82pts tops).

Always good just to hang out with new people and pop bottles though.

Informal tasting in London with some new friends. My notes are more impressions, as I was busy being introduced to the Bishop of Norwich. Overall, I viewed the wines in three distinct groups. The 70 Dow (the only 'proper') Vintage Port in the group was a standout. In tier two, we had a few very clas...

Fairly active week, actually: (all prices in GBP) 1975 Kopke St. Luiz VP (28) 1976 Niepoort Colheita (44) 1969 Vargellas Investiture of Prince Charles (Ruby) (29) 1965 Krohn Colheita (50) 1995 Vesuvio (x2) (46) 1994 Grahams (44) 1995 Guimaraens (25) Sourced mostly from Underwood Wines, with a little...

:clap: Incredible info Roy -- many thanks. Frankly, I was hoping that you were fond of the regular '63 bottling, because it seems like it is available over here in the UK for just a little over $100, but is sounds like its relatively low price for the vintage is most well deserved, and still likely ...

Thanks. I actually read this just prior to posting, but the difference to me I guess is that 2007 hasn't yet been hailed as an epic/monumental event, like the 63 Nacional has been. That the Nacional is from a specific parcel only tells part of the story. I would have thought these wines would be mor...

Roy told me that this forum is a great place to get answers from experienced port enthusiasts. Since Roy is rarely wrong, I have come in search of wisdom. Specifically, I'd like some insight into what factors explain the massive disparity between the 1963 Quinta do Noval Vintage Port and the 1963 Qu...