For The Love Of Port

Just a few weeks ago I uncorked a Noval 63 VP and a Noval 70. Before that we had a 99 LBV and a Tawny 20y old. The 20y old Tawny comes very close to my all time favourite 20y old from Burmester, so dont miss it, if you have the opportunity. But back to the VPs: the 70 and the 63 were bottlewise in e...

Just a few weeks ago I uncorked a Noval 63 VP and a Noval 70. Before that we had a 99 LBV and a Tawny 20y old. The 20y old Tawny comes very close to my all time favourite 20y old from Burmester, so dont miss it, if you have the opportunity. But back to the VPs: the 70 and the 63 were bottlewise in e...

As I was very lucky to get the Croft 85 for 35 EUR a piece (equ. about 40 $), I needed a competitor, but chosed an unfair one, as I paid 65 EUR (about 74 $) for the Grahams. And so it goes: The Croft was light in colour (for a VP), just like a 10 year old Tawny, and matched the smell and the taste m...

As I was very lucky to get the Croft 85 for 35 EUR a piece (equ. about 40 $), I needed a competitor, but chosed an unfair one, as I paid 65 EUR (about 74 $) for the Grahams. The Grahams on the other hand was exactly the vintage port you want to have, convincing someone of rather drinking port than B...

Gentlemen, we all know that Christian Seely is an excellent host and an outstanding director. As Ive never touched a 67 VP before in my life thinking that they are not worth the money and: Ive learned better. To experience a Vintage Port at the Quinta itself is an unbelievable experience, especially...

Roy, my experience with the 91 Vargellas is the same. I bought a couple of 375 bottles from the Taylors lodge in Vila Nova and I recently opened a bottle which I totally liked. This would definitely have been an outstanding backbone for a splendid 91 Taylors Vintage Port. I will try the next without...

My best bargain was a 12er case of Fonseca 94. Somebody in my neighbourhood put it on ebay and totally misspelled it. Neither the word vintage nor port was in the description, so I finally got the whole case which I picked up from a total ignorant for 320 EUR (250 USD). Sometimes late at night I sne...

Roy, to me as a very enthusiastic german car freak you could ask as well: do you prefer Mercedes, Porsche, BMW or Audi. I like the aged tawnies of Taylors more than I like the ones of Fonseca, but Vintage-Port-wise I would never make such a statement. Isn't the difference of style and taste what win...

Rob,

an unltfiltered LBV does depot-wise behave like a Vintage Port. The sediments develope with the years. The 2000 is quite young and I just had it 3 days ago for the last time. I like that LBV very much and it outtasted a couple of Vintage Port in a direct tasting.

Best wishes

Axel

Robert,

was this LBV unfiltered or filtered?

Cheers

Axel

Roy

thanks for reminding. I thought that giving the real first name would be enough. Copyrightwise I agree and will try to subscribe at parker as well although I like your articles about port much better and agree that yours are much more reliable.

All the best to Port and Prost

Axel

Hi Jay,

as Im not a subsriber, is it possible for you to send me the article? (axelprobst@worldofport.de)

Thanks a mil in advance

Axel

Hey guys, as I dont really have the time to translate the whole article, those of you who studied the german language do have an advantage. I did a 2004 VP tasting in May this year and heres where you can read about it: http://www.port-blog.com scroll down Summary: The Noval and Taylors Vargellas ar...

Bob,

please have a look if they are filtered or unfiltered LBVs (although Ive never seen an unfiltered LBV of Noval 94). If I would have any filtered bottles I drink them up. 94 is a marvellous year and Noval is definitely in the very very forward position, but after all its an LBV.

Axel

Andy, I had a bottle of Niepoorts Colheita 94 (b. 06) with Alex in Munich this year and I have tasted these and the ones bottled in 04 numerous times as well. I never had a bad bottle so far (fingers crossed), so up to now I cant share this experience with you (and hopefully never will). The 06-bott...

Though I never had the 2000 Passadouro, I had other years on several occasions and found out, that the Passadouro is a very pleasant Port, but its style is a kind of wine-ish. It always reminds me more of a red table wine than most of the other Ports. The Passadouros are very often early-drinkers an...

In my experience the Fonseca 70 is still by far in advance over the 77. Despite I never had a bad bottle of the 70, but several of the 77, Im very much convinced, that the 70 has more structure and is more complex than the 77, even when both bottles are well, when comparing my tasting notes. But nev...

As we are a very international family: all the best from Germany as well to your 50th birthday.

All the best and many more to come

Axel

Hi as Im not aware if your list is complete. Dont forget Smith Woodhouse as they are producing some outstanding traditional LBV.

Axel

Guys, I just been to one of the biggest wine fairs (Pro Wein in Duesseldorf/GE) and had the chance to taste the 2004 Passadouro VP. It was terrific stuff and I had the opportunity to talk to Jorge Serôdio Borges, the winemaker of Passadouro, as it doesnt belong to Niepoort anymore (though Niepoort n...