For The Love Of Port

Noval Colheita 1974 Mid amber mahogany cut through with a hint of ruby. Sweet 'porty' nose with a slight oxidised Madeira hint. A very rich almost creamy mouthfeel with mellow flavours of caramel and red cherries. In the background, a hint of coffee grounds and a distinctly ‘sweet & sour’ aspec...

Noval Colheita 1986 A lovely deep rich amber with a ruby hint – a really lovely looking glass of port. Warm rich ripe flavours of dried figs and plum jam. A great balance between the sweet midweight entry and a fresh grippy long lingering finish. A really elegant wine but with plenty of power in re...

(1421 bottles in 2001) Smokey slightly opaque tawny amber. Slightly hollow nose, like a recently emptied box of chocolates. Smooth round and mellow flavours of dried figs and caramel. Medium dry but has lost most of the tartness and acidity of youth. This seems more suitable to food than an aperitif...

(900 bottles in 2005) Sparklingly bright tawny/amber. Warm bouquet of toffee apple, raisins and a hint of acetone reminiscent of Evostik wood glue. Bright uplifting flavours of caramel, coffee and fresh lemon juice and only just medium dry. Very fresh and clean, it’s hard to believe that this wine h...

(760 bottles in 2001) Mid dark mahogany gold. Bitter sweet aromas of fresh figs and chopped walnuts but a slightly vegetal pong spoiling the picture. Very fat mouth feel - round and powerful but with real grip, lift and interest. Lovely smooth flavours of crème brulee, coffee and those sticky dates ...

(2400 bottles produced in 1981) Georgeous mahogany gold. Sparklingly bright and clear in the glass with lovely long legs. Fabulous warm rich smell of Christmas cake and old cricket balls. Obviously extended age here with smooth round mellow flavours of caramel, coffee, walnuts and a hint of burnt to...

Deep rich amber mahogany. Sweet amontillado and toffee apple bouquet. Smooth round nutty flavours and a lovely tangy core of citrus and grapefruit. Very grippy with a nutty, slightly burnt finish. This is the drink I’d like as soon as I walk in the door in the evening. My kind of wine. My only reser...

Single Harvest. (4,284 bottles made) Mid amber. Smells like the sponge at the bottom of a sherry trifle. Rich smooth flavours of caramel and Coopers thick cut marmalade. Mid sweet entry and middle with the typical Barbeito core of firm acidity. Grippy dry finish with a lingering raisiny aftertaste. ...

Cask 81a. (888.5 litre bottles made). Mid amber/gold and slightly paler than the Veramar. Light floral/golden syrup bouquet. Only just medium sweet with intriguing flavours of barley sugar, dried lemon peel and a long lingering aftertaste, reminiscent of honey and lemon Lockets. This is more light a...

Rich medium gold/mahogany. Nutty barley sugar bouquet. Medium sweet but with a strong core of fresh tangy acidity. Perhaps a bit light in the middle but very easy to drink. On its own or perhaps with strong hard cheese or nuts. Excellent value. Very good. This tasting note is one of several related ...

(The Wine Press – 32.00 x 50cl – 900 bottles in 2005) (See May 10th update for full tasting note). This is the real deal and IMHO, the best of the excellent current portfolio from Barbeito. For me, this wine strikes that perfect but elusive balance between: - That lovely warm acetone nose that makes...

Single Cask 18a. (1,540 x 50 cl bottled in 2004) Sparkling bright amber mahogany. Furniture polish nose. Somewhat subdued toffee and caramel flavours – very grippy buy only medium weight. Again, that now familiar Barbeito grapefruit and "lockets" finish. This wine is in fact very similar i...

Following on from a couple of recent posts, have a look at Barbeito's new website (vinhosbarbeito.com) where they have set up a matrix with recommended madeira/food pairings. Parmesan, goose/duck liver pate or as an aperetif/digestif with nuts are combinations that seem to tick all the relevant boxe...

Roy, Even though the wine perhaps isn't made in my favorite style, I have to agree with you that this is the finest young Madeira I have tasted thus far. Having said that, I think that the Barbeito 1981 Verdelho is still my favorite wine, if that makes sense. Anyway, if my tax rebate comes through, ...

First bottle from a four pack Mid mahogany cut through with just a hint of greeny gold and holding the glass up to the light, a slightly opaque hue. A very fresh and vigorous nose of furniture polish and toffee apples. On tasting, huge mouthfilling flavours of dried figs, raisins and caramel and a v...

Roy

I think this is an excellent idea. Madeira can be a bit a backwater as we know and therefore sharing resources like this makes a lot of sense. Good luck with this venture.

Roy I am abstaining from all forms of alcoholic beverage for Lent, but have lined up one (or all) of the following to break my fast next Sunday: Barbeito 1978 Boal or D'oliveiras 1968 Boal (can't decide which) as a sharpener; then Mount Billy Antiquity Shiraz 2001 (if we have beef); or La Rioja Alta...

I recently tried the Ferreira 1982 which I really enjoyed (see tasting note on main forum posted on December 8th 06). I paid £27 a bottle over the internet from a firm called Vinehaven who are based in Upminster. Their contact number is 01375 891 874. I hadn't dealt with them before but couldn't fau...

Andy Each bottle (from this case at least) has been a slight leaker and the corks have been pretty well saturated and a bit crumbly as well. In fact, I have yet to get one out in one piece. Fill levels are well into the neck but perhaps a tad lower than usual. I'm wondering whether the slight leakag...

Andy, Believe it or not, I am enjoying a glass of GC77 as I read your note. This is bottle number nine from a case of twelve and I have always been struck by how light the colour of this wine is - it resembles a 10yr old Burgundy in the glass and it is certainly the palest VP that I have come across...