For The Love Of Port

Count me in with the 1903 crowd.
Steve Shapiro

We've been fortunate to enjoy this wine a few times. Decanted 4 days before being served. Very dark, but lighter than 1907 D’Oliveira Malvasia served simultaneously. Torrefaction on nose, plus plum/prune. Quite rich, with molasses and Asian spices. Good acidity for balance, and moderately long finis...

Like all things, it's a matter of taste. We had this two years ago with the 1908 Cossart Gordon Bual ... the same wine but bottled twenty years earlier. The group was evenly split, half preferring the concentration of the D'Oliveira bottling, the other half preferring the easier to discern subtlety ...

It was a toss-up between 1907 Blandy's Bual and 1934 Leacock Bual. Each was clearly better than the 1927 Quinta do Serrado Boal served simultaneously at two separate tastings. The 1907 Blandy Bual was excellent 20+ years ago, but has continued to develop depth and complexity with time in the bottle....

1934 Leacock Bual and 1907 Blandy's Bual. The latter was terrific in the early 1990s, and just seems better and better as it ages.

1910 Leacock Sercial
1934 Leacock Bual
RWC Jefferson Verdelho
RWC Porto Moniz Verdelho

The cost was $70 for 500 ml.

Tasted at a wine store tasting. Medium amber color. Orange peel, cognac nose with distinct waxy component. Verdelho sweetness. Lemon, orange flavors predominate with good depth. Excellent acidity and length. 17/20. Friends and I preferred this to 1976 Blandy's Terrantez served at same tasting. The l...

Tasted at a wine store tasting. Chris Blandy present to provide info and his usual enthusiasm. Light to medium yellow. Clean, floral nose with touch of salt. Nice fruit, lemon peel with good acidity. Short finish. I find sercials difficult to appreciate. This one lacks the usual searing acidity, but...

1860 Blandy Bual. Elegant, complex, great depth. Not over the top concentration. Endless finish. A wine with everything in perfect balance.

2 bottles Blandy's Bual 1860
1 bottle Araujo Bual 1860
3 bottles Blandy's 15 year-old sercial
3 bottles Blandy's 20 year-old terrantez.

Medium yellow. Slightly nutty bouquet with touch of lemon. Some richness, with nice tart green apple component. Excellent acidity and clean finish. 15/20. (11/12).

Cognac and orange peel nose, with touch of chocolate. Flavors rich but unfocused. Finish improved over 3-4 hours, including some coffee aromas. 16.5/20. Apparently there are much better bottles of this wine. (2011).

Hazelnuts, toffee, perfect acidity, moderate length. 17+/20. (2003).

Nutty bouquet. Nuts, but little concentration or complexity in mouth. Good acidity, but few lingering flavors. 14/20. (1/11).

Medium brown. Nose and flavors of coffee grounds and chalk. No complexity. Short finish. 14/20. (11/12).

Slightly floral nose with lilacs and cognac. Very rich with cloves and some figs. Long, slightly bitter finish. Favilla Vieira origin. Signs of long barrel aging. 18.5/20. (3/11).

Medium brown. Lilacs and a little shellac on nose. Lovely fruit, depth and complexity in mouth. Good acidity and long aftertaste. 18/20. (1/17/12).

Light yellow. Floral nose with added peaches and vanilla bean. In mouth vanilla predominates. Acidity borderline low. Clean finish. 15-/20. (11/12).

Medium yellow. Peachy fruit, but no bouquet complexity. Peaches persist on palate, with a little sherry-like component. Simple, with low acidity. Short finish. 14/20. (11/12).