For The Love Of Port

(WS 80) ($14) Dark ruby red. Also quite alcoholic, but less than the nr. 1. Fruity, but light bodied. Well balanced, with nice round tannins. Short, slightly hot finish. Nice, if this were a ruby. Could this be the Porto Almiro? No, this is the Taylor . Hmmmmmm. This tasting note is one of several r...

(WS 86) ($22) Extremely dark, almost purple. Very concentrated, even the legs were coloured! Nose: alcohol, nothing more. Very sharp. Full bodied, but without balance. Very sweet, some raisins and quite tannic. Finish is long an very hot and bitter. Yuck! This must be the Don Pedro, right? Nope, thi...

($15) Very light, with just a hint of brown; almost the colour of a Spanish rose. Not a very powerful nose, just a hint of alcohol. Very light, almost no tannins left. Sweet and artificial, short finish. This is bad stuff. Martinez , shame on you! This tasting note is one of several related tasting ...

By Manoel D. Poças Jr. ($12)Dark, almost black. Nice legs! Fruity on the nose, with pleasant berry aromas. Lots of ripe red fruit on the palate, slightly jammy. Round and warm, with a medium finish. Very nice! Yes, this was the Porto Almiro . This tasting note is one of several related tasting notes...

By C. da Silva, bottled in 2001. ($6) Oh boy, this looks good. Dark bodied, slightly brown on the edge. Good nose, with dark cherry and raspberry. Full bodied, with a nice ripe tannic structure. Medium sweet, with a hint of bitter adding an additional layer of interest. Finish rather sweet and warm,...

Dow 1977 VP: First bottle: corked. Second bottle: cooked? Corked as well? Anyway, not good. What a pity!

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

Graham 1977 VP : The single bottle of the Port could not convince me. Sweet and acidic at the same time, not integrated and rather dusty. Slightly corked as well? Other loved it, though – perhaps Graham’s is just not my house. This tasting note is one of several related tasting notes. Click [here] ...

Fonseca 1977 VP : Tasted from 2 different bottles. The first bottle was sublime – gorgeous nose, complex, floral, cedar. Very concentrated and dense – how young can this taste? This one will last for a long, long time. The best bottle of Fonseca ’77 I’ve tasted. The second bottle this evening was g...

Taylor 1977 VP : Tasted from two different bottles. How can a nose be so delicate, yet pack so much power at the same time? Young for sure, but WHAT a joy to drink! The second bottle was even slightly better, but the difference wasn’t as large as between the 2 Fonseca bottles. This tasting note is ...

Graham 1970 VP (Berry Bros & Rudd, UK bottling): The lightest nose of the ’70 VPs, but refined and complex: beautiful!. However, this was just waaaay to sweet for my taste, approaching strawberry sweets. Finish a bit sticky. A good VP for sure, just not to my liking. This tasting note is one of...

Dow 1970 VP (Courtenay Wines International, UK bottling): good nose with tar and dried fruits. Very thick, rich and medium sweet (sweeter than more recent Dow VPs). Some secondary flavours, but it is still mostly about fruit. Very smoky finish that had a distinct bacon touch to it – odd, but interes...

Fonseca 1970 VP (Morgan Furze, UK bottling): Did I like the nose of this Port! Fresh, almost floral with a lot of red fruit. Thick but smooth as silk, and a nice spiciness on the midpalate. Nice finish, but rather short. Not the best bottle possible, I think This tasting note is one of several rela...

Taylor 1970 VP (magnum, Taylor bottled): Young on the nose, with a whiff of exotic spice. Big bodied, everything is at the right place here. Quite smooth already (I thought this would show even more youthful, being poured from magnum). Goooood finish! Exceptional, and even if this was a bit more ma...

In random order: - Cockburn '83 : the location(s) made it even more good. - Croft '45 : only tasted the dregs, but sooo tasty! - Fonseca '20 : sublime - Fonceca '85 : got to have more of this! - Niepoort '63 : Port & friends in the best setting possible - Qta. d. Loureiro 1871 - just because suc...

Alan, according to the IVDP rules it is not illegal to bottle a VP in the 3rd year after the vintage (June 30th in the 3rd year being the cut-off date) - take Niepoort '94 as an example.

The Taylor 1970 Qta. d. Vargellas VP is pretty rare - only one pipe made.

Great post, Shawn!

FWIW: I have had a fair share of Niepoort VPs (from '63 to '05), but I've only come across VA in the '85 (tasted three times) and in the '97 (tasted twice, both leakers as well). No problems with other vintages!

Usually yes: only in '78 and '82 was the Guimaraens VP a SQ (from Qta. d. Cruzeiro). In other years it is a blend, but Fonseca does make a Qta. d. Panascal VP as well.

Always interested in an offline...I think you have my email, Erik - otherwise send me a PM.

This my surprise of the evening: what a lovely wine! Smooth, mature, soothing, and warm...even if the finish could be better...I had not expected this from a SW of this vintage. Thanks Simon!