Lucky enough to be invited by Ms Tersina Shieh to attend today's run of the Vintage Port Academy in Hong Kong. This is a collaboration by Symingtons and Taylor's. This is entitled The Essential Knowledge of Port Workshop.
Live blogging!
1. 1st session
-- Warre Warrior Reserve
-- Taylor's LBV 2011
-- Taylor's 10 yr Tawny
-- Graham's 20 year Tawny
-- Taylor's Vintage 2009
-- Dow Vintage 2000
-- Fonseca Vintage 1997
-- Graham Vintage 1983
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Vintage Port Academy HK Run: March 16, 2017
Moderators: Glenn E., Roy Hersh, Andy Velebil
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Andy Velebil
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Re: Vintage Port Academy HK Run: March 16, 2017
Keep us updated as to how it goes.
Andy Velebil Good wine is a good familiar creature if it be well used. William Shakespeare http://www.fortheloveofport.com
Re: Vintage Port Academy HK Run: March 16, 2017
Vintage Port Academy in Hong Kong yesterday
This is a very unusual collaboration between Fladgate Partnership and Symington family. VPA has existed since 2010, with the general objective of expanding port knowledge (particularly among professionals in the wine and restaurant industry but not necessarily limited to that). VPA now active in China, Taiwan and Korea. Since 2010, VPA diplomas awarded cumulatively to 700+ participants. This lasted for 5 hours roughly, including lunch.
Presenters and organizers included:
Nicholas Heath from Fladgate Partnership
Euan MacKay, Symington sales director based out of Gaia
Jorge Nunes, Symington lead in Hong Kong
Tersina Tsieh
The venue is the Grand Hyatt Pool Room, which is a good facility. There were maybe 50-80 participants, for whom the seminar is offered. There were slide presentations throughout, coupled with a tasting of the above wines (more on that later), split evenly between Tawnies and vintage ports. Then a lunch where some of the foods that might be considered for their own pairing with ports were introduced: Australian wagyu beef with a rich meat-stock based sauce, Chinese wider round noodles stir-fried, an array of cheese, small pieces of pork belly with crisped skin, some soft foie gras terrine. Wines available for generous pouring at the lunch were ports of course. When we left the workshop, we received alternating bottles of Taylor's 10 year and Graham's 10 year Tawnies, depending on where one stood in line.
Tasting notes:
-- Taylor's 2009 - still very youthful, expecting it to be relatively closed up at this young stage. Evaluating for potential.
-- Dow's 2000 - generally declared vintage but small production. Yields small but excellent quality. Getting there but not quite there was the general observation.
-- Graham's 1983: This was probably showing the best of the vintage ports sampled, which is not surprising given I like older vintages and this was the oldest included. The tannins have melded together with appealing fruit, in an integrated way. The fruit is expressive and this was a very enjoyable port. The Symington representatives indicated this is near full mature, although it has a long time to go (with which I agree).
-- Fonseca 1997: This was a soft, round wine but to me Fonsecas I have sampled (not that many so far) have tended to lack some structure and pointedness of view that I look for in port. So while this was a pleasing wine showing nicely, the 1997 Fonseca perhaps reinforced my already-held views about this port house.
Other wines sampled included:
-- Warre's Warrior: This is a functional (not in a negative way) everyday Tawny and I liked it for what it was. I am starting to see some of the subtleties of Warre's. This is something I would buy for the price it is.
-- Taylor's LBV 2011: This is an LBV that is available in many shops in Hong Kong right now. Dark fruit sensations and a bit homogenous on the palate, but appropriate for everyday drinking. I have had 2 bottles of this this year and this is also decent value for money, with a splash after work while on the iPad.
Photos:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/147648174@N08/
This is a very unusual collaboration between Fladgate Partnership and Symington family. VPA has existed since 2010, with the general objective of expanding port knowledge (particularly among professionals in the wine and restaurant industry but not necessarily limited to that). VPA now active in China, Taiwan and Korea. Since 2010, VPA diplomas awarded cumulatively to 700+ participants. This lasted for 5 hours roughly, including lunch.
Presenters and organizers included:
Nicholas Heath from Fladgate Partnership
Euan MacKay, Symington sales director based out of Gaia
Jorge Nunes, Symington lead in Hong Kong
Tersina Tsieh
The venue is the Grand Hyatt Pool Room, which is a good facility. There were maybe 50-80 participants, for whom the seminar is offered. There were slide presentations throughout, coupled with a tasting of the above wines (more on that later), split evenly between Tawnies and vintage ports. Then a lunch where some of the foods that might be considered for their own pairing with ports were introduced: Australian wagyu beef with a rich meat-stock based sauce, Chinese wider round noodles stir-fried, an array of cheese, small pieces of pork belly with crisped skin, some soft foie gras terrine. Wines available for generous pouring at the lunch were ports of course. When we left the workshop, we received alternating bottles of Taylor's 10 year and Graham's 10 year Tawnies, depending on where one stood in line.
Tasting notes:
-- Taylor's 2009 - still very youthful, expecting it to be relatively closed up at this young stage. Evaluating for potential.
-- Dow's 2000 - generally declared vintage but small production. Yields small but excellent quality. Getting there but not quite there was the general observation.
-- Graham's 1983: This was probably showing the best of the vintage ports sampled, which is not surprising given I like older vintages and this was the oldest included. The tannins have melded together with appealing fruit, in an integrated way. The fruit is expressive and this was a very enjoyable port. The Symington representatives indicated this is near full mature, although it has a long time to go (with which I agree).
-- Fonseca 1997: This was a soft, round wine but to me Fonsecas I have sampled (not that many so far) have tended to lack some structure and pointedness of view that I look for in port. So while this was a pleasing wine showing nicely, the 1997 Fonseca perhaps reinforced my already-held views about this port house.
Other wines sampled included:
-- Warre's Warrior: This is a functional (not in a negative way) everyday Tawny and I liked it for what it was. I am starting to see some of the subtleties of Warre's. This is something I would buy for the price it is.
-- Taylor's LBV 2011: This is an LBV that is available in many shops in Hong Kong right now. Dark fruit sensations and a bit homogenous on the palate, but appropriate for everyday drinking. I have had 2 bottles of this this year and this is also decent value for money, with a splash after work while on the iPad.
Photos:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/147648174@N08/
Re: Vintage Port Academy HK Run: March 16, 2017
Tersina Tsieh, the contact who runs the Vintage Port Academy for HK, has written article on Spirito de Vino Asia magazine talking aobut all of Graham's single harvest tawnies. Here are her observations on the six vintages released so far:
1. 1982: "Rich flavors of honey and butterscotch interwoven with dried fruits and spices. The acidity gives a clean and fresh palate. Great!"
2. 1972: "Intense with toasted nuts, dried fruits and marmalade. It ends with a smooth, long and fresh finish."
3. 1969: "Delicate floral notes and orange zest blended with cinnamon and caramel for this vintage. The multi-layered flavour lingers on and on."
4. 1961: "Intriguing aromas of honey, caramel, nuts, dried fruits and cloves. It is mellow yet rich, and the acidity gives the wine and fresh and persistent finish."
5. 1952: "A complex wine full of aromas of dried herbs, dried nuts, chocolate and orange peel with an endless finish."
6. Ne Oublie 1882: "Ginger, orange peel and floral notes jump from the glass, followed by nuts and spices. It is delicate yet rich and multi-dimensional, an amazing wine with a surprisingly fresh palate, mellow mouth feel and never-ending finish."![[shok.gif]](./images/smilies/shok.gif "RUkidding?")
1. 1982: "Rich flavors of honey and butterscotch interwoven with dried fruits and spices. The acidity gives a clean and fresh palate. Great!"
2. 1972: "Intense with toasted nuts, dried fruits and marmalade. It ends with a smooth, long and fresh finish."
3. 1969: "Delicate floral notes and orange zest blended with cinnamon and caramel for this vintage. The multi-layered flavour lingers on and on."
4. 1961: "Intriguing aromas of honey, caramel, nuts, dried fruits and cloves. It is mellow yet rich, and the acidity gives the wine and fresh and persistent finish."
5. 1952: "A complex wine full of aromas of dried herbs, dried nuts, chocolate and orange peel with an endless finish."
6. Ne Oublie 1882: "Ginger, orange peel and floral notes jump from the glass, followed by nuts and spices. It is delicate yet rich and multi-dimensional, an amazing wine with a surprisingly fresh palate, mellow mouth feel and never-ending finish."