review of a tasting at McCarthy & Schiering in Seattle

[Glenn E.]

I went to a tasting at this wine shop last night with Roy and we had a great time. Roy had helped arrange it with the Taylor Fladgate Partnership and their importer for the US, Kobrand. Robert Bower from TFP and Cindy (?) from Kobrand were both there so it was very informative too.

The lineup for the evening was very nice, and was highlighted by a flight of 2007 cask samples. My notes turned out to be a bit vague even for me, so instead of posting individual tasting notes I'll just summarize my impressions here.

2007 Croft - tied for WOTN (with the 2007 VVV) for me. Beautifully floral and expressive. Amazing integration for such a young wine. Robert indicated that this comes entirely from Quinta da Roeda even though not bottled as SQVP.
2007 Fonseca - grippy tannins, good color, good acidity. Better (more purple) color than the Croft.
2007 Taylor Fladgate - nice dark purple, surprisingly smooth fruits, not quite as much grip as the Fonseca.
2007 Taylor Fladgate Quinta de Vargellas Vinha Velha - tied for WOTN (with 2007 Croft) for me. Hints of Taylor spiciness, good meaty grip, and fresh/lively fruits. A tiny bit of green in the finish.
2000 Croft - initially sweeter than the previous bottles, followed by extra heat. Faintly minty.
2000 Taylor Fladgate Quinta de Vargellas Vinha Velha - spicy and floral, lots of blue/black fruits.
2001 Fonseca Quinta do Panascal - unexpected spices (is this Fonseca or Taylor?) and, of all things, a hint of bubble gum.

My notes got even worse at this point, due primarily to my unwillingness to spit. Even tasting-sized servings add up eventually!

2001 Taylor Fladgate Quinta de Vargellas - very nice and pleasant. Some sweet milk chocolate.
2005 Croft Quinta da Roeda - again more heat than the other bottles, and again faintly minty. I was pleased to discover upon noticing the mint that my previous note on the subject had also been a Croft bottle (2000, above).
2005 Fonseca Quinta do Panascal - this used to be available at Costco, though I don't remember the price. I probably should have picked some up, because it was quite tasty. My note says "good grip, grapey, slightly spicy."

I thought that all of the bottles showed very well, and was very happy to get to taste the 2007 VVV. I ordered a case (3 bottles) of it, but due to its extreme rarity (only 50 3-bottle cases for the entire US) there's an excellent chance that I won't get it. I had to try, though!

[Eric Menchen]

BBR has the 2007 VVV listed en primeur in 3 bottle cases, "Special conditions apply." That had me thinking since my parents are going to the UK, but unfortunately they won't be there long enough for the 2007s to arrive Of course the Croft is 1/4 the price, so perhaps it is just as well.

Sounds like a nice lineup Glenn.

[Kris Henderson]

I was there as well. It was a nice tasting and the 2007 Taylor Vargellas Vinha Velha cask sample was a nice surprise.

Here are my notes from the tasting:

2007 VINTAGE PORT CASK SAMPLES - Seattle, WA (6/9/2009)

This tasting was a three-way venture, organized by FTLOP, Kobrand, and McCarthy & Schiering to get consumers an early look at the 2007 Vintage Ports. Special guest, Robert Bower provided excellent commentary while we sampled these gems.
2007 Cask Samples
2007 Taylor was a clear favorite for me. I really enjoyed the nose on the 2007 Fonseca but it fell short on the palate. 2007 Croft was a well rounded, complete package and out performed the Fonseca tonight. I'm not sure where the Vargellas Vinha Velha fits in. It could be spectacular. Robert Bauer explained that if compared to acresses, Taylor = Audry Hepburn, Fonseca = Marilyn Monroe, and now that the Fladgate Partnership has acquired Croft they are trying to figure out who to assign to Croft. Kate Blanchet is their favorite so far.

• 2007 Croft Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto
  Very dark red. Nice aromatics, spicy red fruit. Firm fine grained tannin. Good acid and well balanced. A pleasing warm finish.
• 2007 Fonseca Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto
  Dark red / purple. Nice enticing nose with dark fruit, tar, blackberry, and cherry. Nice and sweet on the palate. Tannins start soft but come on stronger towards the end. A bit tart and a sour quality to the finish. I really liked the aromatics on this but on the palate this is showing a bit weak. This was a cask sample so a lot can happen between now and bottling.
• 2007 Taylor (Fladgate) Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto
  Dark reddish black. Complex aromas of dark and red fruits. Strawberry and plum. The palate is big, sweet, and massive. Full body, thick, and viscous. Very strong tannins. Should be fabulous in 30 to 40 years.
• 2007 Taylor (Fladgate) Porto Quinta de Vargellas Vinha Velha - Portugal, Douro, Porto
  Dark, opaque, nearly black in color. Very tight nose. Absolutely massive tannins, mouth puckering. Dark, brooding, and intense. Shows huge potential.

2000's
After the cask samples, these seemed almost mature. The 2000 Croft showed beautifully and if drinking now is the best so far. The 2000 Taylor Vargellas Vinha Velha is a bit more approachable than the 2007 but at this point, my score is mostly on potential as it is difficult to drink at this stage.

• 2000 Croft Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto
  Gorgeous nose. Medium body. Almost smooth tannin. Spicy red fruit. Well balanced. (94 pts.)
• 2000 Taylor (Fladgate) Porto Quinta de Vargellas Vinha Velha - Portugal, Douro, Porto
  Intensely dark and extracted color. Intrigueing nose, seems open and expressive with aromas of strawberry, tar, plum, and black licorish. Huge coarse tannin, spicy and a bit of heat. Full body, intense, massive, tannic, and brooding. A bit punishing to drink now but there's a lot going on and it's interesting to taste. (96 pts.)

2001's
This was a difficult flight for me. The 2000 Taylor Vargellas Vinha Velha completely obliterated my palate. Both of these were nice ports, I had a slight preference to the Taylor.

• 2001 Fonseca Porto Vintage Quinta do Panascal - Portugal, Douro, Porto
  Regicent nose. Lots of swirling coaxes out some nice red fruit. Moderate tannin and well balanced. (90 pts.)
• 2001 Taylor (Fladgate) Porto Vintage Quinta de Vargellas - Portugal, Douro, Porto
  Well balanced and well integrated tannin. Medium to full body with a persistent finish. (91 pts.)

2005's
Another excellent showing from croft. 2005 Croft Quinta da Roeda is the complete package. Well rounded, big structure yet perfect balance.

• 2005 Croft Porto Quinta da Roeda - Portugal, Douro, Porto
  Very dark. Plum and smoke on the nose. Very well balanced with a big structure. Long warm finish. (93 pts.)
• 2005 Fonseca Porto Vintage Quinta do Panascal - Portugal, Douro, Porto
  Dark red. Blue - dark fruit profile on the nose. Firm big tannin and a warm finish. (90 pts.)

From this small sampling of houses, 2007 looks to be a very good vintage. The Fonseca was somewhat disappointing but these are cask samples and it may come around by the time it is bottled. 2007 Taylor is clearly very good and I'll be placing an order for a few bottles.

My favorite of the tasting for drinking now was the 2000 Croft Vintage Port with the 2005 Croft Quinta da Roeda a close second. Both of these are drinking well now but show the potential to age for decades.

[Roy Hersh]

It was great hanging out with the local gang last night and a fun tasting for sure. A bit too rushed but lots of fine bottles floating by.

Can I ask you guys to launch your TNs into the Forum individually. Please? Glenn, even impressions like yours are just fine. Others can discuss them etc. It would be most appreciated if you and Kris would take the time when you have a moment.


Thanks!!!!!

Roy