1995 Smith Woodhouse LBV Port

[Glenn E.]

Purchased and opened for the January 2010 Virtual Tasting
(LBV with at least 10 years of age)

I've had this before and liked it, so when all of my other available options had already been presented for the VT I decided to go ahead and try this one again. This bottle was purchased at Fine Wines & Cigars for $24.

Decanted at 6:00 pm and tasted that evening and then again at +20 hours.

1995 Smith Woodhouse LBV

Color: Very dark red or garnet, so dark that it appears purple but the color near the edge gives it away. Very slight yellowing right at the rim.
Nose: Dusty overtones, some similar to straw, disguise a backbone of red fruits and heavy (in tone, not strength) alcohol. Mainly ripe red raspberry and black cherry.
Palate: Initially sweet and grapey, darker fruits appear with time. Blueberry and blackberry are faint but present. The body weight is medium, and after the initial sweet impression it drops back to a perfect balance between sweet and dry. Acidity is very good, giving it a juicy and brightly fruity profile. Tannins are fine/soft but still quite present. I think this could age for another 10 years without any trouble. Secondary notes are somewhat thin making this less complex than a good VP, but that also makes it easier to drink. There's just enough going on to give it a high quality feel, but not so much that you feel the need to stop and examine it more closely.
Finish: Fruity and warm, very pleasant, and long. The tail contains grape skin, which is generally a good sign to me.

Score: 92 points. That might be conservative, but I have a hard time going any higher without greater depth.