Seattle area retailer tasting Dec. 14 @ 5:00 pm

This site is for discussion of travel to the "Land of Port & Madeira" as well as food related to Port or Portugal. Additionally your Offline tasting events can be planned and reviewed here.

Moderators: Glenn E., Roy Hersh, Andy Velebil

Post Reply
User avatar
Glenn E.
Posts: 8380
Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:49 am
Location: Sammamish, Washington, United States of America - USA
Contact:

Seattle area retailer tasting Dec. 14 @ 5:00 pm

Post by Glenn E. »

Short notice, but Pete's Wines in Bellevue is having a Port tasting this Sunday starting at 5:00 pm.

Advance registration is required and it is limited to 20 participants. (I'm already signed up.)

The cost is $35, which also gets you a 10% discount off all regularly priced wines.

Here's a transcription of the complete flyer:
Pete's Wine School Seminar
Port And Fortified Wines
A great antidote to winter weather and a great choice for gifts and celebrations. nearly everyone likes Port - but what kind of Port? From ruby, vintage, and other "bottle aged" Ports to tawny, colheita, and other "wood aged" Ports, explore the various styles of Port and taste the differences, along with a look at some other Port-like fortified wines.

Sunday, Decem. 14, 5:00 pm
$35.00

  • * ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
    * Limited to 20 participants (10 minimum)
    * Includes 10% off all regularly priced wines
Sign up early - space is limited!

Pete's Wines
134 105th NE, Bellevue
(425) 454-1100
Glenn Elliott
User avatar
Glenn E.
Posts: 8380
Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:49 am
Location: Sammamish, Washington, United States of America - USA
Contact:

Re: Seattle area retailer tasting Dec. 14 @ 5:00 pm

Post by Glenn E. »

They had a fine lineup - 12 ports and 4 other dessert wines - and I took notes. I'll get them posted eventually.

A couple of surprises, at least for me. The main one was the Taylor LBV that they served, which off the top of my head I think was the 2001. It was cheaper than either of the basic rubies (Dow's and Graham's) yet significantly better quality. This particular one was filtered, so it's meant for drinking right now and it showed nicely.

I also enjoyed the 2006 Dow's Senhora da Ribeira SQVP. It was obviously very young, but wasn't one of those fruit bomb/brick wall of tannins types of young VPs. It showed a lot of minerality and was pleasantly dry (for a Port). I don't personally think it's going to age particularly well, but the guy presenting the wines (Bob) felt it needed 15-20 years. I'd give it 10 - like an LBV - and then start drinking. But it's very drinkable right now, which (to me) was interesting for a VP.

The star of the night was unsurprisingly the Kopke 30-yr old Tawny, followed by the 1987 Kopke Colheita and the Rocha 20-yr old Tawny. They also served a 1991 Warre's VP, but it was decanted at the start of the evening (roughly 2 - 2.5 hours before tasting) and not filtered, so there was quite a bit of sediment in it and it didn't show well paired against the Senhora da Ribeira.

The 4 non-Ports were a Washington port, a Muscat, a Blandy's 5-yr old Malmsey, and a Barolo something that's herb infused. The Washington port was pretty meh, but the other 3 were all fun and interesting in their own ways. The Malmsey smelled like Christmas spices, gingerbread cookies, and shortbread but tasted nothing like that. The Barolo was a really interesting sipper due to the herb infusion, and the Muscat smelled (and tasted) of orange blossoms and honey. Yummy stuff.

Anyway... more to come when I get home and can enter my notes!
Glenn Elliott
User avatar
Roy Hersh
Site Admin
Posts: 21829
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2005 1:27 am
Location: Porto, PT
Contact:

Re: Seattle area retailer tasting Dec. 14 @ 5:00 pm

Post by Roy Hersh »

I wish I could have joined you Glenn, but as I am heading out of town in a couple of days, there's too much to do.

I look forward to your notes. Do you know Bob's last name and if he is an employee of Pete's or not?

Thanks!
Ambition driven by passion, rather than money, is as strong an elixir as is Port. http://www.fortheloveofport.com
User avatar
Glenn E.
Posts: 8380
Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:49 am
Location: Sammamish, Washington, United States of America - USA
Contact:

Re: Seattle area retailer tasting Dec. 14 @ 5:00 pm

Post by Glenn E. »

I didn't catch his last name, but he is an employee of Pete's. He said that the Port class is just one of many that he teaches. He said it was the first one he ever taught for them several years back and is still his favorite and most popular.

He gave a brief introduction to Port and its history, then started right in on the wines. He'd set up several head-to-head comparisons that made it easy to see the differences, which was nice. For example, we tried the Dow's and Graham's ruby reserves head-to-head and so could really see the dry vs fruity contrast. I surprised myself by liking the Dow's better.
Glenn Elliott
User avatar
Glenn E.
Posts: 8380
Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:49 am
Location: Sammamish, Washington, United States of America - USA
Contact:

Re: Seattle area retailer tasting Dec. 14 @ 5:00 pm

Post by Glenn E. »

Tasting notes for the Ports and Madeira are posted:

Dow's Trademark Finest Reserve Porto
Graham's Six Grapes
Dow's Crusted Porto
2003 Taylor Fladgate LBV
2000 Quinta do Infantado LBV
2006 Dow's Quinta Senhora da Ribeira SQVP
1991 Warre's Vintage Port
Quinta do Infantado Medium-Dry Tawny Porto
Dow's 10-yr Old Tawny Porto
Porto Rocha 20-yr Old Tawny Porto
1987 Kopke Colheita
Kopke 30-yr Old Tawny Porto
Blandy's 5 Year Old Malmsey Madeira

Since we don't really have a section for non-Portugese drinks, I'll include those three wines here:

2006 Thurston Wolfe "JTW's" Washington State port

Red toward purple in the glass. An average nose. Fruity and floral in the mouth. After tasting, the nose starts to develop and shows some generic chemicals and a strong juniper note.

Much better than I expected, but still not Port.

Livio Pavese Barolo Chinato

I failed to make note of Bob's explanation, but he said that since this is fermented with botanicals that it's technically not a fortified wine and is instead something else.

Brownish in the glass with just a tint of red. It looks like a Madeira. Minty nose that goes beyond any single mint... Ben Gay? Some mentioned menthol and eucalyptus, but I didn't think either of those were quite right. After a bit in the glass, the nose starts to show some anise. Some mentioned tamarind, but I'm not familiar with that spice so I can't confirm or deny its presence. Tastes like it smells, point for point.

Campbells Rutherglen Muscat

Light tan/orange in the glass, almost flowery and light compared to the other wines. The nose is dominated by orange blossom, with some orange peel to help keep it from being sickly sweet. Very rich, very velvety in the mouth. Again dominated by orange blossom and orange peel, but smoother, softer, and sweeter than on the nose. Definitely a dessert wine, the richest and most syrupy of all the wines tasted tonight.
Glenn Elliott
User avatar
Roy Hersh
Site Admin
Posts: 21829
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2005 1:27 am
Location: Porto, PT
Contact:

Re: Seattle area retailer tasting Dec. 14 @ 5:00 pm

Post by Roy Hersh »

Thanks for posting your TNs Glenn!

As far as the Aussie Muscat, I have enjoyed that too. They make a few different versions at higher levels too. This one is quite good, but the "Rare" is exceptional. I like Muscat or Moscato or Moscatel from a lot of countries. Portugal comes to mind. But even So. Africa has some beauties in this category of sticky and of course Australia has a plethora of examples.

I've had the Thurston Wolfe many times, since Wade Wolfe was the consulting oenologist for Hogue for many years (you know Gary Hogue lives right off E. Lake Sam) and I did biz with them. I also see Wade in June when I judge the WA State Wine Fair. He is a sharp guy and I must say, of all the port style of wines from WA, his is amongst the best. John's Port from Yakima River winery is also very good and Hintzerling too. Probably my favorite 3 in WA State. Maybe not saying much ... but ... :help:
Ambition driven by passion, rather than money, is as strong an elixir as is Port. http://www.fortheloveofport.com
Post Reply