1987 Souza Vintage Port

[Glenn E.]

This bottle is from the more recent Souza buying opportunity. I've evidently been slacking in posting TNs about them, because I'm down to 3 left from one case (though this is only the 3rd of those 9 that I've actually drunk; the rest were given out as gifts/etc). The bottles from the more recent opportunity haven't shown as well for me as the bottles from the original Souza buying op. I'll need to test one of the older ones soon to see if that's still true.

1987 Porto Souza Vintage Port

Color: Ruby and brick. Almost a really deep orange in the wrong light. It looks aged, but not tired. I have previously noted that in some ways it looks a bit like a 10-year old Tawny, and that holds true with this bottle as well though this bottle does seem more red (and thus less tawny-like) than other bottles.

Nose: Soft ripe strawberry, faint plum, and a note that reminds me of black pepper but without being spicy. Also, "smells like old Port." Maybe a little bit of cigar box, but the woody side of that not the tobacco side. Very slight, very faint VA in the vinegar profile. Some vague slate-like minerality.

Palate: Tart, semi-dryish entry (for a Port), but not like a Noval LBV. Pleasant and smooth with a creamy note in the late palate. Ripe and sweet red raspberry and strawberry, light sweet red currant, possibly even a faint note of cranberry. The strawberry gives off an impression more like strawberry fruit leather than fresh strawberries. Nice acidity, but only very mild tannins.

Score: 89 points. I toyed with 90, but in my nomenclature this fits better with "very good" than with "excellent". I try not to rate based on age, but I get the feeling that if this were a 1967 I would rate it higher (90-91). I'd say this is at its peak or very close, and that it will easily hold on a plateau for 5-10 years. So not "drink up" but certainly should be on your list of active drinkers over the next decade.