For this event, we blind-tasted four pairs of Vintage Port. The first Port from each pair was from a 750ml bottle, the second Port was from one of two 275ml half bottles ("A" and "B").
Port wine generally ages more slowly the larger the bottle is, so the goal of this tasting was to compare how the same wine has aged differently in full vs. half bottles.
To give a broad view, we tasted pairs of Vintage Port from four different decades: 2011, 2003, 1980 and 1977.
- 2011 Dow Porto Late Bottled Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto
A very dark, deep purple in color. Dark fruit on the nose with molasses and some subtle woody notes. Great structure with good tannins. Blackberry and blueberry on the palate and pronounced tannins on the finish. (90 pts.) - 2011 Dow Porto Late Bottled Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto
375ml half bottle "B". Dark impenetrable purple in color. Good aromatics of dark fruit. Drying tannins on the palate. Boysenberry and herbal notes on the mid-palate. Good, long finish. (91 pts.) - 1997 Warre Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto
Vanilla wafers on the nose. Great complexity with solid tannins and some residual dark fruit on the palate. Good tannins and some light herbal notes on the finish. (93 pts.) - 1997 Warre Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto
375ml half bottle "B". Medium-dark purple in color. Dark chocolate and herbal notes on the nose. Well-balanced mid-palate with some really pleasant red fruit notes on the finish. (92 pts.) - 2003 Porto Rocha Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto
Dark purple in color. Bramble-berry on the nose. Blueberry and boysenberry on the palate. Great mid-palate with some “sparkly tannins” on the finish. Really nice wine. (91 pts.) - 2003 Porto Rocha Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto
375ml half bottle "B". Great dark red fruit on the nose. A little buttery note on the palate that is a touch off-putting. Nice tannins and balance on the long finish. (91 pts.) - 1980 Gould Campbell Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto
Red fruit notes of strawberry and cranberry on the nose. Cinnamon and red fruit on the palate. Great balance with more ripe strawberry nots on the long finish. (93 pts.) - 1980 Gould Campbell Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto
375ml half bottle "B". Corked. N/R NR (flawed)
2011 Dow Late Bottled Vintage Port 750ml - 91
2011 Dow Late Bottled Vintage Port 375A - 91
2011 Dow Late Bottled Vintage Port 375B - 92
1997 Warre Vintage Port 750ml - 93
1997 Warre Vintage Port 375A - 90
1997 Warre Vintage Port 375B - 93
2003 Porto Rocha Vintage Port 750ml - 90
2003 Porto Rocha Vintage Port 375A - 89
2003 Porto Rocha Vintage Port 375B - 91
1980 Gould Campbell Vintage Port 750ml - 92
1980 Gould Campbell 375A - 91
1980 Gould Campbell 375B - NR