What have you opened this week?

[Moses Botbol]

1999 Ferreira LBV. Cork was as dry as could be. Don't recall the others being like this. Even the Durand failed this bottle. Had some initial bottle stink or mustiness. It started to dissipate. Hoping it's back to the great LBV I remember it as tonight.

[Andy Velebil]

1999 Ferreira LBV. Cork was as dry as could be. Don't recall the others being like this. Even the Durand failed this bottle. Had some initial bottle stink or mustiness. It started to dissipate. Hoping it's back to the great LBV I remember it as tonight.

The curse of corks from this time period (not just Ports, but table wines from all over suffer from the "exploding into million bits" syndrome).

I just got a 1999 Ferreira VP. At some point soon I'll crack it. Curious to compare it to your note on their unfiltered LBV.

[Eric Menchen]

S. Leonardo 40, my last of the 2015 bottling. Maybe the newer bottles are better, but this was still excellent.

[Mike J. W.]

1994 Ferreira VP. Good but it feels like it's not quite there yet.

[Frederick Blais]

Niepoort Bioma 2013, still a baby but was fun drinking it.

[David Spriggs]

Casa de Santa Eufemia Special Reserve White Port

[Eric Ifune]

Dave,
I just opened a 40 year old!

[Thomas V]

A 1983 Wiese & Krohn I quaffed over a week myself. Fresh 2019 bottling and superb.

Last week a 1980 Gould Campbell with friends. Was gone in a whiff and was drinking very nicely.

Right now the last glass of 2015 Niepoort LBV. My go to ruby style cellar defender. Lush and fresh as always.

[David Spriggs]

Dave,
I just opened a 40 year old!

Nice! A rock star Port!

[Andy Velebil]

A 1983 Wiese & Krohn I quaffed over a week myself. Fresh 2019 bottling and superb.

Last week a 1980 Gould Campbell with friends. Was gone in a whiff and was drinking very nicely.

Right now the last glass of 2015 Niepoort LBV. My go to ruby style cellar defender. Lush and fresh as always.

I just picked up a ‘15 Niepoort LBV. Can’t wait to crack it now.

[Glenn E.]

1994 Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port

Kari bought some chocolate at the store that's supposed to have been created specifically to pair with wine - Brix Chocolate - and I figured I'd give it a try. Port and dark chocolate is a classic pairing that you hear about all the time, but I've never found it to work well unless you are very careful about the chocolate that you select. The Port must be sweeter than the chocolate or you end up with the chocolate making the Port taste sour. It's not as simple as just picking a really dark chocolate, either, as even an 80% chocolate could be 20% sugar (though not likely, I exaggerate) and that would still be too sweet.

So anyway... we have the Smooth Dark Chocolate version from Brix, and what do you know it actually works! It is indeed a smooth and creamy dark chocolate, but most importantly it isn't terribly sweet. It's certainly sweet enough to eat on its own, but it isn't sweeter than the Port so it paired very well.

I'm normally a pretty lightweight Port drinker of the evening during the week - maybe about a 2 oz. tasting-sized pour - but last night I had 2 full glasses of the Vesuvio with this chocolate. Even pop-and-pour the Vesuvio was luscious and juicy. At this rate it'll be gone before the weekend, which is pretty fast for me to finish a bottle of VP!

[Jonathan S]

1994 Warre's VP (1/22)

I got 9 halves recently and opened my 2nd one on Saturday. The first bottle was oxidized. This one was fine on Saturday, but fell off the cliff by Sunday. I suspect my bottles were stood up/improperly stored as I've had other bottles of this rom other sources and its marvelous. Caveat emptor---but I paid little so as long as I get the first day to work, I am satisfied (sort of an '83 Cockburn adaptation).

Ahhh... That's unfortunate!

You are right... in general, it is consistently marvelous!

[Moses Botbol]

2003 Quevedo LBV. Just had a pop and pour glass last night. The spirit is so smooth & high quality; it's almost like another kind of wine! Looking forward to really getting into the bottle tonight.

[Thomas V]

A 1983 Wiese & Krohn I quaffed over a week myself. Fresh 2019 bottling and superb.

Last week a 1980 Gould Campbell with friends. Was gone in a whiff and was drinking very nicely.

Right now the last glass of 2015 Niepoort LBV. My go to ruby style cellar defender. Lush and fresh as always.

I just picked up a ‘15 Niepoort LBV. Can’t wait to crack it now.

Just 1? I buy no less than 6 at at time They are around 17$ here in EU.

[Andy Velebil]

A 1983 Wiese & Krohn I quaffed over a week myself. Fresh 2019 bottling and superb.

Last week a 1980 Gould Campbell with friends. Was gone in a whiff and was drinking very nicely.

Right now the last glass of 2015 Niepoort LBV. My go to ruby style cellar defender. Lush and fresh as always.

I just picked up a ‘15 Niepoort LBV. Can’t wait to crack it now.

Just 1? I buy no less than 6 at at time They are around 17$ here in EU.

They're a little more here. Probably should have, but I'm trying to drink down the cellar a little.

[Mike J. W.]

I just picked up a ‘15 Niepoort LBV. Can’t wait to crack it now.

Just 1? I buy no less than 6 at at time They are around 17$ here in EU.

They're a little more here. Probably should have, but I'm trying to drink down the cellar a little.

I'm not sure I understand this concept.

[Andy Velebil]

They're a little more here. Probably should have, but I'm trying to drink down the cellar a little.

I'm not sure I understand this concept.

Based on a net increase, neither do I

[Eric Menchen]

Based on a net increase, neither do I

It's really about making room for more.

[Glenn E.]

They're a little more here. Probably should have, but I'm trying to drink down the cellar a little.

I'm not sure I understand this concept.

Based on a net increase, neither do I

I think you left out a word. You meant to say "I'm trying to drink down in the cellar a little," right?

[Mike J. W.]

2015 Sandeman LBV. My first taste immediately after decanting showed a slightly sharp and very tannic wine. This will need several hours in the decanter before it's ready. I suspect a 24 hour decant will be even better.