Christmas 2024 - Open some 1994s?

[John SHA]

Trying to plan the Christmas/New Year's wines to open.
For Christmas dinner, I have some nice Canadian chardonnay and pinot noir.

But for after dinner the real question to the experts -
What 30 year old wine should I open?

1) 1994 Taylor Fladgate VP (have 2)
2) 1994 Warre's VP (have 2)
3) 1994 Quinta do Vesuvio (have 11)

Other options
4) 1996 Malvedos VP (have 11)
5) 2011 Dows VP (have 3)

My guests ((8 people) are NOT port drinkers but are eager to try

Or if I were to open 2 - any suggestions?

Thanks

[Mike J. W.]

John,

I would opt for the Vesuvio and the Warre's. The Vesuvio is drinking very beautifully right now and the Warre's is a nice one as well. The Taylor's is hit or miss as far as being ready. I would give both bottles at least 10 hours in the decanter if not longer.

You could swap the '96 Malvedos out for the Warre's but it won't be as nice. It'll be a nice Port but not as good as the Warre's. The 2011 Dow is a bruiser and is way too young. If you want to try it just to see what a young Port is like then by all means open it, but give it a real long decant. The Vesuvio though is definitely one of the bottles that you want to open though. Let us know how it turns out.

[Moses Botbol]

John,

I would opt for the Vesuvio and the Warre's. The Vesuvio is drinking very beautifully right now and the Warre's is a nice one as well. The Taylor's is hit or miss as far as being ready. I would give both bottles at least 10 hours in the decanter if not longer.

You could swap the '96 Malvedos out for the Warre's but it won't be as nice. It'll be a nice Port but not as good as the Warre's. The 2011 Dow is a bruiser and is way too young. If you want to try it just to see what a young Port is like then by all means open it, but give it a real long decant. The Vesuvio though is definitely one of the bottles that you want to open though. Let us know how it turns out.

I'd go for a '94 Vesuvio and '96 Malvedos as well. At least a day decant.

[Glenn E.]

Or if I were to open 2 - any suggestions?

The Taylor is very hit-or-miss as Mike said. Not in a bad way... it just seems like it's in an unsettled phase right now. Give it 5 more years and I suspect it'll be singing again.

The Warre is in a good place, so of the three 1994s you've listed that'd be my 2nd choice.

Unless...

2 x Vesuvio

[Lucas S]

Cool idea: Open the 1994 Vesuvio and then buy a 2018 Vesuvio from SaratogaWine for a quite reasonable sum of $55.

That way your guests can get a good picture of what a quarter of a century of aging looks like. The '18 is young but should sing and, the '94 is of course, lovely.

[Al B.]

I take a different view. The Vesuvio 1994 is a killer Port, but if it’s going to be drunk at a time when people are already well into the evening, it would be wasted.

Much better to pour people who are new to Port Vesuvio 1994 when their palates are fresh and you’ll likely convert them to loving the stuff.

If you’re opening Port to go after cocktails before dinner, then white wine and then red wine, go with one bottle of the Malvedos - but invite them back another time to taste the Vesuvio!

[Andy Velebil]

I take a different view. The Vesuvio 1994 is a killer Port, but if it’s going to be drunk at a time when people are already well into the evening, it would be wasted.

Much better to pour people who are new to Port Vesuvio 1994 when their palates are fresh and you’ll likely convert them to loving the stuff.

If you’re opening Port to go after cocktails before dinner, then white wine and then red wine, go with one bottle of the Malvedos - but invite them back another time to taste the Vesuvio!

I would agree with this. Nothing worse than pouring port for non (or new) port drinkers after a bunch of cocktails and wine. It tends to get lost, not appreciated and forgotten about.

I’d either skip port or open the Malvedos. Which is very nice but something that, as much as I hate to say this, could be lost on people without much regret opening.

[Mike J. W.]

Trying to plan the Christmas/New Year's wines to open.
For Christmas dinner, I have some nice Canadian chardonnay and pinot noir.

But for after dinner the real question to the experts -
What 30 year old wine should I open?

1) 1994 Taylor Fladgate VP (have 2)
2) 1994 Warre's VP (have 2)
3) 1994 Quinta do Vesuvio (have 11)

Other options
4) 1996 Malvedos VP (have 11)
5) 2011 Dows VP (have 3)

My guests ((8 people) are NOT port drinkers but are eager to try

Or if I were to open 2 - any suggestions?

Thanks

So John, what did you end up serving for Christmas and how was it received? Don't leave us hanging.

[John SHA]

Sorry for leaving you hanging.

I took the various advice above that the 1994's might be wasted after an evening of consuming too many other drinks.

I settled on the 1996 Malvedos. A less spectacular port but simpler, and more agreeable to a crowd that has already imbibed.