What have you opened this week?

[Mike J. W.]

1994 Croft VP. Fine sediment on the decant. A little cloudy even though it's been stood up for about 3 weeks. It smells amazing. Tasting note will follow.

[Glenn E.]

Stefano's birthday somehow reminded me that I had a box of Kopke halves in my Port room. It was buried and had been for years, but this reminder prompted me to go dig it out since the bottles are getting old. They all date back to when Stefano worked for Kopke's importer in Seattle.

I opened the 20 Year Old White Port, bottled 2014, and it's still delicious!

I now have a queue containing a 30 YO White, and these tawnies: 2 x 1983, 2 x 1964, a 1955, a 1944, a 1941, and a 1940. Bottling dates range from 2010 to 2014. One of them might have been 2009.

[Mike J. W.]

Stefano's birthday somehow reminded me that I had a box of Kopke halves in my Port room. It was buried and had been for years, but this reminder prompted me to go dig it out since the bottles are getting old. They all date back to when Stefano worked for Kopke's importer in Seattle.

I opened the 20 Year Old White Port, bottled 2014, and it's still delicious!

I now have a queue containing a 30 YO White, and these tawnies: 2 x 1983, 2 x 1964, a 1955, a 1944, a 1941, and a 1940. Bottling dates range from 2010 to 2014. One of them might have been 2009.

Tasting party at Glenn's. Who's in?

[Andy Velebil]

Stefano's birthday somehow reminded me that I had a box of Kopke halves in my Port room. It was buried and had been for years, but this reminder prompted me to go dig it out since the bottles are getting old. They all date back to when Stefano worked for Kopke's importer in Seattle.

I opened the 20 Year Old White Port, bottled 2014, and it's still delicious!

I now have a queue containing a 30 YO White, and these tawnies: 2 x 1983, 2 x 1964, a 1955, a 1944, a 1941, and a 1940. Bottling dates range from 2010 to 2014. One of them might have been 2009.

Tasting party at Glenn's. Who's in?

*raises hand*

[Andy Velebil]

Stefano's birthday somehow reminded me that I had a box of Kopke halves in my Port room. It was buried and had been for years, but this reminder prompted me to go dig it out since the bottles are getting old. They all date back to when Stefano worked for Kopke's importer in Seattle.

I opened the 20 Year Old White Port, bottled 2014, and it's still delicious!

I now have a queue containing a 30 YO White, and these tawnies: 2 x 1983, 2 x 1964, a 1955, a 1944, a 1941, and a 1940. Bottling dates range from 2010 to 2014. One of them might have been 2009.

Yeah, time to crack those babies for sure. Can’t believe you still have them from back then.

[Glenn E.]

Yeah, time to crack those babies for sure. Can’t believe you still have them from back then.

I "lost" the box or I'm sure I'd have drunk them long ago!

The 20YO White is still in fine shape, so I'm optimistic about the others as well. Plus they're all Kopke, and I've found that Kopke can usually handle 8 years without any trouble. These are pushing the limit even for Kopke because they're mostly from 2010-2014 (and they're halves), but I'm looking forward to drinking them over the summer!

[Eric Menchen]

2003 Fonseca, in a 375 ml bottle
I decanted this and it sat out on the counter at a dinner, and got too warm. I enjoyed it, but I liked the 2003 Croft from 375 a few weeks ago more.

[Al B.]

Half bottles seem to be in fashion at the moment. Over the last week or two I’ve opened half bottles of Croft 2004 LBV (corked!), Quinta do Noval 2011 (I filled a half bottle with what was left over from bottles we opened Christmas 2013), Gould Campbell 1963 and Dow 1947.

There was also a bottle of Kopke 1989 VP opened last week - I’ve never had that before. It was a comforting mature VP.

[Mike J. W.]

Half bottles seem to be in fashion at the moment. Over the last week or two I’ve opened half bottles of Croft 2004 LBV (corked!), Quinta do Noval 2011 (I filled a half bottle with what was left over from bottles we opened Christmas 2013), Gould Campbell 1963 and Dow 1947.

There was also a bottle of Kopke 1989 VP opened last week - I’ve never had that before. It was a comforting mature VP.

Alex. How was the '63 Gould Campbell? I have 4 bottles of it in the cellar. I opened one for Christmas back in 2022, but it was average. Hopefully that was an off bottle.

[A.S. Demka]

Vieira de Sousa Colheita 2003. Dark gold. Lots of coffee and plums. Intensive, long lasting aftertaste.

[Andy Velebil]

1992 Smith Woodhouse LBV. Quick note. Still quite dark for an LBV. Resolved tannins. Though the fruit wasn’t quite peaked yet. Overall, in a great spot to enjoy. I don’t see too much upside potential from here though it will continue to age and be fine.

[Al B.]

Half bottles seem to be in fashion at the moment. Over the last week or two I’ve opened half bottles of Croft 2004 LBV (corked!), Quinta do Noval 2011 (I filled a half bottle with what was left over from bottles we opened Christmas 2013), Gould Campbell 1963 and Dow 1947.

There was also a bottle of Kopke 1989 VP opened last week - I’ve never had that before. It was a comforting mature VP.

Alex. How was the '63 Gould Campbell? I have 4 bottles of it in the cellar. I opened one for Christmas back in 2022, but it was average. Hopefully that was an off bottle.

I have drunk a fair amount of Gould Campbell ‘63 and it’s always been a very impressive Port, even from half bottle, and last week’s half bottle was no exception. Good bottles stored well should certainly be better than average.

[A.S. Demka]

Quevedo reserve lagrima white. Normally nice in a mix with tonic and mint or prosecco on a warm, sunny afternoon. This time as an alternative for a sauternes or monbazillac to accompany our goose liver/foie gras. A delightful combination!

[Glenn E.]

1955 Kopke Colheita 375ml, bottled 2015

Another bottle from the recently rediscovered case of halves. This one is also in great shape, so I'm thinking that the time in bottle hasn't hurt this mixed case.

Note that these have also only been stored at room temperature for ~10 years, not in a cellar. The room is air conditioned and so is probably pretty stable at 65ish through the winter and 70ish through the summer, but that's still warmer than conventional wisdom. But it doesn't seem to have affected these bottles.

65-68 is similar to parts of the big cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia, though. They're not as cool throughout as people think they are.