Port tasting

This forum is for discussing all things Port (as in from PORTugal) - vintages, recommendations, tasting notes, etc.

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Lars F
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Port tasting

Post by Lars F »

I'm hosting a port tasting with about 7 friends and plan to serve them about 7 different ports. My plan was to give them an introduction to the different types of quality port. The budget is about 80$ US pr person.

My tasting so far looks like this, but I'd like to have some comments.

10Y Tawny Kopke
20Y Tawny Kopke
Taylor 2001 LBV
Colheita 1992 Krohn
Colheita 1965 Krohn
VP young, not decided
VP older, not decided, but could be Graham 1985

-L
Robin L.
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Post by Robin L. »

Ifo,
Graham's '85 ans Krohn '65 are definitely sure shots. TF 2001 is great too although I prefer always unfiltered LBV's. I've never experienced tawnies from Kopke which are less common in Canada I presume.
Rob
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Andy Velebil
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Post by Andy Velebil »

Looks like that is going to be a fun tasting and a treat for your friends.

I would recommend serving the wood aged ones together and then the bottle aged ones after. Makes it easier to compare them side by side.

Both Kopke's
Both Colheita's
LBV
Old VP
Young VP

I put the young VP at the end as it is, I feel, better to show them what a VP is like with age, then the difference of when it is young and a tannin bomb.

Please be sure to let us know how it goes and what the group liked and didn't like.
Andy Velebil Good wine is a good familiar creature if it be well used. William Shakespeare http://www.fortheloveofport.com
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Al B.
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Post by Al B. »

Lars

I did a similar tastiing for some colleagues at work a few months back and ended up concentrating only on red ports as I decided that adding Tawnies and Colheitas opened things up too widely.

My tasting included Ruby (Bin 27), Young Filtered LBV (Smith Woodhouse), Older Traditional LBV (Noval), Crusted (Grahams), Young BOB Vintage (Tesco 1994), Old Mature Vintage (Cockburn 1983)

I think it is a great idea for you to include Colheitas and Tawnies but I would very much agree with Andy that you should group them together.

Perhaps its also worth including a ruby to show your guests the full prgression of port types.

Have fun, it sounds a really great tasting opportunity. Let us know how things go.

Alex
Todd Pettinger
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Post by Todd Pettinger »

This is a great idea Lars. I have been toying with the idea of a port tasting with a few friends of mine who have expressed an interest in the drink that so fascinates me, but haven't done anything about it as of yet.

Alex, I like your idea as well. Including a ruby would be a good idea to show the full spectrum of red ports.

Portonics for the welcome/reception??? ;)

Todd
Julian D. A. Wiseman
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Let me know when bottles are decided and I’ll make placemats

Post by Julian D. A. Wiseman »

Let me know when bottles are decided and I’ll make placemats.
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Roy Hersh
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Post by Roy Hersh »

Now that I think about it, I can't for the life of me think why I did not ask you (Julian) to make me some too, for a recent back-back Colheita event.
:beat: <--- Roy
Ambition driven by passion, rather than money, is as strong an elixir as is Port. http://www.fortheloveofport.com
Julian D. A. Wiseman
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Don’t be shy.

Post by Julian D. A. Wiseman »

Lars & Roy: they are easy to make, provided you tell me what you’re having and who is having it, as well as your preferred paper size (do you have US Legal, for example). Don’t be shy—just ask.
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Roy Hersh
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Post by Roy Hersh »

Thank you kindly for such a generous offer. I look forward to having a mat made for a tasting where we'll be at the same table!
Ambition driven by passion, rather than money, is as strong an elixir as is Port. http://www.fortheloveofport.com
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Lars F
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Post by Lars F »

Just wanted to let you know that the program is now finalized.

Starting off with a couple of reds.
2003 Duas Quintas, Ramos Pinto
2005 Vida Nova (Yes, Cliff Richards wine, quite good actually)

-And then to the serious stuff

Ramos Pintos LBV 2000 Unfiltered
Grahams Vintage 2003
Grahams Vintage 1985
Nieport 10 års Tawny
Nieport 20 års Tawny
Krohn Colheita 1992
Krohn Colheita 1965


I'll make a seperate post with a description of the tasting itself in about a months time.

-Lars
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Mark DaSilva
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Post by Mark DaSilva »

Todd was onto something with the portonic.

How about serving a white port before you begin? Change it up even more? Inexpensive and surprisingly refreshing.
Julian D. A. Wiseman
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Placemat coming up after my lunch, so in about 30 minutes.

Post by Julian D. A. Wiseman »

Placemat.
  • Only the ports on the placemat: is that what you want?
  • My use of Danish (“å”) might or might not be correct: please comment.
  • Names or initials of guests?
And a pestilence on the login software: I was able to reply to this only by prefixing the URL with “www.”. Ten minutes wasted.
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Andy Velebil
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Post by Andy Velebil »

LArs,

just a recommendation, but I would taste them in this order

Nieport 10 års Tawny
Nieport 20 års Tawny

Krohn Colheita 1992
Krohn Colheita 1965

Grahams Vintage 1985
Grahams Vintage 2003

Ramos Pintos LBV 2000 Unfiltered

That way you can compare the three makers side by side, and its best to start with the tawny's then move up to the big fruity and tannic VP's.
Andy Velebil Good wine is a good familiar creature if it be well used. William Shakespeare http://www.fortheloveofport.com
Julian D. A. Wiseman
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Placemat updated

Post by Julian D. A. Wiseman »

Placemat updated to top-to-bottom ordering, almost. And spelling of Niepoort!
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