How do you know a Port is "great"???

[Todd Pettinger]

I'm sitting here in my pyjamas in front of the computer, trying to ignore the fact that I may soon be out of a job as a re-org/merger of business units within my company will see a lot of redundant positions reduced, and doing so with over half a bottle of my favourite LBV of late, the Noval 2001 LBV.

I think this is wonderful stuff, balanced, fruity, yet with sufficient tannic backbone to last a few more years. It has great acidity (not too much for me), a chocolate undertone. In short: awesome.

That is my assessment of it, YMMV as Roy always says. But my question spawns from my love of this specific bottling: What (to you) makes you know you are trying a truly great wine?

[Lars F]

Hi

For me it's the first impression which is the most important. If I'm immediately swept off my feet and impressed by the wine, then it's great. Wines which I have to 'think' about more and spend more time getting to like, may be very good, but seldom advance to 'great'.

-Lars

[Derek T.]

I think for me it's when I taste a mature wine that is perfectly balanced with no one attribute dominating the others and has so many layers of taste that you can't decide what to say in a TN.

I do find it difficult to identify this with young Ports as the brutality of the raw fruit and tannin that will make it last decades is something I find hard to "see" through.

[Moses Botbol]

I think for me it's when I taste a mature wine that is perfectly balanced with no one attribute dominating the others and has so many layers of taste that you can't decide what to say in a TN.

I do find it difficult to identify this with young Ports as the brutality of the raw fruit and tannin that will make it last decades is something I find hard to "see" through.

Sounds about spot on. I like a balanced port, bu if one thing was to dominate, it should be the sweetness, second by fruit.

[Moses Botbol]

"How do you know a Port is "great"???"

When the port is free the glass is never empty...

[Andy Velebil]

Its a combination of things for me. Color extraction, tannins, acidity, fruit, structure, texture, body weight and experience. Its hard to explain but when you have say a 1994 Taylors next to a 1994 Sandeman you'll see the difference right away.

[Andy Velebil]

also one of the first things I look at when evaluating any wine is its acidity. It's needed for long term survival and is something that will never increase once the grapes are picked. Its either there from the start or it isn't. The 2001 and 2003 Yquem are a great example. The 2001 has the acidity backbone, but the 03 doesn't. When you taste them side by side it becomes painfully clear which will be a much longer lived wine. A lot of people tend to forget about this when evaluating young VP's, as it can be a little harder to pick out due to the huge tannins and thick overbearing fruit.