October VT - Write a TN on the best Port you've had this mon

[Roy Hersh]

Frederick is very busy at work and did not get a chance to pick a theme this month. Although it is late in the game, we should not lose out on progress, so I will make a very easy theme for this month:

Write a TN on the best Port you've enjoyed this month.

Thanks,

Roy

[Erik Wiechers]

Wanted to try this bottle now and monitor its progress in the years to come.

Opened it last saturday at 1 PM. Let it breathe for 7 hours in the decanter.
First thing i smelled when opening the bottle was the abundance of red fruit. Sweet smell. Its colour was not pitch-black anymore. Tearing was good. Some sediment already in the bottle.

Quite sweet. Bold and intense taste. Lots of red fruit as i expected. Multi-layered, a middle weight that seems to balance power and elegance. Lingering finish. Can be drunk with pleasure now but will be so good in 7+ years. Also hints of smoked wood and earth. I have a doubt this will be a wine for the long term. Will taste it again in 3 years i think and see how it developed then. I missed the tannins at this point, it was smooth and creamy. Unlike the other youngster i tasted (2004 Javali) which had loads of tannins.
But a excellent wine at this stage. 94 points.

[Roy Hersh]

Hi Eric,

Outstanding note! A nice mix of descriptors and also some astute observations, although I come to a different conclusion. You are absolutely right that there is a certain lacking of tannins at this point in the 2003, although I assure you they do present themselves, just well disguised by the mask of dominating berry juice. When younger, the tannins were anything but shy. I think the '03 will age well, and have typically scored it higher. But I know others who agree with your view of this Port, too!

Jose Antonio Mendes at Javali makes some "progressive" Ports with fine Unfiltered LBVs that can pass as VP when young and have nice grip. He recently made his first VP (2004) which was quite approachable from day one. This is a producer to keep your eye on, even though they currently only have about 10 hectares planted. I'd be suprised if they don't develop more land and slowly grow their business, especially if they can move into the UK and No. America.

[Roy Hersh]

I was in the mood for a Port while working on the newsletter earlier this evening. I happened to grab a half bottle this afternoon and decanted it at 1 p.m. and did not get around to consuming it until about 7 p.m. It was a 2000 Kopke VP.

Dark and inky crimson color. Fresh floral note with lilac and plum dominating but a hint of herbs/mint as well. Medium bodied and on the sweeter side of the spectrum with tell-tale plum and blackberry flavors typifying this VP. I am glad I bought these in half bottles as I don't see this going for the long haul, with a solid but mild mannered structure and a finish of good length and clean, wild berry aftertaste. 90 points.

I left a few ounces to see if it morphs at all the second day.

[Erik Wiechers]

Its nice to see a Kopke 2000 VP. I recently bought some half bottles of it. Looks like i made a good deal.

[Frederick Blais]

Not much Port for me this month. Though I had a craving the other day with some chocolate and decided to open Graham's Malvedos 1998.

Upon opening, it was shut, lean and acidic. This was exactly the memory I had of this wine, the last time I had it. As the night moved on, it gained air time and it really came out of its shell in a nice way displaying ripe plums, cherries and licorice flavours, very sweet. The palate did gain in weight, becoming sweet and viscous like Graham's can usually be, quite expressive, load of licorice, good length. Actually I was surprised and did like it. I did close the bottle and revisited it the next 2 days... It was falling apart. I was shocked. I rarely see a VP falling apart in such a way within less than 24 hours after I did open it. It came back to a thin, oxidized field berries flavours, lots of alcohol showing, dry figs... It took almost 20 years in one day. I'd score this 16.5/20 at the peak of joy I had with it but probably less for technical score.

[Al B.]

On the last day of October, I was lucky enough to attend a complete vertical of Vesuvio's vintages from 1989 through to the 2006. It was one of the wines of this tasting which was the best port I tasted in October - and one of the 3 best ports I tasted in the whole of 2008. This is the tasting note I took at the time.

Vesuvio 2003
Opaque, dark rim and a pink glass. Floral blueberries, spicy and peppery over the top. So balanced on entry, dominated by fruit before the tannins grab attention. Lots of work and aeration will make the tannisn fall back a little to leave a lovely and complex wine with such elegant acidity. The aftertaste starts with a bubble gum tannin finish that shows dried cherries for a very long time. This is an amazing wine, extremely impressive. 96/100. Tasted 30 October 2008.

[David Spriggs]

It was one of the wines of this tasting which was the best port I tasted in October - and one of the 3 best ports I tasted in the whole of 2008.

Which Port was this??

[Al B.]

It was one of the wines of this tasting which was the best port I tasted in October - and one of the 3 best ports I tasted in the whole of 2008.

Which Port was this??

That was embarrasing - note now improved slightly.

[Andy Velebil]

DOH!!! I was just trying to figure out the wine too till I saw Dave's post. Thanks.