1994 Martinez Vintage Port

[Eric Menchen]

Decanted: Aroma was berry jammy with a hint of dried fruit, maybe fig but not real distinct:

D+3 and D+6 hours: Garnet color with a bit of brown. It seemed fairly uniform in color as I didn't notice the brown more at the edge. But I was just enjoying this with desserts and not really studying it. Nice aroma and flavor. Alcohol was nicely integrated. Slightly above average sweetness (tasted before the dessert). Seemed a bit older than a 1994--more like something from the 1980s. Not a lot of complexity, but still a pleasant surprise.

Poured back into the bottle after about 8 hours, sealed with vacu-vin, and left at room temperature. Then poured straight from the bottle at ...

D+21 hours: Still garnet with a bit of brown, but the brown is more obvious at the edges. Either it changed slightly, or I'm better able to evaluate now. Aroma is less jammy than yesterday, with some raspberry and orange, and mild alcohol detectable. MIld tannins in the mouth with some tang and hint of leather. Acid and alcohol are more obvious in the medium finish.

I bought six of these for $32 each, and I'm quite pleased. It's no 1994 Taylor or even Quinta do Vesuvio, but excellent QPR. Someone else suggested drinking these up now. I'm no expert on that, but I'm guessing these could still be good for five more years, possibly ten. As noted above, however, this did seem a little old for its age, so I'll be drinking them before most of my other 1994s.

[Andy Velebil]

Sounds like a perfect "house Port" for that price and where it's at right now.

[Eric Menchen]

Sounds like a perfect "house Port" for that price and where it's at right now.

I concur. I'm happy to drink VP for my "house Port" when I can find it at a good price. Some time soon I'll crack open one of my $20 2005 Quinta de Roriz. If it's good I'll go back and buy whatever they have left. Sadly, there's no more $32 Martinez to be found.