How to "taste" port

[Tim Swaback]

As a new port drinker, and wine drinker in general for that matter, does anyone have any suggestions for figuring out the correct way to taste a port. Should I swish it around, just do a natural drink, shake my head from side to side while hopping on one foot, etc? Any pointers would be welcomed.

Tim

[Espen S.]

You have to look VERY serious when you taste it, that's crucial.

[Eric Ifune]

I think Port should be tasted as one would do with any other fine wine. Now there's a difference between tasting and drinking. Tasting is applying all the senses to evaluate a wine. Drinking is enjoying it, and overlooking any possible flaws.
The basic look, swirl, smell, sip, and then evaluate finish is how I taste.

[Eric Menchen]

+1

To build on what Eric Ifune said, I regularly swirl it around to take in the aromas. If I like them, I keep swirling. If I find the aroma too hot or otherwise flawed, I quit swirling and just drink.

[Roy Hersh]

I highly suggest you invest in the very inexpensive soft covered book by Jancis Robinson that is called: HOW TO TASTE. It is a brilliant work and will teach you everything you ever wanted to know about tasting any kind of wine. It will even help those who think they know it all.

[Tim Swaback]

I appreciate the suggestion for the book but I don't really think that that is what I'm after. To me the #1 factor in choosing a port I like is if I (with a capitol i) like it, not what others say I should like. I am just curious what other peoples method is for making the "tasting notes".

I guess what I'm saying is that I'm not looking for the in depth exploration of how to "taste" wine, rather a simple breakdown of procedure and maybe a few definitions of the common terminology.

Medium/full body
Tannins
mid pallet
etc

[Eric Menchen]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wine_tasting ?
You can google some of the specific terms as well. As for what makes medium or full body, I think you just might have to try some and look at other notes. I'll suggest that medium body for Port is not the same as medium body for regular wine, but this perhaps is a subject for debate.

[Glenn E.]

I am just curious what other peoples method is for making the "tasting notes".

I haven't been doing it very long, so I'm still experimenting. In order to get as much down as possible, I break my tasting into 4 segments.

First, color. Unless I'm really trying hard to examine some Port, I usually just note what shade of red (or purple) it is and if the color changes near the rim of the glass. I'll also note whether the Port is completely clear or a little bit cloudy.

Second, nose. I like to write down the first thing I think of when I take a sniff, though that often isn't present later. Sometimes all I get is "smells like Port!" Sometimes I get a flower or a fruit. Older Ports can sometimes make me think of leather. But whatever it is, I write it down. Then I go through and try to pull out various berries... I start with a mental list of darker berries like blackberries, blueberries, and black currants and run through them while smelling the Port. Then I try more purple berries like boysenberry, mulberry, marionberry, and then finally move on to red berries like cherries, red raspberries, strawberries, etc. I also note if there is any predominant alcohol smell - medicinal, aromatic, or just plain ol' vodka - and check for VA.

Third, palate. As with the smell, I like to write down the first thing I think of. It helps me switch gears and frequently surprises me. Then I do the same thing I did with the smells - run through a bunch of different berries and see if any of them sound right. In the mouth you'll also want to check the tannins (how dry do your cheeks and tongue feel?) and the acidity (how much does it make your mouth water, especially under your tongue?) along with the sweetness and body weight. All Port is sweet compared to wine, so that's kind of relative. Dow and Sandeman tend toward the dryer end for Port, while Graham tends toward the sweeter end. Body weight is how thick it feels in your mouth - a really old Colheita that is almost syrupy is an example of a very full body. A light white wine is an example of a very light body. For me, Port usually starts no lighter than a sweeter Riesling and gets heavier from there.

Last, the finish. After you swallow you'll get a whole different set of flavors that will slowly fade away in your mouth. This typically lasts 10-30 seconds, but for a really epic VP or Colheita it can last minutes. I tend to find that most red Ports tail off with a last flavor of sour apples (like a Granny Smith), grape skin, or grape stem. Grape stem isn't very pleasant to me and will generally cost the Port a point or two. Apples bode well and will generally earn the Port a point or two.

There are a gazillion things you could theoretically check for while tasting... this is all just off the top of my head so I'm sure I'm missing something important. Mostly, though, you just want to note things that will help you remember the Port in the future so that you can mentally compare it to another one!

[Roy Hersh]

Tim,

The book I suggested doesn't tell you what to buy, it teaches the reader how to taste and how to be a better evaluator of the organoleptic characteristics that make up a wine. So nobody is trying to tell you or anybody else what you should be drinking or buying; just how folks reading this thread can learn to better evaluate wine, which speaks to EXACTLY your question.

If you look in old threads in Port Basics, this topic is not new and there are very definitive descriptions of what to look for and some of that was mentioned again here in this thread by participants who like you, asked the same question at one time.

[Sebastian T]

Roy,

I'm interested in that book. I read a few "preview-pages" on amazon, seems really good.
I found the book and was going to order it, before I saw another version of it.
Different publishing house, plus one more author, and a slightly different title. Otherwise it seemed to be the same.
Which one is it you recomend?

http://www.adlibris.com/se/product.aspx?isbn=184091520X
http://www.adlibris.com/se/product.aspx?isbn=1416596658

And Glenn,
Thank you for telling us how you do it. Gave me several new ideas :)

[Dylan Howard]

I ordered the second of the two. Was from several years later and says "completely revised and updated." Hope it was the right one. Thanks for the suggestion Roy!

dylan

[Sebastian T]

Thanks Dylan,
That sounds like the right one, the one I shall order

[Dylan Howard]

You're welcome Sebastian. I'm excited about it!

dylan

[Moses Botbol]

Tim,

The book I suggested doesn't tell you what to buy, it teaches the reader how to taste and how to be a better evaluator of the organoleptic characteristics that make up a wine. So nobody is trying to tell you or anybody else what you should be drinking or buying; just how folks reading this thread can learn to better evaluate wine, which speaks to EXACTLY your question.

I too thought that book was the exact answer to his question as well.

[Michael Hann]

Tim: Possibly you are asking how to drink Port so it shows at its best and so you get the most from your drinking pleasure. If this is the nature of your question, there are two components of the answer -- how to prepare the Port for drinking and then how to drink it.

Depending on the Port you are drinking, you may want to (1) stand the Port upright for two days to a week to allow sediment to settle to the bottom of the bottle, (2) open the Port without excessively shaking or otherwise disturbing the bottle, (3) gently pour the Port into an adequately sized vessel, stopping while the last 2 -- 4 ounces remain in the bottle, (4) leave the Port standing open to the air (some recommend a covering of a paper towel or other breathable fabric to exclude fruit flies) for an effective period of time, (5) possibly cool the Port to a European room temperature of 65 degrees, 62 degrees, 60 degrees, and (6) pour into an adequately sized wine glass -- not a thimble, not one of those dainty glasses used by powdered and primped little old ladies for serving liquors (I have suffered this experience), a regular tulip style wine glass. Vintage Ports throw a very thick and distinct crust. You definitely want to decant these. Unfiltered late bottled vintage Ports (label will explicitly state "Late Bottled Vintage" as well as "Unfiltered") commonly throw some sediment to a varying degree. You probably ought to decant these, too. Filtered late bottle vintage Port and other Ports -- Reserve Ruby, Ruby, Tawny, Ten Year Old Tawny, Twenty Year Old Tawny, etc. -- need not be decanted. Decanting Port, however, promotes breathing of the Port and can enhance flavor in its own right, notwithstanding the absence of sediment.

Tasting and enjoying the Port can take any form you prefer. I myself like to suck in some air while the Port circulates on my tongue. I also like to direct the Port to different areas of my tongue, as different flavor aspects of the Port are emphasized at different spots on my tongue. I may not do this with every sip. I experiment with each different Port to find what most enhances my enjoyment of the Port. I often have Port with other selected foods to enhance the flavor. With late bottled vintage Ports I often find that Calmyrna Figs and Walnuts can enhance my enjoyment. Sometimes when drinking Reserve Ruby Ports I find that a good -- not acrid -- Stilton cheese can enhance my enjoyment. With very high quality Ports -- which, regrettably, I have not had many opportunities to enjoy in my short sojourn in the world of Port drinking -- I often find that any of these foods are a distraction and reduce my enjoyment of the Port. So, try these different things and see what works with the different styles of Port.

[Dylan Howard]

Just received "Hot to Taste Wine" in the mail. Can't wait to get started! Thanks again Roy!

dylan

[Glenn E.]

Just received "Hot to Taste Wine" in the mail.

Is that a Vivid video or a book?

[Dylan Howard]

Oops. Quite a typo.

[goncalo devesas]

The basic is using a 250/200ml glass and pouring about 100/50ml;

» look for clarity and brightness;
» it´s easier to immerse your nose in a Bourdeaux glass (tulip shape) in the remaining room space;
» after just smell it without making the whirlpool, because like this you´ll be able to pick up the volatile aromatics, then swirl it to enhance the stronger aromas.(fruity/mineral/vegetal/floral/spicy character);
» the first sip always with a nice quantity, to ventilate and release the flavors (fruity/mineral/vegetal/floral/spicy character)and to define the thickness, the viscosity, acidity, adstrigency... after swallow it and start to define the aftertaste duration by counting the seconds that you fell it in mouth...