Further responses by James Suckling

[James Suckling]

Not sure why Roy locked me out of the guest corner...I was really busy this weekend working on my own things. Anyway, if you would like to ask more questions I am here.

I noticed this one that I skipped by accident.



Re: JAMES SUCKLING

Postby Megan B » Thu Apr 28, 2011 6:59 pm
Hello.
I am a novice port drinker, having only had 20 or so tastes in the last 2-3 years. To me, port almost always comes at the end of a meal and as/with the dessert course. I find the high alcohol challenging to pair with sometimes. Do you enjoy port paired with food, or do you make a point to always drink it alone in order to savor the nuance of the particular bottle? If you do pair it with food, what foods do you prefer with VPs and colheitas? (obviously, I'm not considering cigars food, here...


I tend to drink Port alone or with a cigar. And it's always after the meal. It's funny how a large part of the world still drinks Port as an aperitif. This all said some of the great Port moments in my life have been drking at fabulous bottle of VP in Portugal with Stilton or Quesa de la Serra.

[James Suckling]

That's really strange but I was looking back at the Guest Corner and I answer all those question on page 3 a few days ago and they didn't post. Anyway, I will try again:

Hi James,

I wanted to wait a few days to allow others to have a chance to pose their questions before taking up any of your time for one of my own questions.

In assessing young cask samples from the latest and greatest crop of Vintage Ports, what characteristics do you look for.

Also, would you please explain your regimen in tasting these cask samples? For example where do you do them, are they done blind, how many do you do at a time, how long do you spend with each sample? ... etc.

Thanks for taking your time to answer all of the great questions this week, I am sure everyone here is most appreciative.

Answer:

I usually have the sample sent to my office or I taste them in Porto at the Factory House. I taste the wines blind over a few days and I try to taste them twice -- one right away and once a day after. That's how I have always done it since I started tasting barrel samples in the 1980s.

[James Suckling]

Hey James,

Welcome to the boards and I hope your new venture is treating you well.

A couple of questions.

I see you're setting up a whole slew of tastings/events. Any plans for a proper port tasting in the works?

Also, to expand upon a previous question on what you look for in young port, what is that "wow" factor you look for that might take a port up to a the 96+ mark?

thanks in advanced, I hope you've been trying out all fo the new wine bars popping up all over Hong Kong on your asia trips.

Answer:

This is a great idea. I should really do a VP tasting. It's been too long. WOW factor...it's like falling in love just looking at a beautiful woman. You know. It goes to your heart. It's emotional. You put your nose in the glass and it tells you something. It tells you that it comes from the steep slopes of the Douro Valley with one sniff. It smells of the wet soil of the terraced hills on a damp summer's morning with undertones of the decadent Douro River and flowers on the plains above the valley. It tastes of crushed dark fruits, mostly plums, with minerals of the stony terroir. And it feels of polished, silky intense tannins and bright sweetness. It's unique, and many great Ports are etched in my mind the minute I taste them from cask from the 1994 Fonseca to the 2007 Dow.

[Roy Hersh]

James wrote:

Not sure why Roy locked me out of the guest corner...I was really busy this weekend working on my own things. Anyway, if you would like to ask more questions I am here.

Hi James,

For the record, I did not lock YOU out. After midnight, I locked the thread as I often do ... so that no last second questions are asked, that will then go unanswered, since previous Guest Corner Hosts have not come back on Monday to follow up. So the threads are locked for that reason. When you email me before 6 p.m. saying you'd be back to finish up posting, I thought that would happen on Sunday night, as that's all you had committed to.

Anyway, I appreciate you coming back here to post on the few "that got away" and I am as baffled as you that if you did hit "submit" after typing in your replies, why the posts did not show up on page three as you've mentioned. I may try to put these posts into your GCH thread.

Thanks again for your time spent on FTLOP.

[James Suckling]

Roy

Thank you and thanks to all of the forum members. I really enjoyed the chance to think about Port more and share ideas and information with all of you. I am going to try to go to Porto and the Douro this summer and taste the new vintage and some old ones. You all inspired me!

Best wishes

James

[Eric Ifune]

James,
Thanks again for participating here!