What have you opened this week?

[John M.]

Eclectic Mix of VPs tonight for informal tasting...

1992 Taylor
1975 Taylor
1985 Sandeman
1986 Grahams Malvedos
1994 Castelinho
2003 Roriz
2003 Ferreira

[Miguel Simoes]

Was that by order of preference? If you had to, how would they sort?

[John M.]

Miguel Asked...

Was that by order of preference? If you had to, how would they sort?

Before the night began I would have said the Taylor 1992, then the Malvedos and I would think the 2003 Roriz & Ferreira would do well if not in the "teenage years". Thought the Castelinho would be the dregs.

WOTN by a hair was the 1992 Taylor (needs more time in the bottle to age) with the 2003s right behind (the gents like the young ones). My WOTN was the Malvedos. The Sandeman was the lowest rated collectively.

[Glenn E.]

the 1992 Taylor (needs more time in the bottle to age)

Nominated for understatement of the year.

[Miguel Simoes]

1983 Graham's VP

Decanted a day ahead of time. Had a few sips right after opening and 4-5 hours later and it wasn't quite itself yet. Tasted it the following morning and it was showing really well. The spirit had largely vanished, the wine had a little acidity that balanced the sweetness really well. Poured it back into the bottle and shared w friends later in the day, everyone seemed to love it.

This was the second bottle of it that I had and enjoyed both!

[Peter W. Meek]

1977 Taylor-Fladgate VP

Thought I'd try something different than the usual (Ferreira 20) for Monday Night At The Movies. I have opened, filtered, and decanted a 1977 Taylor. (Not much loose sediment, but a LOT stuck in the bottle - I brought it carefully up from the cellar and let it stand for a day.) Filtering through a single quarter-folded coffee filter. Cork was wet all the way to the top, and there was one tiny leakage mark on the underside of the selo.


About 9 hours before we expect to drink it. A pop-n-pour seemed intense, but a bit one-note. I'm hoping it will open up in the wide-base decanter.



Three hours later: opening up a bit, but still not as complex as I would expect. If there is any left by 9:30, I will report on how they like it.

Next morning: We all had some at around 10PM (with peanuts, pistachios, wasabi almonds). All agreed that it was intense and interesting, but it has not made the transition to "tawny-like" that we were hoping for. I will wait another 5 or 10 years to open my last bottle. Poured the remainder back into the rinsed bottle and stored it at a cool room temperature; I will see how it develops over the next few days. We are all tawny fans, so perhaps we are not appreciating this port properly.

[Miguel Simoes]

1977 Taylor-Fladgate VP

That looks wonderful!

Certainly beats the 2007 Fonseca LBV that I decanted last night for sharing w friends tonight. When I opened it it seemed too spirity but already showed some great fruit and a full body.

Poured it back into the bottle this morning and had a whiff that wasnt so great. It should be showing great tonight, but that whiff got me concerned!

I too will report later on on how it all worked out :)

[Eric Menchen]

2003 Quevedo LBV. Decanted for about 4 hours the first night and very tasty. Back into the bottle (rinsed of quite a bit of sediment), and even better the second night.

[Miguel Simoes]

The 2007 Fonseca LBV was really good. Full bodied, lush w fruit, the alcohol integrated v well. Left off feeling that if I had served it a bit colder the wine might have benefited. Not that there was alcohol in need of being hidden, but since so full bodied, colder it would have come across more streamlined.

A bargain at $20. Will be buying more of it.

Reminded me of the 2007 Grahams VP I had a few months back, though not quite a fruit bomb of the same caliber.

[Andy Velebil]

1977 Taylor-Fladgate VP

Thought I'd try something different than the usual (Ferreira 20) for Monday Night At The Movies. I have opened, filtered, and decanted a 1977 Taylor. (Not much loose sediment, but a LOT stuck in the bottle - I brought it carefully up from the cellar and let it stand for a day.) Filtering through a single quarter-folded coffee filter. Cork was wet all the way to the top, and there was one tiny leakage mark on the underside of the selo.


About 9 hours before we expect to drink it. A pop-n-pour seemed intense, but a bit one-note. I'm hoping it will open up in the wide-base decanter.



Three hours later: opening up a bit, but still not as complex as I would expect. If there is any left by 9:30, I will report on how they like it.

Next morning: We all had some at around 10PM (with peanuts, pistachios, wasabi almonds). All agreed that it was intense and interesting, but it has not made the transition to "tawny-like" that we were hoping for. I will wait another 5 or 10 years to open my last bottle. Poured the remainder back into the rinsed bottle and stored it at a cool room temperature; I will see how it develops over the next few days. We are all tawny fans, so perhaps we are not appreciating this port properly.

WHOOOAAAA there, Peter's drinking VP and not Nimrod or some other Tawny. You feeling ok?

[Peter W. Meek]

1977 Taylor-Fladgate VP

WHOOOAAAA there, Peter's drinking VP and not Nimrod or some other Tawny. You feeling ok?

Yeah, yeah, laugh all you like - at least I tried it.

Seriously, if you look at my cellar at cellartracker.com ( user pwm ) you will see that I actually have some VPs (and LBVs and Colheitas) and I have to figure out how I am going to deal with those bottles.

Before anyone says "Send them to me" let me assure you all that I would be more than happy to open a bottle (or two) with anyone who happens to be cruising through SE Michigan. As Roy can tell you, I have plenty of decanters and port glasses, and a good local restaurant where we can stoke up before getting down to some serious port drinking. I even have one last bottle of Nimrod that I would be willing to sacrifice in a good cause.

EDIT:

BTW, I will be celebrating my 70th birthday on Saturday, July 6th this summer. You are all invited. Just let me know how many to expect. (We typically go through in excess of 50 bottles of wine (68 is the record), so be prepared. I have an 18 liter bottle waiting to be tapped.)

EDIT 2:

The longer the air sits on this, the better I like it. At 35 hours open, I'm actually beginning to like it. Too bad there is only about a quarter of the bottle left.

[Glenn E.]

The longer the air sits on this, the better I like it. At 35 hours open, I'm actually beginning to like it. Too bad there is only about a quarter of the bottle left.

I'd have probably guessed 24-36 hours, so you're only on the high side of what I'd consider normal for a T77. About the same for a T70, too. They're beasts.

[David Spriggs]

Ferreira "Duque de Bragança" 20-year-old Tawny Port. Nice wine!

[Miguel Simoes]

Ferreira "Duque de Bragança" 20-year-old Tawny Port. Nice wine!

How have you found it?

Noticed the great reviews that Roy and others have posted and been meaning to get some... wondering if the quality has come down at all over the years.

[Al B.]

A bottle of Malvedos 1986 - amazingly backward and youthful, and very tasty.

[Peter W. Meek]

Ferreira "Duque de Bragança" 20-year-old Tawny Port. Nice wine!

How have you found it?

Noticed the great reviews that Roy and others have posted and been meaning to get some... wondering if the quality has come down at all over the years.

Not that I can tell, although it seems quite variable. One case will seem "hotter" than another. Even bottle to bottle variations in flavors and aromas. (All good, but different.) The really superb thing about Ferreira 20 is the length of time that a bottle will remain good after opening. Some tawnies begin to decline within days after opening. The Ferreira seems to actually improve over the first few days, then plateau for several weeks before beginning a slow decline. Excellent choice for those who like a single glass each evening.

Combined (home and Gang of Port) we go through about a bottle and a half of Ferreira 20 per week. We drink it almost every Monday, Wednesday, and Sunday evening with or without friends. I generally buy a case or two at a time (depending on the current price which can vary from just over $50 to the mid- to high $60s). Gang of Port is basically myself and my friend Mike. We buy port by the case at our local favorite restaurant where they keep it for us behind the bar. When we want some they bring the bottle and some glasses. No measured pours, just what we feel like on that particular evening. (I usually give myself about 1/2 a standard pour, but I may have 2 or 3 after dinner.) We don't keep count, we just share the cost of the cases as we see fit. If I think I have bee drinking a lot, I may pay for 7/12; if I have not been drinking so much it might be 5/12 or 6/12. Very occasionally someone who knows about the existence of the Gang of Port will ask for the bottle, or just for a glass from the bottle. (Roy has done this at least once when he was there and I wasn't.) This is fine with us; we would expect that anyone who was interested in having a glass regularly (say oftener than every month or so) might offer to contribute occasionally. Otherwise they are welcome. We frequently get extra glasses and offer a bit to friends and acquaintances who show an interest.

We also drink port every Monday night after the weekly movie. We drink "bubbly" (Prosecco or Champagne or some other sparkling wine) during the movie.

[Moses Botbol]

Opened a 1978 Taylor Crusted. Slightly corked, but not enough to toss it. Very sweet syrupy, but otherwise kind of simple. I think that was my last bottle, in green glass.

[Miguel Simoes]

Combined (home and Gang of Port) we go through about a bottle and a half of Ferreira 20 per week. We drink it almost every Monday, Wednesday, and Sunday evening with or without friends. I generally buy a case or two at a time (depending on the current price which can vary from just over $50 to the mid- to high $60s). Gang of Port is basically myself and my friend Mike. We buy port by the case at our local favorite restaurant where they keep it for us behind the bar. When we want some they bring the bottle and some glasses. No measured pours, just what we feel like on that particular evening. (I usually give myself about 1/2 a standard pour, but I may have 2 or 3 after dinner.) We don't keep count, we just share the cost of the cases as we see fit. If I think I have bee drinking a lot, I may pay for 7/12; if I have not been drinking so much it might be 5/12 or 6/12. Very occasionally someone who knows about the existence of the Gang of Port will ask for the bottle, or just for a glass from the bottle. (Roy has done this at least once when he was there and I wasn't.) This is fine with us; we would expect that anyone who was interested in having a glass regularly (say oftener than every month or so) might offer to contribute occasionally. Otherwise they are welcome. We frequently get extra glasses and offer a bit to friends and acquaintances who show an interest.

We also drink port every Monday night after the weekly movie. We drink "bubbly" (Prosecco or Champagne or some other sparkling wine) during the movie.

Sounds like a wonderful arrangement!

Will have to get myself a bottle.
I enjoy drinking a glass or two most nights but w VP end up having to binge drink it (which i my palate is most happy to, my wallet less so).
For a glass or two a night something nicer like the Ferreira 20yr would last a while and provide plenty of bang for the buck!

[Peter W. Meek]

Finished the 1977 Taylor VP tonight. Now open 3 days 8 hours, and it was "tired". Not bad tasting but just getting a bit blah. If it had tasted like this upon original opening or after a 12 (to 36; wow) hour airing, I would have felt cheated (or at least disappointed) at the price.

In retrospect (and for my last bottle) I would open at least a day ahead, and drink within two days after the end of airing.

[Monique Heinemans.]

Fonseca 1988, one of the last bottles, I had a lot of these as it is the birthyear of my oldest son. Not overwhelming, but nicely drinking port.