For The Love Of Port

Al B. wrote:My current favourite LBV is the Croft 2004 sold in the UK in half bottles. It's my favourite because I enthusiasticlly bought lots when the price was slashed

I also suffered from acute enthusiasm on this one and bought around 200 half bottles over a two year period at between £3 and £4 each. It is excellent. Unfortunately I only have 100 left

I have been holding one old LBV for some time now and I think I will bring it to Portugal, to share it with friends over there. It has been sitting in my cellar for years and I never seem to open it here at home. No reason besides, there's usually other things that catch my eye. I don't often get to drink LBV's at more than 25 years of age.

Roy Hersh wrote:I have been holding one old LBV for some time now and I think I will bring it to Portugal, to share it with friends over there. It has been sitting in my cellar for years and I never seem to open it here at home. No reason besides, there's usually other things that catch my eye. I don't often get to drink LBV's at more than 25 years of age.

So don't be coy - what is it?

Incidentally, when you're in Regua Castas e Pratos had some 1987 Badias LBV last time I was there. That was pretty decent port.

2007 Fonseca LBV.

Roy Hersh wrote:2007 Fonseca LBV.

I assume you tried this on the current trip?

Yes sir. But I mistakenly put in 2007 Fonseca, although we did have that at Panascal. The oldie, was a 1982 Porto Valriz LBV.

Roy Hersh wrote:Yes sir. But I mistakenly put in 2007 Fonseca, although we did have that at Panascal. The oldie, was a 1982 Porto Valriz LBV.

Not a Port one sees often, how did it show?

Here is my TN on that Port, which will be in the newsletter later this week:

1982 Porto Valriz LBV Port – Bottled in 1988. Purchased at Vinologia circa 2005, this was produced by Quinta da Costa Lagar das Giestas Negras which was established in 1900 in Galafura, near Regua, not far from Quinta do Vallado. Light strawberry notes, gentle VA, herbs and spearmint show signs of maturity. Light to medium bodied with loads of heat in the mid-palate and finish, the fruit is obviously starting to recede. Soft, actually delicate texturally, the aguardente protrudes and overshadows the sweet and fully mature if not “past-prime-time” light red berry fruit. The finish was long and filled with chocolate covered cherry flavors and quite a shot of heat. ~ 84 points ~ 6/1/12

Derek T. wrote:Warre (Bottle Matured) 1995 LBV. Excellent wine.

I love this LBV. Sadly, I have one lonely bottle of it remaining. And I'm waiting to open it with the Smith Woodhouse 95 LBV that sits on the rack beside it. They are a "both or neither" deal at this point and I have not had the opportunity or occasion to open two bottles of Port as of late.

The 1995 Smith Woodhouse is a really stellar bottling and one of my favorites of the post-1994 LBV's, several of which are still incredible today. Smith Woodhouse LBV's are so consistent, that pretty much anytime I see them at a reasonable price, regardless of the vintage ... I buy whatever I can afford.

1992 Smith Woodhouse LBV consistant very nice aging well. I can't agree with the cellar tracker 84 average but rated by just one person. I give it 90 solid points.

Taylors 03 LBV here in half-bottles, is it worth buying a few?? Thanks.

Bob Parsons Alberta wrote:Taylors 03 LBV here in half-bottles, is it worth buying a few?? Thanks.

Really liked this LBV. I only wished I would have bought more as a "house Port"

Bob Parsons Alberta wrote:Taylors 03 LBV here in half-bottles, is it worth buying a few?? Thanks.

Taylor's really scored a hit with their 2003 LBV. It is one of their best.

Al B. wrote:Incidentally, when you're in Regua Castas e Pratos had some 1987 Badias LBV last time I was there. That was pretty decent port.

I bought quite a few of those @ 5 euro per bottle years ago at the quinta. A great bargain even though they were already moving to tawny back then, which I think was about 9-10 years ago. It would be fun to see how it tastes now.

Ronald Wortel wrote:

Al B. wrote:Incidentally, when you're in Regua Castas e Pratos had some 1987 Badias LBV last time I was there. That was pretty decent port.

I bought quite a few of those @ 5 euro per bottle years ago at the quinta. A great bargain even though they were already moving to tawny back then, which I think was about 9-10 years ago. It would be fun to see how it tastes now.

A great bargain for sure. It was past its best when we had it, and a little hot IIRC, yet still very drinkable. It was also just popped-and-poured at Castas e Pratos when Alex saw it and made the executive decision we had to get it and drink it to prepare for later

I've not had much experience with LBV's neither old nor young.

My current favorite however, without ever having had it from bottle yet, is without a doubt the Quevedo LBV 2008. What a great and magnificent fruit driven port!
I tasted this one (among others) at the Quevedo winery this summer the day before it was to be bottled.
Of course I returned to pick up a couple of bottles, but I haven't opened a bottle yet in order to give the wine some time to come to ease and settle in bottle (I talked about this with Oscar and he gave me the advise to wait about 6 months before starting on the bottles).

To break my "Port fast" in September ... on Friday night, I'll be opening a 1984 Smith Woodhouse LBV for friends in Porto. It has been a couple of years since the last time I've tried this Port and it was darn good the last time. Looking forward to drinking some Port again ... FINALLY!