I assume that you are aware that Graham's has totally revamped their Tawny Port lineup, improving the overall quality in the past year or so?
But what do they define as 'improvement' ?
If 'improvement' means wines that are so filtered that they are only good for today, and have no aging prospects, then fine, go ahead, honesty is to be applauded.
Was that your take on their improvements or just mere speculation without tasting?
I don't know what their 'improvements' entail. What i do know is that a G40yr that was only 10 years past its bottling date had completely gone to pieces, the result (I suspect) of excess filtration, as it had spent almost all of its life in my cellar
Once bitten, twice shy. Until I get a better understanding of what went wrong with that bottling, and whether or not the same scenario is going to be repeated with other recent tawny bottlings, my purchases of Symington tawnies are on hold.
OR follow the Symingtons strong recommendations on their labels to enjoy their Tawny Ports as close to the bottling date as possible.
I am surely not suggesting that 10 years later the Tawny can't show every bit as well, but it certainly WILL be different than a freshly bottled Tawny Port. Your thoughts on this dynamic, Tom?
OR follow the Symingtons strong recommendations on their labels to enjoy their Tawny Ports as close to the bottling date as possible.
I am surely not suggesting that 10 years later the Tawny can't show every bit as well, but it certainly WILL be different than a freshly bottled Tawny Port. Your thoughts on this dynamic, Tom?
Horses for courses. I have very little enthusiasm for freshly bottled tawnies. But those that were bottled with minimal filtration mellow beautifully over time and are a delight to drink.
A producer who ruins his tawnies through excess filtration is not making a product I want to buy..
I don't disagree with your last statement Tom. But there's no question the Tawnies change and mellow as they sit in bottle. I also find that the acidity empirically appears to diffuse over time, although I know that is not the scientific case. Additionally, the Tawny in bottle for a longer period of time grows much richer and loses some of its freshness ... for better or worse ... depending on personal palate preference. There's no right or wrong in this, either way.
Roy Hersh wrote:But there's no question the Tawnies change and mellow as they sit in bottle. I also find that the acidity empirically appears to diffuse over time, although I know that is not the scientific case. Additionally, the Tawny in bottle for a longer period of time grows much richer and loses some of its freshness ... for better or worse ... depending on personal palate preference. There's no right or wrong in this, either way.
I think these are all related, with the perceived diffusion of the acidity being the primary driver. As Roy said, chemically there's no loss of acidity over time, but it sure seems like it to me. That's why I like hanging onto various Tawnies for several years - they mellow out, seem to become richer and smoother, and just appeal to my palate more once they have a few years in bottle. A fresh bottle of Kopke 40-yr old is just too tart and acidic for me, but give it 5-6 years in bottle and it's just luscious. My 2007 bottlings are wonderful right now. Too bad I only have 2 left.
Moses seems to be the opposite - every day past the bottling date detracts from a Tawny for him.
