What have you opened this week?

[Glenn E.]

1987 Souza VP. Nice fully mature VP. Wouldn't wait too much longer to open these.

That's our anniversary year so I've ordered (and consumed) at last a case of this Port so far, and I still have another case left. I agree that it is a very nice Port and pretty close to fully mature, but I think it has another 15-20 years to go if you count the plateau. There's minimal (if any) improvement remaining, but I think it should last in that mostly fully mature state for quite a while before it noticeably declines. So maybe 5 years to fully reach peak (though likely without a change in score), then another 10-15 years at peak/on the plateau.

[Glenn E.]

Viera de Sousa Very Old White Port

Very nice Port, cool looking bottle, but super hard to transport in a suitcase and then store in a wine fridge!

[Tom Archer]

Harveys 1954

Believed to be a Malvedos wine - lovely juice, but absurdly young and immature - would easily pass as a '94!

Score 8-9

Marking the rest of the stash as code R : Reserve stock..

[Mike J. W.]

Harveys 1954

Believed to be a Malvedos wine - lovely juice, but absurdly young and immature - would easily pass as a '94!

Score 8-9

Marking the rest of the stash as code R : Reserve stock..

1954 and both young and immature? That's amazing. 66 years old and it hasn't budged.

[Thomas V]

Viera de Sousa Very Old White Port

Very nice Port, cool looking bottle, but super hard to transport in a suitcase and then store in a wine fridge!

I had it a year ago and I was fairly disappointed with it. Seemed very thin (non viscous) and not very lush and full of exotic fruits. Was up against a tough crowd in a pristine 1970 Graham's VP and 40 Anos Romaneira (The proper bottling).

Finishing off a 1997 Dalva colheita at the minute. This is a great port and will only continue to be better with more cask time. A worthy replacement for the 1982 and 1985 I should think.

[Andy Velebil]

1987 Souza VP. Nice fully mature VP. Wouldn't wait too much longer to open these.

That's our anniversary year so I've ordered (and consumed) at last a case of this Port so far, and I still have another case left. I agree that it is a very nice Port and pretty close to fully mature, but I think it has another 15-20 years to go if you count the plateau. There's minimal (if any) improvement remaining, but I think it should last in that mostly fully mature state for quite a while before it noticeably declines. So maybe 5 years to fully reach peak (though likely without a change in score), then another 10-15 years at peak/on the plateau.

We will have to disagree. No way these will last, and still be nice, 15-20 years from now. I too have had quite a few of these, best part of a case, in recent years. All of them have been consistent in that they've reached maturity some years ago, have already been on a plateau and won't hold there a bunch longer and still be enjoyable. I would say next 5 years would be best.

[Glenn E.]

1987 Souza VP. Nice fully mature VP. Wouldn't wait too much longer to open these.

That's our anniversary year so I've ordered (and consumed) at last a case of this Port so far, and I still have another case left. I agree that it is a very nice Port and pretty close to fully mature, but I think it has another 15-20 years to go if you count the plateau. There's minimal (if any) improvement remaining, but I think it should last in that mostly fully mature state for quite a while before it noticeably declines. So maybe 5 years to fully reach peak (though likely without a change in score), then another 10-15 years at peak/on the plateau.

We will have to disagree. No way these will last, and still be nice, 15-20 years from now. I too have had quite a few of these, best part of a case, in recent years. All of them have been consistent in that they've reached maturity some years ago, have already been on a plateau and won't hold there a bunch longer and still be enjoyable. I would say next 5 years would be best.

Odd... that has been my experience with the 1985, but not the 1987.

[Eric Ifune]

Very nice Port, cool looking bottle, but super hard to transport in a suitcase and then store in a wine fridge!

You're telling me! I've done this twice. Each time packed in the dirty laundry.

[Mike J. W.]

1983 Gould Campbell VP...flawed! This is the 3rd Gould Campbell in a row in the space of the last year that I opened and found that they were flawed. The cork was 90% saturated but I managed to get it all out. Upon decanting it smelled of mimeograph sheets and band-aids. Not a promising start. But the color was a dark purple and I held out hope it might be okay. After 5 hours it was raw, bitter, highly acidic and obviously flawed. I tried to let a glass sit for an hour hoping it might loosen up a little. While I could occasionally get the faintest hint of fruit, seconds later it was washed away with a very bitter taste. Down the drain the entire decanter went.

I had my first GC (1980) last year and it was excellent, but these last 3 GC's have me scratching my head. I just stood up a '77 GC that I will decant tomorrow afternoon. Here's hoping the 4th time is the charm.

[Eric Menchen]

2004 Quinta do Crasto LBV

[Moses Botbol]

1999 Noval LBV. Quite a bruiser of a port. Muscular and could stand another decade or more of cellaring. Impressive LBV.

[Glenn E.]

1987 Porto Souza VP
1987 Kopke Colheita

[Andy Velebil]

1999 Dow's Senhora d. Ribeira VP.

[David Spriggs]

1977 Smith Woodhouse Vintage Port

[Tom Archer]

1980 Warre

Not quite fully mature yet, but a lot closer than it was five years ago. It's a strong player, as are all the Symington 80's - but a bit thin on the ground compared to adjacent vintages. Score 7-8

[Andy Velebil]

I've decided to spend some time exploring SQVP's. I already mentioned the 1999 Ribeira. I also opened a 1986 Dow's Quinta d. Bomfim VP. Very lovely and elegant.

[Tom Archer]

I also opened a 1986 Dow's Quinta d. Bomfim VP. Very lovely and elegant

'86 is a light but very clean vintage, which gives it away to a degree. '87 is much beefier and the '88's all have a very distinctive, and not very attractive earthiness on the palate.

[John M.]

For Christmas Eve, a 1983 Dows.

[Thomas V]

1997 Dalva colheita last week, which disappear in a jiff.

For Christmas a 20 Anos Fonseca and a 2015 Cockburn's LVB.

Need to look into crackin' open an older VP one of the next days.

[Andy Velebil]

1977 Delaforce VP. It’s, uh, pleasant. Past it’s best, drink up if you own them.