For The Love Of Port

Moses Botbol wrote: ↑Mon Dec 26, 2022 8:50 am 1985 Ferreira VP. Was darn near clear in the glass! Looked like a 100+ years old. Cork was fine, was not leaking. Seems to be a thing with Ferreira where some bottles just evolve to clean port. Seen it a on a few vintages where one or two bottles in a case are like this.

I've had similar experiences with Ferreira 85' and 82'. It is almost like a tawny. Seen the same in a few 75'. The 77' seems to hold its colour more appropriately in the Ferreira family.

For Christmas Eve dinner, a 1970 Croft Vintage Port to go with the dinner meatballs and a DR 40 Year Old Tawny Port to go with dessert. Both showed superbly.

Christmas dinner with relatives I opened a 1998 Cockburn’s Quinta dos Canais VP. They haven’t been too keen on Port in the past so I decided to test the waters (aka: try and convert them) with this one. Still has some youthful fruit but also some mature notes, so figured a good intro to a slightly older VP. Once past the sweetness, compare to the previous dry wines, it was enjoyed. Perhaps not loved like us nerds, but a good start…I hope.

Moses Botbol wrote: ↑Mon Dec 26, 2022 8:50 am 1985 Ferreira VP. Was darn near clear in the glass! Looked like a 100+ years old. Cork was fine, was not leaking. Seems to be a thing with Ferreira where some bottles just evolve to clean port. Seen it a on a few vintages where one or two bottles in a case are like this.

I had a 1980 Ferreira once that was nothing if not pale orange in the glass. Not tawny. Definitely not ruby. You wouldn't even call it honey colored. It was pale orange.

It tasted fine... but it was the strangest color.

1934 Dalva, bottled 1972. Quite good, minimal tiredness, no bottle stink. A very elegant wine from all the bottle age.

My birth year! 1984 Dow’s Quinta do Bomfim

1977 Graham's VP

still pretty good, but for me it was overshadowed by a 1977 Fonseca VP I had a week before.

1992 Fonseca (magnum)

A 2008 DR Colheita Branco and an S. Leonardo 40 Year Old Tawny Port for New Year's.

2011 Dow LBV (filtered). I decanted it nonetheless and will let it sit for several hours until I taste it tonight; however, I did take an initial taste as I always do. Right now it is more medicinal tasting with some hints of fruit far in the background. It will be interesting to see if it evolves at all over the next few days.

Mike J. W. wrote: ↑Fri Jan 06, 2023 12:00 pm 2011 Dow LBV (filtered). I decanted it nonetheless and will let it sit for several hours until I taste it tonight; however, I did take an initial taste as I always do. Right now it is more medicinal tasting with some hints of fruit far in the background. It will be interesting to see if it evolves at all over the next few days.

Do report back. interested to see where it goes with air.

2000 Delaforce VP, not (too) bad and I think one should drink it now.

2016 Taylor Fladgate LBV. Pretty darn good filtered LBV.

Andy Velebil wrote: ↑Fri Jan 06, 2023 7:17 pm

Mike J. W. wrote: ↑Fri Jan 06, 2023 12:00 pm 2011 Dow LBV (filtered). I decanted it nonetheless and will let it sit for several hours until I taste it tonight; however, I did take an initial taste as I always do. Right now it is more medicinal tasting with some hints of fruit far in the background. It will be interesting to see if it evolves at all over the next few days.

Do report back. interested to see where it goes with air.

I just added a tasting note.

1994 Petre's VP (Niepoort)
I didn't take notes on this, but it was quite delicious and I enjoyed it more than a 2005 Sine Qua Non Grenache Atlantis Fe2O3~2d Vin de Paille that I opened at the same time. (And the SQN was about 7x the price.)

Niepoort LBV 2018, nicely done, probably better than 2017

1960 Warres
1983 Dows
1985 Burmester
1985 Ferreira

3 Warres LBVs: 2002-2003-2004

All last night for a local tasting! Quite a night.

1985 Dow VP

Mike J. W. wrote: ↑Sat Jan 14, 2023 9:40 pm 1985 Dow VP

How was the Port? I have one bottle and i'll probably open it in 2 or 3 years.

LOUISSS J wrote: ↑Sun Jan 15, 2023 6:39 am

Mike J. W. wrote: ↑Sat Jan 14, 2023 9:40 pm 1985 Dow VP

How was the Port? I have one bottle and i'll probably open it in 2 or 3 years.

It's pretty good. I think it could use a few more years in the cellar, but it's drinking nicely now. It's not a world beater, but it's
a nice pleasant Port that's easy to drink. I'm curious to see if it improves on Day 2. I think you'll enjoy it.