For The Love Of Port

Churchill Reserve - nothing special

Interestingly, WineSpectator gave the 2018 Dow LBV spot #26 in this year's rankings:
https://top100.winespectator.com/lists/
Probably worth a pickup.

The Graham tasting at John's was incredible, really impressed with Graham VPs in general, everything sung.

Andy Velebil wrote: ↑Mon Nov 18, 2024 3:37 pm

Moses Botbol wrote: ↑Mon Nov 18, 2024 10:08 am Opened a 2000 Croft VP for the Tyson fight. Wow, what a port. Never had any Croft post 1994. Has to be one of the finest Croft vintages I have ever had. All stuff from Croft like touch of heat, mandarin oranges, hint of chocolate, in a superb balanced port. Top notch.

Each day was a treat, and I hope to finish it tonight.

You need to try the 2003 Croft. Perhaps their best in a very long time before that.

Andy, being that it's only 21 years old, how is the 2003 Croft drinking? Is it a fruit bomb or is it starting to round out? I have some 2003 in both 750 and half-bottles. Maybe I'll put a half bottle on my list to try.

Mike J. W. wrote:

Andy Velebil wrote: ↑Mon Nov 18, 2024 3:37 pm

Moses Botbol wrote: ↑Mon Nov 18, 2024 10:08 am Opened a 2000 Croft VP for the Tyson fight. Wow, what a port. Never had any Croft post 1994. Has to be one of the finest Croft vintages I have ever had. All stuff from Croft like touch of heat, mandarin oranges, hint of chocolate, in a superb balanced port. Top notch.

Each day was a treat, and I hope to finish it tonight.

You need to try the 2003 Croft. Perhaps their best in a very long time before that.

Andy, being that it's only 21 years old, how is the 2003 Croft drinking? Is it a fruit bomb or is it starting to round out? I have some 2003 in both 750 and half-bottles. Maybe I'll put a half bottle on my list to try.

Haven’t had it super recently. But every time since release it’s been a bruiser of a VP. Fruity tannic complex and long finish. One of the top Croft’s in a good while.

Andy Velebil wrote: ↑Tue Nov 19, 2024 12:15 pm

Mike J. W. wrote:

Andy Velebil wrote: ↑Mon Nov 18, 2024 3:37 pm

You need to try the 2003 Croft. Perhaps their best in a very long time before that.

Andy, being that it's only 21 years old, how is the 2003 Croft drinking? Is it a fruit bomb or is it starting to round out? I have some 2003 in both 750 and half-bottles. Maybe I'll put a half bottle on my list to try.

Haven’t had it super recently. But every time since release it’s been a bruiser of a VP. Fruity tannic complex and long finish. One of the top Croft’s in a good while.

Well, I don't really need any more 2003, but after reading this and seeing a good deal on it this morning 4 bottles found their way to my shopping basket

Claus P wrote: ↑Wed Nov 20, 2024 2:45 am
Well, I don't really need any more 2003, but after reading this and seeing a good deal on it this morning 4 bottles found their way to my shopping basket

Need and want, two very different things. Nice score!

Andy Velebil wrote: ↑Wed Nov 20, 2024 10:21 am

Claus P wrote: ↑Wed Nov 20, 2024 2:45 am
Well, I don't really need any more 2003, but after reading this and seeing a good deal on it this morning 4 bottles found their way to my shopping basket

Need and want, two very different things. Nice score!

Thanks, I paid 60 euros all in, so very happy with that

Claus P wrote:

Andy Velebil wrote: ↑Wed Nov 20, 2024 10:21 am

Claus P wrote: ↑Wed Nov 20, 2024 2:45 am
Well, I don't really need any more 2003, but after reading this and seeing a good deal on it this morning 4 bottles found their way to my shopping basket

Need and want, two very different things. Nice score!

Thanks, I paid 60 euros all in, so very happy with that

Wow!!

Andy Velebil wrote: ↑Wed Nov 20, 2024 4:55 pm

Claus P wrote:

Andy Velebil wrote: ↑Wed Nov 20, 2024 10:21 am

Need and want, two very different things. Nice score!

Thanks, I paid 60 euros all in, so very happy with that

Wow!!

That is off course 60 pr bottle, I can see I wrote that a little unclear

There's a liquor store a couple of miles from my house that has Croft 2003 at $60 or less. They had a bunch of stuff marked down and the owner said he'd go another 15% on top of that if I bought a bunch. May need to stop by there again!

Quinta da Boeira 20 Year old tawny - delicious! I haven’t heard anything about this producer before but the port is good and cost only 34€.

Delaforce 1963 - wanted something properly mature and this hit the spot perfectly. At that wonderful point in its evolution where it's full of dried fruit, cloves and cinnamon.

1994 Martinez Gassiot & Co. Quinta da Eira Velha SQVP from a half bottle. It's drinking very lovely. Fully mature and delicious.

1920 Casa dos Torres de Oliveira, Very Very Old Tawny

Andy Velebil wrote: ↑Mon Nov 18, 2024 3:37 pm

You need to try the 2003 Croft. Perhaps their best in a very long time before that.



I don't know what you consider is a long time, but the 1991 Croft may be best of the vintage, or right up there along with some of the handful of the best from that year, nowadays for sure!

Almost forgot, after a great wine lunch, a friend opened a 375 ml of 1985 Taylor. Best bottle of it I have had, and in that format it showed incredibly well. I had not been much of a fan of this Port 2-3 decades ago. But it has finally fleshed out the last three times I have had it since Covid era.

My 40th bottle of 2007 Dow’s Colheita Port. It’s been my house Tawny for a while. :)

Roy Hersh wrote: ↑Mon Nov 25, 2024 2:23 am Almost forgot, after a great wine lunch, a friend opened a 375 ml of 1985 Taylor. Best bottle of it I have had, and in that format it showed incredibly well. I had not been much of a fan of this Port 2-3 decades ago. But it has finally fleshed out the last three times I have had it since Covid era.

I am a fan of '85 Taylor. Those who passed on this years ago may be regretting their decision now. Competes equally as well as anything else from that vintage.

Moses Botbol wrote: ↑Mon Nov 25, 2024 6:48 am

Roy Hersh wrote: ↑Mon Nov 25, 2024 2:23 am Almost forgot, after a great wine lunch, a friend opened a 375 ml of 1985 Taylor. Best bottle of it I have had, and in that format it showed incredibly well. I had not been much of a fan of this Port 2-3 decades ago. But it has finally fleshed out the last three times I have had it since Covid era.

I am a fan of '85 Taylor. Those who passed on this years ago may be regretting their decision now. Competes equally as well as anything else from that vintage.

I don't know if I've just been unlucky, or if others have been lucky, but I've never found T85 able to compete with Fonseca, Graham, or even Dow from that same year. Don't get me wrong it's always been an excellent Port, but I can't remember ever rating it higher than 92 points? It's pretty consistently 91-92 for me as I recall. (90-93 is "excellent" in my notes.)

I was once served T85 and F85 side-by-side in London because the guys over there are quite fond of T85 and wanted to prove to me that it can rival the Fonseca. Afterwards, I told them that I was indeed surprised by the quality of the T85 they served and that it was probably the best one I'd ever had, and that it did very much rival the Fonseca that they'd served with it. They were quite pleased to be proven correct until I added that the F85 they'd served was a rather poor showing compared to what I'd regularly had in the US.

It may also be that I'm just holding it to too high of a standard. F85 and G85 are 2 of the best Ports of the decade, let alone the vintage. T85 does hold its own against everything else from that vintage... I'm just not that high on 1985 in general, aside from the 2-3 outstanding Ports.

Glenn E. wrote: ↑Mon Nov 25, 2024 12:31 pm

It may also be that I'm just holding it to too high of a standard. F85 and G85 are 2 of the best Ports of the decade, let alone the vintage. T85 does hold its own against everything else from that vintage... I'm just not that high on 1985 in general, aside from the 2-3 outstanding Ports.

Graham's 1985 is nice, but there are a number of VP's from the 1980's that are far superior to it. Of the Symington VP's from 1985 specifically, I'd probably rank Graham's near the bottom of their lineup. IMO, Smith Woodhouse, Gould Campbell, Warre's and Dow's (from good showing bottles) are superior to it.

As for the 1985 Taylor's. It's never been bad. Rather it has simply been a nice middle of the road VP that is usually overpriced because of the name (like 1980/83 Fonseca VP). There are better 1985's as well as others from that decade. What I do tend to see is a lot of label bias when it comes to this Port.

I will also add, the 1985 Taylor's is far superior to the 1980/1983 versions of it.

Andy Velebil wrote: ↑Mon Nov 25, 2024 12:45 pm

Glenn E. wrote: ↑Mon Nov 25, 2024 12:31 pm It may also be that I'm just holding it to too high of a standard. F85 and G85 are 2 of the best Ports of the decade, let alone the vintage. T85 does hold its own against everything else from that vintage... I'm just not that high on 1985 in general, aside from the 2-3 outstanding Ports.

Graham's 1985 is nice, but there are a number of VP's from the 1980's that are far superior to it. Of the Symington VP's from 1985 specifically, I'd probably rank Graham's near the bottom of their lineup. IMO, Smith Woodhouse, Gould Campbell, Warre's and Dow's (from good showing bottles) are superior to it.

?!? I'll have to agree to disagree. My last experiences with it seem to say that it's in a bit of a down phase, but prior to that it was on par with F85 and TV87. Those 3 are - at least for me - the best Ports of the decade. We'll have to see if it comes out of this phase it seems to be in... if it doesn't, then I'll have to move it down a notch.

SW85 has been hit or miss for me, but it's never great. Excellent, sure, but for me it never sings. GC85 is right up there with the Dow, both a half step down from F85 or G85. Warre... eh, not my jam. It's better than their 83 but not by a lot.

As for the 1985 Taylor's. It's never been bad. Rather it has simply been a nice middle of the road VP that is usually overpriced because of the name (like 1980/83 Fonseca VP). There are better 1985's as well as others from that decade. What I do tend to see is a lot of label bias when it comes to this Port.

I will also add, the 1985 Taylor's is far superior to the 1980/1983 versions of it.

Agree with all of this.