For The Love Of Port

I just happened to run across a 375ml bottle of this at an out of the way wine shop in south orange county. Since I have never had a Vargellas, and the price was cheap, I got it to try. I opened this about 12:30pm today. I've had small tastings about every hour since.

So far the nose is a bit heavy with menthol, which is masking most of the fruit. Still a fare bit of tannins that bite the inside of the mouth. It is just now, barely, starting to open up. Which is good because I was a bit worried at first, as it seemed to be lacking in fruit. The finish is a bit hot still but starting to mellow a bit too. Hopefully this improves over the next 4 hours, before I go to bed. I will report back later.

Forgot to add I also picked up a 375ml of the 1998 Fonseca Guimaraens.

BTW, anyone else tried these?

I have tried them because my youngest son's birthy ear is 1998. I have some of both wines. They are very , very good and very good value and I also have the 98 Graham's Malvedos. I thin they are all 90 pointer's with potential to age well.

I am not sure without looking back at notes, if I have ever had a '98 VP.

I also found a 375 bottle in an out of the way wine store (Andy I guess that is where the Taylor Vargallas 98 is distributed thru).

I tried it two nights ago and found it to be nothing special.

Maybe to young to have developed at all, but even saying that I was dissapointed compared to some of the 2000 LBV's, especially Grahams, which are more structured and have a better balance of fruit and acid.

It was a pleasant quaf which I would not buy again simply because there are other ports with significantely better QPR's.

18 hours later:
It has integrated a bit better than last night. The color has darked just a bit and that menthol odor has subsided allowing slight hints of boysenberry to come thru. The palate still has some tannins, but lacking in fruit and structure. The finish is medium length.

I will say last night I would have given it 85 pts. I think this morning I would give it a 86/87.

jon bricken wrote: I tried it two nights ago and found it to be nothing special.

Jon, I agree. It is nothing special and unless I get a deal of the century on this one, I won't buy it again. There are others for less money that have more structure and complexity that I would buy instead.

I am not sure without looking back at notes, if I have ever had a '98 VP. Shocked

Roy, say it ain't so :!: