For The Love Of Port

Ive got a question regarding the consistency of various ports. I have fallen in love with 20 year tawny. I have bought bottles mostly from grocery stores but also from a reputable cellar here in chico. I have tried keeping them at different temperatures and drinking them with different foods. While I have yet to taste a bad 20 year tawny port, I will say that they vary greatly from bottle to bottle. What reasons can you think of for this variation?
Also, even within the same bottle, I may drink a glass monday that will taste outstanding and a glass tuesday from the same bottle that will be almost undrinkable due to the overpowering taste of alcohol....curious what may cause this so I can avoid doing whatever it is. Thanks for the input!

Kaley

There are many, many things that can affect how a Port tastes - really too many to try to list. For example:

Temperature - the cooler the Port is, the less expressive it will be. In general, serve Port just below or right at room temperature.

Bottle variation - each bottle is unique and can taste slightly different even if it's the same Port. One may have been stored in a fancy temperature-controlled wine storage facitily for its entire life, while the next may have passed from person to person several times or have been stored in a kitchen cupboard above someone's stove.

Air time - once a bottle has been opened and/or decanted it starts to oxidize. For a short time this is typically a good thing, but that "short" time can vary wildly. Some Ports need mere hours to reach their peak while others need days. I have a couple of bottles that need over a week in the decanter to show their best. Even after it reaches its peak a Port can still be good for a long time.

Travel - how recently was the Port shipped or otherwise moved? From your cellar to the table doesn't count, but if you had the bottle in the trunk for a 3-hour drive that can stir things up in the bottle and affect its taste.

Food/drink - some foods like garlic or spices can dramatically affect your taste. Even seemingly mild foods like dairy can make a huge difference.

Your health - this may seem obvious, but if you're sick or even slightly sick your palate is compromised.

These are just a few of the many things that can affect a bottle of Port and/or your palate. I'm sure others will chime in with more!

Glenn, you left out the most important difference: the w/i/n/e/m/a/k/e/r Master Blender (thanks, Roy). Each house blends tawnys to the taste of the guy who actually is in charge of the blending. He tries to blend consistent tawnys for each of the types: plain, 10 yr, 20 yr, etc. for his own house. A 20 yr Ferreira is different from a 20 yr Taylor-Fladgate and a 20 yr Ramos-Pinto. They are supposed to be different. They are intended to be different.

Kayley, you keep on trying different 20 yr tawnys and learn to appreciate the differences. I like the Ferreiras best myself, but you may find some other house to be your favorite. And you are right: all ports change after you open them. Some fade quickly; some last for a long time (weeks or months, especially tawnys). I have had a tawny that developed a fascinating taste after being open for many months. Like they say: YMMV.

Hi Kaley,

Nice to have you join us and hopefully you'll fall for the Tawny Ports and come back to visit us. Peter gave you an excellent explanation.

Each Port producer has a particular house style that often has been in place for centuries. We'll stick to 20 year old Tawny Port for the moment.
The "Master Blender" ... not the winemaker (although in some cases it may be the same person at smaller Port firms) is responsible for being able to emulate the style that has been made for ages. It is all about blending Ports of various ages to attain the color, texture, aromatics and flavor characteristics that is the "house style" of that company. There can be tiny amounts of VERY old Port blended in for sheer color and complexity and to balance off some very young juice which is added for its structural components. In my opinion, there is more of an art to being a master blender, whilst it is more "science" in wine or Port-making.


To learn more about Tawny, click over to the homepage and on top you'll see a handful of articles. Click on; Tenets of Tawny and I think you will find out everything you ever wanted to know about Tawny Ports but were afraid to ask!

We look forward to any other questions or comments you may have ...

Roy

Peter W. Meek wrote:Glenn, you left out the most important difference: the w/i/n/e/m/a/k/e/r Master Blender (thanks, Roy). Each house blends tawnys to the taste of the guy who actually is in charge of the blending. He tries to blend consistent tawnys for each of the types: plain, 10 yr, 20 yr, etc. for his own house. A 20 yr Ferreira is different from a 20 yr Taylor-Fladgate and a 20 yr Ramos-Pinto. They are supposed to be different. They are intended to be different.

Hahaha... oops!

I guess I read Kaley's post wrong - it didn't occur to me that we might be comparing bottles between different producers!

Glenn E. wrote:I guess I read Kaley's post wrong - it didn't occur to me that we might be comparing bottles between different producers!

To be fair, Kaley has not actually said whether the bottles were from one house or many. Your list may cover it after all.

Another difference between bottles is when they were actually bottled. A 20 yo bottled this year will show differently than one bottled a few years ago.

Thanks for the clarification guys!

One last question.....I feel like when I drink port slightly chilled or even just after being chilled it has an overpowering taste of alcohol, almost like taking a shot of vodka, and the great tastes that i drink port from are entirely masked. This is frustrating because I am trying to store my bottles around 55-60 degrees but then they dont taste right. When I dring a bottle straight off the shelf from the store, it usually tastes great. Is this normal?

Thanks!

kaley b wrote:Thanks for the clarification guys!

One last question.....I feel like when I drink port slightly chilled or even just after being chilled it has an overpowering taste of alcohol, almost like taking a shot of vodka, and the great tastes that i drink port from are entirely masked. This is frustrating because I am trying to store my bottles around 55-60 degrees but then they dont taste right. When I dring a bottle straight off the shelf from the store, it usually tastes great. Is this normal?

Thanks!

I think you answered your own question. If it tastes "wrong" when chilled, then let it come up closer to room temperature and try it. 55-60 seems a bit cold for drinking but close to ideal for storage. You just have to plan a bit ahead.

Cold wine will usually have some aromas and tastes reduced; it can even mask a too-sweet taste. (Some wines need this; the sweeter whites come to mind.)

And never forget, the phrase "room-temperature" referred to a room more like 67-68 than the 72 we often see these days. I would definitely cool a port (or big red) when the room is at 80 in the summer. I keep a ready-use part of the kitchen wine cabinet at 65, and by the time a wine gets to the table it is just about right. The rest of the cabinet is at 37, which lets whites and sparklers get to the table at about the right stage. (The cellar is 55-56 and about 70% RH. A little too cold for drinking reds and ports; a little too warm for whites.)