For The Love Of Port

Have a question- I just bought a bottle of Quinta do Valle Meao 2007 and Am wondering if we should open it in about three weeks for a taste. I know some of you have given it great reviews. The question is whether or not the wine is open and drinkable now or has it gone into its closed phase and would be better left alone for a time? Thanks for any info you could give me about this.
Dale

I doubt that it has entered its closed phase yet, though it does seem like some of the 2007s are getting close. If you like your Port extremely young, then go ahead and give it a try! The Vale Meao was my favorite of the 2007s that I got to taste. Good stuff.

I've only found it at one shop near me and it's going for $80, so about as expensive as the top names. Any opinions as to whether it's worth that high price?

Dale -

We tasted it last month at Qta do Vale Meao during the Port Explorers' Tour, when we had a vertical tasting of all their VPs from 2000 to 2008.

I gave the 2007 a 93, my highest score of all the vintages. It had not closed down at all. Nose of cherry, it was full bodied with strong tannins and acids and a long aftertaste. Obviously it's still really young, but it was delicious.

How closed can a pert become in two months? I'd say you are fine to revisit one of your favorites of the vintange. I'll hae to see if I can find this locally. Thanks for the tip.

Lamont Huxley wrote:I've only found it at one shop near me and it's going for $80, so about as expensive as the top names. Any opinions as to whether it's worth that high price?

If I could find it, I'd buy a 6-pack at that price. I liked it a lot! (Gave it a 96-98 rating pre-release.)

I don't think I would buy a lot of bottles at $80 given a 93 point score (Sandy's). On the other hand, Roy scores it a 97 and Glenn loves it, so I'd probably buy at least one to try. After a taste I would have to decide between that and 2007 Noval, which is available to me locally for less.

I've had 5 bottles, and hasn't been disapointed yet. 95-97

Glenn E. wrote:I doubt that it has entered its closed phase yet, though it does seem like some of the 2007s are getting close.....

Glenn,
I'm curious as to what you mean by this statement and what makes you think that is the case?

Andy Velebil wrote:

Glenn E. wrote:I doubt that it has entered its closed phase yet, though it does seem like some of the 2007s are getting close.....

Glenn,
I'm curious as to what you mean by this statement and what makes you think that is the case?

To me they're starting to lose that boistrous fruitiness and vibrance that they had right after bottling, which is something that I like. They're starting to feel like very young VPs, which to me is the first step toward closing down to mature. They're certainly not closed yet, but as they lose that vibrance that I like I can tell that they're headed in that direction.

I noticed the same thing with the 2003s in 2007, so I've been keeping an eye out for it to happen to the 2007s. I've had a few 2003s now at this point that I'd say are getting closed, so I'm going to leave the rest of mine slumbering peacefully in the refrigerator for another 15-20 years.

I've not noticed what Glenn is describing and have found the 2007s to still be quite young and NOWHERE near shutting down to be honest. This past week alone, I've had these 2007's:

Sandeman
Graham
Taylor
Croft
Fonseca


As Sandy mentioned, the Vale Meao was excellent when we had it in late Feb. and it was showing splendidly. It is one of my favorites of the Vintage and the best VP they've produced to date, a real home run. Tasting notes for Lamont's sake.

2007 Quinta do Vale Meão Vintage Port
This was decanted for 16 hours by a friend of mine up in Vancouver. Providing a memorable punch in the nose with expansive aromas of fresh cut flowers, plum and fragrant boysenberry fruit. Sweet and ripe with evidence of glycerin abundantly evidenced on the glass. The fruit here is at a perfect level of sweetness without being over the top or cloying. Structurally, this has all the stuffing not only to age for many decades, but already the symmetry between the acid, tannins and fruit is spot on. Yet what I found most compelling was the length of the massive berry infused aftertaste, which reminded me of the 1994 Taylor at the same stage. I couldn't resist a 2nd glass of this extraordinary effort by Meão, easily one of the top few VPs of the entire vintage. 97+ Points (2010-04-24)


2007 Quinta do Vale Meão Vintage Port
Cask sample. From the property that is still associated in consumer's minds, with the legend that is Barca Velha comes this brilliant youngster. When I tasted my way through the first bottle in mid-May this was showing very well and I was pleased to have another bottle to try back at home, once it settled down a month later. Expansive and sublime earthy perfume and fresh berry laden aromas soar out of the glass as this is not your ordinary young Vintage Port. It's loaded with herbs and spices, anise/licorice and tobacco along with the brooding dark berry scents that sex it up. As enormous as this VP is, and make no mistake about it: the concentration here is of epic proportions for a 2007 (akin to the finest in 2003) ... there is precision that delivers that rare combination of power and elegance which I only occasionally find in Vintage Ports. I'll skip over the list of flavors and focus on the exactitude and balance, with near perfect harmony between the massive waves of fruit, the core of seductive acidity and the iron-spined tannic structure. Along with Niepoort, Meão is tied for 2nd place near the pinnacle of the entire 2007 pyramid. An admirable achievement and kudos to the Olazabal family. 96-98 Points (2009-06-20)

Roy Hersh wrote:...reminded me of the 1994 Taylor at the same stage.

Oh man, how am I supposed to resist comments like that? Not fair! I was honestly hoping that I wouldn't get such positive feedback about this port because I didn't want to be tempted. I've been restricting myself to LBVs and a couple of super low-priced VPs I've found recently but at this point I might have to throw caution to the wind and secure one of these babies for the collection while I can still find it. What have I gotten myself into...

Btw - thanks for the TNs Roy!

Lamont Huxley wrote:What have I gotten myself into...

Glenn E. wrote:

Andy Velebil wrote:

Glenn E. wrote:I doubt that it has entered its closed phase yet, though it does seem like some of the 2007s are getting close.....

Glenn,
I'm curious as to what you mean by this statement and what makes you think that is the case?

To me they're starting to lose that boistrous fruitiness and vibrance that they had right after bottling, which is something that I like. They're starting to feel like very young VPs, which to me is the first step toward closing down to mature. They're certainly not closed yet, but as they lose that vibrance that I like I can tell that they're headed in that direction.

I noticed the same thing with the 2003s in 2007, so I've been keeping an eye out for it to happen to the 2007s. I've had a few 2003s now at this point that I'd say are getting closed, so I'm going to leave the rest of mine slumbering peacefully in the refrigerator for another 15-20 years.

Interesting, as I have not had the same experience with them. To me they are still open and ready for business with no signs of closing up at all.

Andy Velebil wrote:Interesting, as I have not had the same experience with them. To me they are still open and ready for business with no signs of closing up at all.

I think I'm not explaining what I meant correctly...

I don't think that they're closed now, or really even that they're in the official "closing down" phase. But a couple that I've had recently have lost something that I like which I can't really explain well, and when that something goes away they've reached the point where I consider them to be "too old" to commit infanticide but still obviously way too young to be mature. They're not even closed yet, after all. But they're different than that really freshly bottled VP that you get for a year or two after bottling. I dunno, does any of that make any sense? Perhaps I need a glass of Port.

Basically I find that there are a couple of phases of extreme youth before a VP closes down and I'm finding that the 2007s are starting to move past the phase that I like.

Another glass of Port can't hurt!

I drank a bottle of Vale Meao 2007 last week, and it was remarkably open for business. Lovely dense fruit flavours, incredibly floral, and with the backbone to last ages. Very enjoyable glass of port.

Roy Hersh wrote:Another glass of Port can't hurt!

I was thinking like two or three

Andy Velebil wrote:

Roy Hersh wrote:Another glass of Port can't hurt!

I was thinking like two or three

Exactly! As my friend says - "Why postpone joy?"

I saw one of your clones on my flight out to Philly, David. It appeared to be not quite ready yet, though, as it was only about 9/10 scale.

(No really, the guy in the bulkhead seat was about 5'5" and could have been your twin brother.)