So which Port will be utilized for August's Virtual Tasting

Post by **Roy Hersh** » Wed Jul 19, 2006 2:19 pm

I'll wait for Fred to come up with some idea, as this is his show. 8)

Frederick Blais · Post by **Frederick Blais** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 6:00 am

For August as it is still a very hot month, I'd be tempted to try another category of Port that is good slightly chill, just plain regular Tawny. These tawnies are normally aged between 3 and 7 years old. With the new regulations some are now bottling Tawny Reserve oftenly aged around 7-8 years in cask before bottling. But I'd only focus on the Tawny.

Again I think because of market diffusion, I'm not sure if we could find one product available for all. I'm probably going to find an Imperial Tawny from Sandeman, I have good souvenirs of this. Feel free to try the same bottle or just as with the white Port tasting of last month, pick the one you want to try and talk about.

In the hot summer I enjoy this kind of Tawny slightly chilled, around 12-14 celcius, it improves sweetness and remove the alcool these lower ends Port often show.

And Roy, I think we may be ready to try a VP for September, as the weather will be more appropriate to celebrate the opening of Port season :) It is 12 months a year for me but I know some are avoiding it due to temperature problems.

Post by **Andy Velebil** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 8:58 pm

So is it a regular tawny of any producer? If so this sounds good to me.

Frederick Blais · Post by **Frederick Blais** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 11:46 pm

Well Andy as I said, the Imperial Tawny from Sandeman would be my choice. If you can't find it and want to propose another regular tawny I'm opened to suggestion, else we will pick this one and others who can't find it can post comments on another brand, just as we did with the white.

Post by **Andy Velebil** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 5:06 am

I will try and track down the Sandeman Imperial tawny, if I can't find it I'll go to plan "B"

Post by **Andy Velebil** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 6:57 am

Fred, I think I am going to plan "B" as I am having a hard time locating the Imperial tawny near me. Not sure what I will get, but I'll let you know.

Joe McBriar · Post by **Joe McBriar** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 4:03 pm

To start off, I have been lurking on this forum for a couple months. I created a profile just a few days ago and decided, that since I like the Virtual Tasting room idea so much, that is where I would make my first post. I am quite new to ports (had my first one about 8 months ago) and have been collecting and drinking wine for about 3 years. I really enjoyed port the first time I tried it, so I decided to start buying and tasting. I was turned on to the site by some people (Roy among them) on the Mark Squires wine forum. Anyway, enough about me. Time for the fun stuff...

I could not find the Imperial Tawny in my area (being the hot bed of wine Madison is

) so I went with plan "B" as well. I read what Frederick had put for criteria for this month, but I could not find a 3-8 year aged tawny, so I went for a 10 year. I hope this doesn't totally go against what he was looking for. If so, I'll do better next month

Anyway, here are the notes and keep in mind, I am still learning so any advise would be welcome.

Warre's Otima 10 year Tawny:

Initially seemed like a syrup instead of a port. Very, very sweet and sugary. Some plum and nut, but a lot of maple, brown sugar and some heat. Let decant for two hours and it smoothed and evened it out. Aroma of plum, brown sugar, pecan and just a touch of heat. Palate was much smoother and more balaced than before decanting. Nuts, plum, spice and a slight hint of citric fruit (possibly tangerine, but could quite place it). Finish was short to medium length of nuts, butter, spice and a hint of alcohol.

Frederick Blais · Post by **Frederick Blais** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 4:19 pm

Hi Joe, welcome on the FTLOP Forum and thank you for you kind yours regarding the virtual tasting.

What I meant by a 3-8 years old tawny, I was referring to the category of Port that you only see Tawny on the label with no indication of age. Normally this category of port are made by a blend of 3-8 years old port.

I'm glad though you did look out for a bottle and shared your comments with us. I've started a new topic for this month virtual tasting, as this one was more a discussion about what to choose, you may want to copy/paste your comments in the new one too.

Post by **Roy Hersh** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 10:33 pm

Joe,

Cool dude. Glad you decided to check it out over here. I have a feeling you are going to like it. Welcome aboard!

I would like to commend you on your tasting note. Not a bad start. From what I read you were able to discern the difference in the way the Port showed with a little air time. In an inexpensive Tawny it is not as important, but very few Ports don't gain a bit more palate impressiveness, integrate more than when first opened, often times having some of the alcohol blow off on the nose. It never hurts to give even the most basic Port a little air time. Thanks for participating.

Sometimes the wines that are chosen in the VTR, are not always available here in the USA and I have not seen the Sandeman Imperial before. Frederick lives in Eastern Canada and there are times where there are special labels or brands for his country or even Province. The UK also has different labels than we get over here and vice versa. For example, we have Presidential Port in the USA, which in the EU is called Dalva and some parts of the world, shows up with just the parent company's name: C. da Silva.

Please feel free to share or ask any questions you may have. The BASICS FORUM was designed for those with less experience, to ask questions that they might have reservations posting elsewhere. Here, we really enjoy helping folks learn ... and NEVER make them feel inadequate or regret posting something simple. Again, welcome aboard.

Jay Powers · Post by **Jay Powers** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 11:54 pm

I'll be looking for a non-vintage tawny for the VTR. I too have never seen the Sandeman Imperial Tawny, but I'll look a little harder.

I got the same initial impression as Joe with the 10 year Otima (Carmel, sugar, and maple syrup, very sweet). I was very surprised as I had a Warre 10 year tawny at a resturant (which is what led me to buy the Warre Otima) and had a utterly different experience (not nearly so sweet and much more delicate).

I think that Warre may have had a dated Tawny in previous years (fairly recently) that was not "Otima", and that this may have been what I had at the above mentioned resturant. Is this the case? And if so, do they still make it? I would love to find some.

Jay

Post by **Roy Hersh** » Thu Aug 03, 2006 12:18 am

The difference between the Warre 10 year old Tawny and Otima is marketing. When the Otima 10 year old first came out, the bottle was quite distinctive (along with Noval's Raven) and there was a huge emphasis on advertising. I believe that the level of residual sugar was intentionally raised and the marketing directed specifically towards women. This is not to sound sexist, but it is true. When found the Warre 10 year Tawny is considerable drier and imo, far better.

Nonetheless, when the Otima 20 year old was released maybe 3 or 4 years ago ... I got to try it very early on. I was actually expecting just a nuttier version of the 10 year old. It was quite a lesson as I almost passed on trying it. It was so much more evolved and actually delicious. No comparison between the two styles. If you can ever find the 20 year old, it is well worth your time and effort.

Frederick Blais · Post by **Frederick Blais** » Thu Aug 03, 2006 8:06 am

Roy, I think you are right about the Imperial Tawny of Sandeman being a product specific to a market. I've done a quick search on wine-searcher and the name Imperial with Sandeman is also available in the US but as a 20 year old Tawny. Nonetheless, normally the same juice is bottle under another product name for different market. The product is just called Sandeman Tawny in the US, I'd belive its the same.

http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/Sande ... /USD/A/-/0

Edit: Ok after having check the Sandeman website, the Imperial Tawny is a Reserve, so its not the same product at the Tawny.

Joe McBriar · Post by **Joe McBriar** » Thu Aug 03, 2006 9:25 am

Thank you for the warm welcome and for educating me on the difference between the NV and age indicated Tawnies. Now that I know what to look for I will have to go out and get a NV Tawny. Oh darn, I'll have to drink more port

I'll throw up some notes for that one so I am being accurate to the tasting this month.

Post by **Andy Velebil** » Thu Aug 03, 2006 10:13 am

Fred,

I was thinking along the same lines as you, until I too checked the Sandeman web site. I think the Imperial is not ment for the US market, as a check on wine-searcher did not show anywhere in the US with the Imperial bottling.

For The Love Of Port

So which Port will be utilized for August's Virtual Tasting

So which Port will be utilized for August's Virtual Tasting

Virtual Tasting and nervousness.

Thanks...