2003 Smith Woodhouse Vintage Port
Posted: Wed Feb 29, 2012 10:12 pm
Opened while online with Jeff and Josh for the Leap Day Virtual Port Tasting. Pop-n-Pour at 8:30 pm.
2003 Smith Woodhouse Vintage Port
Color: Very dark, but not opaque. More red that purple... a very dark ruby color.
Nose: A bit spirity, lots of dark red fruits. Possibly some dates. Also possibly some very faint smoke.
Palate: Thin in the mouth, but tasty. Rich grape-like flavor with some dark and very ripe red raspberries. The tannins only seem adequate for a 2003, while the acidity is good.
Finish: Good length, but not stellar. Flavors echo the palate. The finish is very clean with no stem or skin intruding.
Score: 91 points. While initially somewhat unimpressive, it ultimately won me over as a very drinkable but still reasonably complex VP. If this bottle is representative I don't think I'd keep them for too long as I get the feeling they won't age for 30-40 years, but they're well worth the $42 I paid. With more air time (this bottle was pop-n-pour) it might also gain some depth and earn another point.
2003 Smith Woodhouse Vintage Port
Color: Very dark, but not opaque. More red that purple... a very dark ruby color.
Nose: A bit spirity, lots of dark red fruits. Possibly some dates. Also possibly some very faint smoke.
Palate: Thin in the mouth, but tasty. Rich grape-like flavor with some dark and very ripe red raspberries. The tannins only seem adequate for a 2003, while the acidity is good.
Finish: Good length, but not stellar. Flavors echo the palate. The finish is very clean with no stem or skin intruding.
Score: 91 points. While initially somewhat unimpressive, it ultimately won me over as a very drinkable but still reasonably complex VP. If this bottle is representative I don't think I'd keep them for too long as I get the feeling they won't age for 30-40 years, but they're well worth the $42 I paid. With more air time (this bottle was pop-n-pour) it might also gain some depth and earn another point.