What characteristics do you want in a good LBV?

[Tom D.]

I've never drunk much in the way of LBV Ports. For Roy and others who have, what characteristics make a really good one? And what kind of development and life cycle do the best ones follow in bottle (allowing for filtered vs. unfiltered)? Do they parallel the development of VP's, for example, moving from big fruit and structure to a more tawny profile with maturity? I tend to like my VP's with lots of age, but before they've lost all fruit freshness and gone mostly tawny in character -- is there a stage like that for LBV's?

Thanks!

[Paul Fountain]

I can't say I have a lot of experience drinking aged LBVs - I don't get to see many unfiltered LBVs apart from the Noval so I'm sure somebody else will chip in here, but here is my
They aren't too different to Vintage Ports really. Some of the Unfiltered LBVs will continue to develop for quite some time although not as long as the Vintage Ports. I have a couple of 03 Noval LBVs put away that I am in no hurry to drink. I don't think it is unreasonable to expect some of the better quality examples to get to 20 years old or more, and mellow out over that time. They are further along that path to becoming tawny when released as they have spent at least 2 1/2 years more in the barrel before being bottled. I guess the thing to remember are that Vintage Ports in the majority of houses will always get the pick of the crop, so unless there is a surplus of fruit, the LBVs won't have the same overall quality of fruit, or alternatively the vintage wasn't good enough to produce Vintage Port so the fruit ends up in the LBV.
You couldn't expect a whole lot of imporvement or longevity out of a Filtered LBV though. They will hold in the bottle for several years though, and are also more stable once opened. I buy the Taylors LBV as my quaffing port. There are a couple of reasons for this... Firstly, the price I can get them for is excellent (somewhere between 1/8 and 1/10 of the cost of most of the VIntage Ports), and secondly, I can open one at short notice and still have it show pretty well (although they will open up a little more with a bit of time or a decant).
I really enjoy the tannin structure I get from the Taylors. There is generally a bit of spiciness, but the fruit is still fairly primary too, although the extra time on oak means it isn't quite as primary as a newly bottled VP.

[Tom D.]

Paul, thank you for your thoughts!

The only LBV's I currently own are a few bottles of 1994 Taylor and 1994 Fonseca, purchased on release but somehow I never got around to drinking them...

Time to expand my LBV horizons.

[Moses Botbol]

Warre and Dow are two big names for LBV of high quality and good price. Quevedo & Ramos Pinto are good too, but harder to find.

[Glenn E.]

Noval makes superb LBVs. I have a 6-pack of their 2003 that I'm trying to hold for 20 years, but I can tell it's going to be hard. I also have a 6-pack of 2003 Quevedo that's part of the same plan.

But for good names, don't forget Smith Woodhouse. Their LBVs are typically held at the lodge for a few years and so when they're released they're already 10+ years old. I think that the 2001 is their current release.

Your 1994 Taylors are liable to be a little faded if they're filtered (which Taylors typically are). The last bottle of the 2003 that I opened seemed to be fully mature or possibly even starting to fade just a tiny bit. It was excellent and I still have one more, but I won't be saving it for another 10 years as I really don't think it would be at its peak at that point.

[Tom D.]

Thanks for the replies. I retitled my original post, as it was a little unclear. In addition to producer names, I'm especially hoping to learn what specific characteristics you guys look for IN THE WINE when tasting and assessing LBV Ports. I just don't have the drinking experience to have that frame of reference for LBV's, like I do for VP and tawnies. Thanks!

[John M.]

Warre's, like Smith Woodhouse, keeps their LBVs until they have some age on them (I see mostly 2001s in the stores now). I've got some 1999-2000-2001 in stock and just waiting a few more years.

[Al B.]

I look for exactly the same characteristics in a good LBV as in a good VP. I'm looking for balance of fruit, tannin and acidity - and an ability to age and mature. Generally I don't find the right balance in filtered wines, I find the tannins too soft and the acidity often weak - these tend to be made in a very fruit forward style which is great on release or for 2-3 years but then fades and goes tawny very quickly.

On the other hand, unfiltered LBVs tend to have a bit more by way of tannin and so an ability to age and develop some complexity for, say, 5-8 years. Right now I have some Croft 2004 Unfiltered LBV that I am slowly drinking and still really enjoying.

But at the top of the LBV tree, in my opinion, is the bottle aged traditional style. These seem to be small volume, high quality and are basically vintage ports kept in the barrel for 4 years before being bottled. I honestly can't tell a great deal of difference between these and a vintage port except that they seem to mature more quickly. The fruit, tannin and acidity is in great balance on release (usually about 10-12 years after the vintage) and ages very gracefully. One of our port group is currently taking great delight in bringing along to our tastings bottles of Warre Traditional LBV from the 1980s (1981, 1982, 1984 and 1986) and we often guess that is a mature mid-range port from 1970 - usually the 1970 Sandeman!

[Tom Archer]

I have a growing regard for aged unfiltered LBVs

After all, when wines made from the second or third selection of wine from a vintage can sometimes run VPs close for quality, what could be achieved if they were made from the first selection?

The problem of course is price and market expectation of LBVs..

- perhaps the IVDP should allow producers to bottle VP a little later, if they wish..

[Tom D.]

Al, thanks very much for those thoughts

I look for exactly the same characteristics in a good LBV as in a good VP. I'm looking for balance of fruit, tannin and acidity - and an ability to age and mature. Generally I don't find the right balance in filtered wines, I find the tannins too soft and the acidity often weak - these tend to be made in a very fruit forward style which is great on release or for 2-3 years but then fades and goes tawny very quickly.

On the other hand, unfiltered LBVs tend to have a bit more by way of tannin and so an ability to age and develop some complexity for, say, 5-8 years. Right now I have some Croft 2004 Unfiltered LBV that I am slowly drinking and still really enjoying.

But at the top of the LBV tree, in my opinion, is the bottle aged traditional style. These seem to be small volume, high quality and are basically vintage ports kept in the barrel for 4 years before being bottled. I honestly can't tell a great deal of difference between these and a vintage port except that they seem to mature more quickly. The fruit, tannin and acidity is in great balance on release (usually about 10-12 years after the vintage) and ages very gracefully. One of our port group is currently taking great delight in bringing along to our tastings bottles of Warre Traditional LBV from the 1980s (1981, 1982, 1984 and 1986) and we often guess that is a mature mid-range port from 1970 - usually the 1970 Sandeman!

[Andy Velebil]

I look for exactly the same characteristics in a good LBV as in a good VP. I'm looking for balance of fruit, tannin and acidity - and an ability to age and mature. Generally I don't find the right balance in filtered wines, I find the tannins too soft and the acidity often weak - these tend to be made in a very fruit forward style which is great on release or for 2-3 years but then fades and goes tawny very quickly.

On the other hand, unfiltered LBVs tend to have a bit more by way of tannin and so an ability to age and develop some complexity for, say, 5-8 years. Right now I have some Croft 2004 Unfiltered LBV that I am slowly drinking and still really enjoying.

But at the top of the LBV tree, in my opinion, is the bottle aged traditional style. These seem to be small volume, high quality and are basically vintage ports kept in the barrel for 4 years before being bottled.

+1 for the most part.

Typically, a good unfiltered LBV tends to varies from a decent VP by being softer and not as complex in structure. But still has that good tannic and acidic structure I'm looking for in a VP. What I don't like in a LBV is one in which it comes off as being tart or monolithic.