For The Love Of Port

Many of us score our tasting notes, whether on a 100 point scale, a 20 point scale, a 5 star scale or something completely different.

I'm currently working my way through a bottle of Smith Woodhouse 1991 which I gave 86/100 and I'm finding it quite hard work - but it's too good to just pour away and open something else instead ... but it's a close run decision.

That led me to wonder how bad a port has to be on your own personal scoring scale before you'll pour it away rather than drink it.

I always thought my cut-off point was under 75, but now after my SW91 experience I am not so sure.

About 75-80. If its that bad tough to drink too much.

Life is too short to waste cells on bad wine!?

I don't know. If I didn't want to drink that 86 point SW, I'd still cook with it. But I probably wouldn't cook with something under 80, as I'd be concerned about it ruining the food.

To the more general issue, it really is a matter of what else you have and what context. If you've brought one bottle and that's all you've got, well then I'll probably drink it (80+ points). Of course I regularly take a back up bottle to tastings and dinners just in case. If you're at a tasting with 16 pours, you'll taste everything, but what are you going to finish off? 90 points, 92 points?

Actually pour it out?

Hmm... that's a good question and I'd never really thought about it. I've happily finished bottles that I rated 82-83 points before, but I also understand your current quandry as I've cooked with bottles (rather than finishing them) rated 87-88. So I guess it depends on the situation and the Port? I suppose as a general rule I'd probably draw the line at 80, but 85 might be more realistic.

(80-85 means ok/good/fair/drinkable to me... i.e. an acceptable drink, but neither special nor dreadful.)

That said, I don't generally buy Port that I'd rate below 88 or 89 unless it's for a specific purpose like a themed tasting or a vertical. And my intention is to always buy in the 90s. As Eric said, life's to short to waste brain cells on bad Port! I don't drink that much, and I can afford the better stuff, so why not drink Excellent (90-93) or better?

I recently drank through an odd bottle of Noval '60 that was given to me by an auctioneer. Leaking profusely and ullaged to low shoulder it was also massively light struck and extremely pale.

However, putting out of mind what it should have been like, it drank like a very nice aged Madeira..

I currently have a slightly similar situation to Alex's with a bottle of Gould Campbell '83 - not a bad wine, and way short of full maturity, but somehow it doesn't urge me to finish it off..

John M. wrote:About 75-80. If its that bad tough to drink too much.

Sounds about right.

Leaking profusely and ullaged to low shoulder

Was there any expectation that this 55 year old Vintage Port in poor condition was going to drink well? Or should I say, "might possibly"?

Good question, Alex. I think it really depends on circumstances.

If drinking a bottle towards the end of the evening or after dinner and there's still time to open something that could show much better, than regardless of score, I'd probably open another one. If there is no time for any aeration in decanter and it would then require a pop-n-pour, I'd likely just take another glass of what is opened, unless I have company around. I'd leave the rest to see how it develops overnight.

Unless corked, I wouldn't pour out the first bottle though. I've never found an 80 - 85 Port that wasn't worthy of sauteeing mushrooms to adorn a good slab of steak.

Was there any expectation that this 55 year old Vintage Port in poor condition was going to drink well? Or should I say, "might possibly"?

None at all. The auction house concerned routinely calls on me to advise on port bottles, which I do for gratis, and after informing the vendor that the bottle was not fit for sale (their call, not mine) to which the vendor replied to get rid of it - gave it to me..

Excellent. Glad you did not pay for a bottle like that, Tom. I know you take great pride in your collection!