For The Love Of Port

Late last year, I tried 1965 and 1966 Taylor's Single Harvest Tawnies at the Vintage Port Academy in Hong Kong. This is an event where the Taylor's group conducts the event in coordination with the Symington team. The event was hosted by Ms. Tersina Shieh, who is active in promoting port in Hong Kong.

The 1965, while thinner on the palate, is more complex and has more nuanced developed flavors. I liked it and bought a bottle. The 1966 has a fuller, slightly more syrupy texture and seemed to me at least to be less refined in comparison. Both were very nice to sample.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/147648174@N08/

Background on these vintages from the Taylor's wesite:
http://www.taylor.pt/en/catalogue/port- ... e-harvest/
http://www.taylor.pt/en/catalogue/vinta ... ssic/1966/

Along with the SFE and TFP wines, I saw Noval, Kopke, and Crasto bottles. That quite a nice event!

Different events in Hong Kong :) Kopke, Crasto and Noval are from "Matter of Taste Event" also last year. I don't know how to upload into different files on Flickr, even if that's possible

I just uploaded more recent photos onto the same website. Separate tasting occasion at Jaan restaurant in the Swiss Hotel, Singapore. Their selection of port included a special Singapore 50th anniversary labelled version of a Kopke 1965, as well as a Fonseca 1977 vintage port (which is what I picked and is the glass shown in the currently most recent photos). The Fonseca 1977 vintage drank very well. Nice balanced sweetness without a sense of over oxidization. A vintage that is drinking very very nicely, I must say. Sampled over beautiful views of Singapore from the restaurant.

Ms. K.,

Nice to have you join us here. I very much liked your impressions on the 1965 and 1966 Single Harvest Tawny Ports by Taylor's. I've also had the 1967 twice now and my notes will be in the next newsletter.

I hope you are well. You are missed.

Poyee K wrote:Different events in Hong Kong :) Kopke, Crasto and Noval are from "Matter of Taste Event" also last year.

Ahh, thank you for the explanation. All and all, your have some nice events in that part of the world.

Dear Roy -- Thank-you for your note. I am working hard to improve my knowledge and tasting experience, although I will still be at limited levels in absolute terms.
I find myself looking at port by the glass on wine lists when I am pursuing foodie visits to restaurants too.

Dear Eric -- I will soon be reporting on this event next week involving Symington vintages. Very lucky to be able to join this event.

Dow’s Sra Ribeira VP 1998
Warre’s Cavadinha VP 2001
Graham’s Malvedos VP 2001

Dow 2000 VP
Warre 2000 VP
Graham 2000 VP

Dow 1985 VP
Graham 1983 VP

Graham 1977
Dow 1975
Graham Single Harvest Tawny 1972
Warre 1970

Dinner wines:
White Port
Post Scriptum 2013
Chryseia 2013
Warre 1983
Graham’s 200O

Here are my thoughts on the tasting line-up from the post immediately above, in Hong Kong January 2017.
As you can tell, it was Symington family wines all the way and Jorge Nunes attended.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/147648174@N08/? (uploaded recent photos)

Jorge indicated that one of the sampled ports he liked best was the Graham's 1972 Single Harvest Tawny. I had sampled this at the Vintage Wine Academy tasting in 4Q 2016, with Jorge having again presented it. I found the texture of the Tawny to remain slightly more dense than every other port sampled at this event and, while I liked it, I considered the Graham's 1977, Graham's 1983 and Graham's 2000 single vintages to be subjectively a bit more pleasing. But that's consistent with my very generally preferring single vintage ports and even LBVs to Tawnies (including Colheitas).

From among the sampled ports, the Graham's were generally my preferred. It was interesting to be able to contrast them against certain Dow's vintages and Warre's vintages in a single sitting. The Dow's style involves generally lower sugar levels overall.

The Graham's vintages sampled at this event tended to have a somewhat richer sensation on the fruit that I liked. On the Graham's 2000, the tasting group said it has further aging potential, with firm tannins coupled with a fruitier side. Very nice.

The 1977 Graham's vintage was also very nice. The tasting group found vanilla aspects blended into the other notes, and also a bit of moderately-pronounced dates. Jorge said 1977 is considered a great vintage for Graham's and a taster can readily see why.

Overall, I wouldn't say that the single vineyards (of which there were three) showed on a relative basis as well as the single vintages. The 2004 Warre's Quinta da Cavadinha, the 2004 Graham's Quinta dos Malvedos and the 1998 Dow's Quinta de Senhora da Ribeira. But of course it was good to even have a chance to sample any of these.

Interestingly, Jorge explained that the 1998 Dow's single Quinta represented one of the first years that the Quinta, which had been under Dow control for a long time, then was sole to a third party about 100 years ago, and had at the time just recently been repurchased by the Symingtons.

Roy Hersh wrote:Ms. K.,
... I've also had the 1967 twice now and my notes will be in the next newsletter ...

Hey Roy,

What are your thoughts on the '67 Taylor Fladgate Very Old Single Harvest Port? I didn't see anything in the newsletter.
I was actually thinking of picking one up tonight and would love to know what you think of it first.

Thanks!

I tried the 66 Taylor Single Harvest (Tawny) again last night, and found it more enticing than the first time sampled (late last year) where I preferred the 65 (65 not sampled again since).

The 66 is drinking very well. Nose appealing of treacle, hints of smoothened brown sugar, just a beautiful developed nose. Then middle sensations on the nose is darkened black prunes. Drinks very differently in terms of notes than the nose (not a negative comment). Translucent edge, light brownish color. Palate is integrated and appealing. I sense a tinge of mature mandarin peel and overall a very good bottle.

The 1967 is quite good. But I prefer both the 1965 and the 1966 to it. If you are seeking out a great 1967 Port, look for a well stored bottle of Quinta de Vargellas Vintage Port, or for Colheitas, the Kopke and Dalva are both outstanding The Taylor's is very good. I remember my rating was 93 points, fwiw, but the note will be in the next newsletter.