For The Love Of Port

Another bottle from the last buying opportunity. This one opened for social hour at a barbecue class that I was helping teach. (I teach the judging aspect, not the cooking aspect... I leave that to the professionals!) I decanted the bottle at noon, re-bottled it at about 6:00 pm, and then we drank it between 8:00 pm and 10:00 pm.

1997 Souza VP

Color: Dark red-purple. Not quite opaque with enough light, but in a dim room it looks opaque. It's unusual enough for me to drink a VP this young that it looks like an LBV to me.

Nose: Grapey, but not in the same way as a 5-yr old VP. Black raspberry, boysenberry, black currant. Maybe some red raspberry?

Palate: Good tannins, though they do not feel in-your-face powerful. They're strong but not overt. Rich flavor, with more of the black raspberry and black currant from the nose. Also cherries and some plum and faint cocoa. Good acidity to balance the sugars; this should be a long-lived Port. Will probably be better in another 5-10 years as the tannins continue to integrate.

Score: 92 points. Really still too young to drink, but it's past being called a baby. It's also lacking any of the turmoil that you'd normally find in a VP that you refer to as a "teenager" though, so perhaps it's a young adult?

I've got one decanting now. Will report back on how it is.


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At 20, they are no longer referred to as teenagers.

Nice note, although I honestly did not understand what you meant by: " It's unusual enough for me to drink a VP this young that it looks like an LBV to me."

Also, while I know you really like age on VPs, I believe this is already very approachable. Will it improve from here? Definitely.

But imo, it can also be enjoyed today. It is not like most Ports where one warns others from opening their bottles now. This is delicious as is and an excellent "cellar defender" especially given the price and 20 years of age. Sure I'd like to drink it with another decade of bottle age, but that's what the 1987 is for.

Roy Hersh wrote:Nice note, although I honestly did not understand what you meant by: " It's unusual enough for me to drink a VP this young that it looks like an LBV to me."

Just that, because I don't often drink VP in this age range, anything I've drunk that has this particular color and density was most likely an LBV. Younger VPs, which I do enjoy drinking, are generally opaque, while older VPs generally don't still have quite this purple tone. So to my eye it appears to be an LBV because that's what I drink that best fits the visuals.

I knew that was going to throw someone for a loop when I wrote it, but couldn't figure out how else to say it.

Ok, I think I understand now.

Thanks Glenn. I honestly did not get it, the part about the LBV.

Bottom line, I really liked your impression / tasting note on this one!