For The Love Of Port

I bought a bottle of KEO St. John Commandaria tonight. Very nice wine for $30. The alcohol level is 15%.

Does this wine have spirits added to it and what is the shelf life of the wine in the fridge? Thanks in advance!

If I had any idea, I would ask if you mean before or after opening the bottle. But I don't know either way.

Interesting stuff. I may have to look this one up in one of my wine encyclopedias. For now, I just read this:
https://www.wine-searcher.com/regions-commandaria

Sounds like it will last a good while. And it sounds like something I would like to try some day.

Eric Menchen wrote:If I had any idea, I would ask if you mean before or after opening the bottle. But I don't know either way.

Interesting stuff. I may have to look this one up in one of my wine encyclopedias. For now, I just read this:
https://www.wine-searcher.com/regions-commandaria

Sounds like it will last a good while. And it sounds like something I would like to try some day.

After opening the bottle. I drank the first bottle in about 10 days and the flavor wasn't affected. Bought a second bottle of the KEO St. John's and I'd like to get Aes Ambelis next.

If you have access to the wine, I'd recommend getting some. Very sweet.

Is this fortified? I see different versions.

Eric Ifune wrote:Is this fortified? I see different versions.

I'm not sure, which is why I posted originally.

The KEO looks, smells, and tastes fortified, and I've kept two bottles open for at least a week without any or much discernible change. But 15% seems on the lower side to me, in comparison to port and Madeira.

If it's similar to sherry or marsala in shelf life, it would a month at best.

Eric Ifune wrote:Is this fortified? I see different versions.

If you look at the blurb on CellarTracker for Commandaria, the description of the making of the wine, it says that (it seems that) it is generally fortified. The alcohol levels that I've seen over the years have not been far from 15-16 percent, but to achieve that in a hot region there might be enough alcohol loss to require fortification. Perhaps it's up to the judgment of the cellarmaster.

By the way, Eric, I'm in the market for some of the Solera 1947 (what is called on the label 'Vintage 1947', but is not.) I think most of it is in Europe, so it's hard to find here and really too expensive for what it is. It's the sort of thing that you either love it or you hate it. I confess I love it, and have a hard time leaving my hands off it. Have you or any other FLOPters seen any for sale? I'd like to get about 3 bottles.