For The Love Of Port

Tasted blind in a vertical of Vesuvio. First whiff has spirit and a bit of rubber and stewed fruit. Later, it still has that stewed fruit aroma, along with figs that were fresh and then cooked (as opposed to dried). The flavor has raisin, fresh fig, prune, and dried fig. A big taste was nice, fairly sweet, but overly simple. Guessed to be 1989. 90-91 points.

Very much agree on the baked fruit component. Douro bake? I don't think it will improve. Do you agree?

Had it 2 years ago at Bomfim and rated it at 89 points.

Thomas V wrote:Very much agree on the baked fruit component. Douro bake? I don't think it will improve. Do you agree?

Had it 2 years ago at Bomfim and rated it at 89 points.

It is quite well known about the Douro Bake on these older Vesuvio's. There's a bit of info here on the forum if you search for it. The short version is after the Sym's bought the place they had to store the bottles at the Quinta and there wasn't active cooling so they did get a slow bake those first couple vintages. This being the first vintage it has Douro Bake. It does add a unique component to it in the background. It's also something you don't really see anymore from the region since active cooling now exists in the Douro. Also keep in mind Vesuvio (and the rest of the eastern Douro Valley) didn't get electricity until the mid to late 1970's. Vargellas got it around 1978-ish IIRC. My first visit to Vesuvio there was zero cell phone reception. Even now you have to stand in certain places to get a single bar, maybe two if you're lucky. There's still a rotary dial phone in the house for calls

Thomas V wrote:Very much agree on the baked fruit component. Douro bake? I don't think it will improve. Do you agree?

While there was one or two other bottles at that tasting that made me think, "Hmm, I've had this before and thought it was better; I think this is just a poor showing or off bottle," this was not one of those. I guessed this correctly based on a previous tasting where it was quite similar. I agree with you that this isn't going to improve.

Eric Menchen wrote:

Thomas V wrote:Very much agree on the baked fruit component. Douro bake? I don't think it will improve. Do you agree?

While there was one or two other bottles at that tasting that made me think, "Hmm, I've had this before and thought it was better; I think this is just a poor showing or off bottle," this was not one of those. I guessed this correctly based on a previous tasting where it was quite similar. I agree with you that this isn't going to improve.

This vintage was not highly regarded and most VP's from it are basically fully mature at this point. They may not being going downhill anytime soon, but they generally won't get any better from here on out.