For The Love Of Port

2016 Taylor Fladgate Classic Vintage Porto
100 Points, James Suckling: “OMG. This is really the most amazing young Taylor's I have ever tasted. Full-bodied and lightly sweet with super power and intensity. So racy and focused. Yet this has such muscle and intensity. Needs at least eight years to show you everything it has to offer. Drink in 2025.” 5/17.

Zachy's price is $95 per bottle. I think I paid $60-75 for the 2011. Drink in 2025?

What other 100 point wines are less than $100? None that I know of.

But that drinking window, seriously?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

On the 8th of May I bought a 6-pack of the 2016 Taylor's at a whooping 280$ (63$ a bottle).

Seems like a pretty good deal after this news

Andy Velebil wrote:What other 100 point wines are less than $100? None that I know of.

But that drinking window, seriously?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

There are not many american wine critics that give drinking window that makes sense to my palate. But considering that 90% of VP is drunk(appreciated) when it is young in the US, you can refer as now-2025 as the baby phase I guess. But Suckling since he moved to Hong Kong has dramatically increased his scoring system.

Andy Velebil wrote:But that drinking window, seriously?

Yeah, it's a joke. He's pretty much wrong no matter how you like to drink Port.

If you like it young, boisterous, and fruity you'll want to drink it from now until maybe 2021-2023 (5-7 years in bottle). I love VP during this phase, but it doesn't last all that long.

If you like it mature you'll probably need to wait at least 25 years if not 30, so call it 2045 or so. MAYBE as soon as 2037 (21 years old) if you believe that a 100-point wine could be early maturing. I assume that anything with that high of a rating will more likely be late maturing, so while I might try one around 2035 to see how it's doing I wouldn't expect them to be "ready to drink" until 2045 or so. And realistically, it's not likely to peak for at least 10 years after that, and possibly 20.

2025 is likely to be that awkward phase as it's starting to close down for its teenage funk. From then until 2035 I doubt you'll get anywhere near a 100-point experience from it. That's simply bad advice.

Do you think this will still be a "100 point wine" 10-15 years from now when reevaluated? I would be curious to see if the same wine rated at release changed score by the same critic 20 years later like with the 1994 vintage for instance.

Moses Botbol wrote:Do you think this will still be a "100 point wine" 10-15 years from now when reevaluated? I would be curious to see if the same wine rated at release changed score by the same critic 20 years later like with the 1994 vintage for instance.

No. But people, and more so, retailers will still use his TN to try and justify charging a ton more money for it.

My only issues with Suckling is since he left Wine Spectator his score inflation is off the charts. It appears to be a ploy to keep him in the spotlight and relevant since he has no major publication behind him anymore. I typically knock off at least 3-4 points for anything he scores and that puts it back into a normal range for me. I do the same for Wine Enthusiast scores as well, so he's not alone

"Score creep" as it is referred to is a real thing with some wine reviewers in recent years and it needs to stop.

Andy, I think you meant to use the word "relevant".

Suckling has a darn good palate, imo. I have only consumed Port with him a few times .. all before 2000, but from what I witnessed, he was very consistent. But nowadays, he likes to make a big splash with his 100 point scores on yet to be released Vintage Ports. My score on the Taylor was also crazy high, but within the realms of reality and it really IS that good. But 100 points ...

Roy Hersh wrote:Andy, I think you meant to use the word "relevant".

Yes, hadn't finished my morning tea when I typed that.

Another typo, we all know you meant, "Port" ... not tea!

Moses Botbol wrote:Do you think this will still be a "100 point wine" 10-15 years from now when reevaluated? I would be curious to see if the same wine rated at release changed score by the same critic 20 years later like with the 1994 vintage for instance.

And lets make it a blind tasting