For The Love Of Port

Decanted 4.5 hrs which was OK. The cork was very wet in the lower 2/3. The lower end of the cork crumbled. Few sediments. Dark red colour, which is impressive being 41 years old. Aroma of a lot of fruits incl. plums. Some minerals and wood in the background. Full body. Powerful and elegant in a wonderful combination. Taste is also including sweet berries, minerals and nice tannins. Touch of old cellar. Long sweet aftertaste. Worth every point in the score. 95 pts.

Rune EG wrote:Decanted 4.5 hrs which was OK. The cork was very wet in the lower 2/3. The lower end of the cork crumbled. Few sediments. Dark red colour, which is impressive being 41 years old. Aroma of a lot of fruits incl. plums. Some minerals and wood in the background. Full body. Powerful and elegant in a wonderful combination. Taste is also including sweet berries, minerals and nice tannins. Touch of old cellar. Long sweet aftertaste. Worth every point in the score. 95 pts.

Do you think it’s mature or has a long life ahead before it reaches maturity?

Here are my notes on a bottle I opened last night. Andy, the wine is definitely fully mature but it will also easily make it to it's 50th anniversary without any problem.

Decanted four hours before service. A nice brick red color that looks healthy. Medium sweet with some alcohol heat, but there's a lot of nice red fruit. It's sort of a spicy Jolly Rancher. At 41 years, it's drinking really well. This wine will definitely make it to 50 years with no trouble.

Hi Andy!
I waited to respond as I had purchased two bottles from a release at the Norwegian wine monopoly, and we consumed the first bottle two days ago.
That was also a very nice bottle. The one I based my tasting note was purchased from a wine trader in Denmark. It had the original cork. The one from the Norwegian Monopoly (according to the official Symington importer) came either direct from Gaia or from Symingtons stock in U.K. But the surprise was that it was re-corked. That bottle had a hint of cork in the aroma, but it did not bother me. Have two more Warre's 1980 in our cellar (one from the trader and one from the Monopoly). Will drink those before buying more.

My plan is to buy more and enjoy them in the state they are at the moment. However, I am not willing to bet money on them having the same quality when they are 60 years old.

Thanks guys. Appreciate your insights of it.

This 1980 Warre's has been a favorite lately as well. Bought 3 in the last 2 years in Porto.

I've seen a lot of recorking from the Symington's Vintage 80, 83, 85 in the last few years in Porto's market.

Frederick Blais wrote:This 1980 Warre's has been a favorite lately as well. Bought 3 in the last 2 years in Porto.

I've seen a lot of recorking from the Symington's Vintage 80, 83, 85 in the last few years in Porto's market.

Symington, like some others, have realized recorking older Ports in their cellars is a good idea. I couldn’t agree more.

I'm ok with producers recorking older bottles that are still in their possession, although topping up with other bottles is potentially dangerous because of the effects from the other cork that was in that bottle However, I don't consider 40-year-old port old enough to be a candidate for recorking.

John Danza wrote:I'm ok with producers recorking older bottles that are still in their possession, although topping up with other bottles is potentially dangerous because of the effects from the other cork that was in that bottle However, I don't consider 40-year-old port old enough to be a candidate for recorking.

I don’t know what age the Symington’s recork, but IIRC Ferreira does it at about the 30 year mark for bottles being stored in their cellars. If memory serves, their reasoning was its the optimum time to do so without having to worry about any corks failing.