For The Love Of Port

Dear all!

Thinking of restocking on some Tawnies but completely lost focus on Ports.

I'd like to purchase a case each 10yo, 20 yo and maybe a few bottles 40+.

Currently tempted by the Leonardos, price tag 20, 50, 100 for the 10/20/40YO.

Are the common producers a better bet? Graham, Taylor?

Please share your knowledge.

Many thanks

Andy

S. Leonardo and Mourao are the same, just different names in different areas (like Dalva and Presidential, the latter being what Dalva is sold under in the USA).

They are very good Ports at very good prices listed. They aren't the same crazy high quality as older tasting notes reflect, before the brand got more popular. So go by more recent tasting notes on recent bottling years.

At those listed prices I'd have no issues buying them.

Quinta do Mourao is the estate where S. Leonardo (and Rio Bom) Ports are made. We often use them interchangeably for that reason, but as far as I know they don't actually release any Ports under the Quinta do Mourao name. I agree with Andy - those are good prices for those Ports, unless those are in GBP in which case they're around the low end of what I'd consider a normal retail price.

I personally find the smaller producers to be better for Tawny Port than the larger, bigger names, but there are exceptions. Graham's lines of Artisan and Master series Colheitas are very good, as are Taylor's 50 year anniversary releases (almost all of which are old Krohn stock). And, of course, Kopke is probably the biggest name in Tawny Port, and it's for a good reason. You're also not likely to go wrong with Andresen or Noval.

Andreas Platt wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 3:55 pm Dear all!

Thinking of restocking on some Tawnies but completely lost focus on Ports.

I'd like to purchase a case each 10yo, 20 yo and maybe a few bottles 40+.

Currently tempted by the Leonardos, price tag 20, 50, 100 for the 10/20/40YO.

Are the common producers a better bet? Graham, Taylor?

Please share your knowledge.

Many thanks

Andy

Don't sleep on their Whites, Andreas, they're very good as well. I especially like their 30 y.o. White.

White (in EUR):

22/55/110/390/500 for 10/20/40/50/60 years

Andreas Platt wrote: ↑Fri Jan 28, 2022 12:22 pm White (in EUR):

22/55/110/390/500 for 10/20/40/50/60 years

The 10/20/& 30 yo pricing looks on par when you translate to US $. I don't have any experience with pricing for the 50 & 60 yo white.
Keep in mind that the Whites are in 500ml bottles whereas the Tawnies come in 750ml bottles.

How much is the 30 year old? I usually find it almost as good as the 40 for a much less price.

Andreas Platt wrote: ↑Fri Jan 28, 2022 12:22 pm White (in EUR):

22/55/110/390/500 for 10/20/40/50/60 years

That's a price I'd pay for the 10YO White. It's one of my favorites. Looks like the 50 and 60 have gotten more expensive in the last few years, which really isn't surprising as the category gains popularity. Those used to be in the 150-180 range.

I find that I like younger whites better than older ones, with a few exceptions. Once you factor in price there's almost no comparison - a 10YO White or Colheita in the 12-18 range will thrash any older White when you compare value for your money.

Compared to a 40YO Tawny, I get 90% of the enjoyment from a young White for maybe 1/4 to 1/3 the cost (factoring in bottle size).

Eric Ifune wrote: ↑Fri Jan 28, 2022 3:12 pm How much is the 30 year old? I usually find it almost as good as the 40 for a much less price.

Looking at that again, I just realized Andreas listed the 40 yo and not the 30 yo at 110 Euros which is roughly $125 US. That's actually a fantastic price and what I have to pay for the 30 yo in my neck of the woods.

Hey guys,

so it turns out that those Tawny prices mentioned were for the 50cl bottles which makes it less attractive, but still I'm tempted.

I remember to have seen some comments in the past here for Quinta Brunheda - would this be something interesting, too?

No idea, so completely depending on your valued tips.

Thanks

Andy

Andreas Platt wrote: ↑Sat Jan 29, 2022 10:49 am Hey guys,

so it turns out that those Tawny prices mentioned were for the 50cl bottles which makes it less attractive, but still I'm tempted.

I remember to have seen some comments in the past here for Quinta Brunheda - would this be something interesting, too?

No idea, so completely depending on your valued tips.

Thanks

Andy

That would be Blackett in retail. They have a 10, 20, 30 and 40YO Tawny as well as a 10YO White. What you can try if in Douro at the Quinta is a different story.

Thomas V wrote: ↑Sat Jan 29, 2022 3:14 pm

Andreas Platt wrote: ↑Sat Jan 29, 2022 10:49 am Hey guys,

so it turns out that those Tawny prices mentioned were for the 50cl bottles which makes it less attractive, but still I'm tempted.

I remember to have seen some comments in the past here for Quinta Brunheda - would this be something interesting, too?

No idea, so completely depending on your valued tips.

Thanks

Andy

That would be Blackett in retail. They have a 10, 20, 30 and 40YO Tawny as well as a 10YO White. What you can try if in Douro at the Quinta is a different story.

Yep, what Thomas said. When we're talking about various Quinta de Brunheda Ports, we're talking about cask samples that were acquired at the Quinta. Their retail brand is Blackett. The Blackett 40YO Tawny is pretty new... might have been first released in 2021? They didn't have it in 2019 at the Quinta, so either 2020 or 2021.

Many thanks for the multiple answers!

Finally decided to order a few garrafas from Mourao...

Tawny: 10,20,40
White: 10,20,40,50

Looking forward to tasting those, will report once we did.

Cheers

Andreas Platt wrote:Many thanks for the multiple answers!

Finally decided to order a few garrafas from Mourao...

Tawny: 10,20,40
White: 10,20,40,50

Looking forward to tasting those, will report once we did.

Cheers

Don’t want to taint your view, but I’m sure you’ll be very pleased with them. :)

Andreas Platt wrote: ↑Tue Feb 01, 2022 4:05 pm Tawny: 10,20,40
White: 10,20,40,50

I think all of those are excellent, but I'm particularly fond of the Tawny 40 and the White 10 and 50. Those, for me, are above and beyond!

Both Blackett and Sao Leonardo are for me in the tier 1 of blended tawnies with an indication of age. Doesn't hurt they blend in older stuff than needed.

Glenn E. wrote: ↑Mon Jan 31, 2022 5:00 pm

Thomas V wrote: ↑Sat Jan 29, 2022 3:14 pm That would be Blackett in retail. They have a 10, 20, 30 and 40YO Tawny as well as a 10YO White. What you can try if in Douro at the Quinta is a different story.

Yep, what Thomas said. When we're talking about various Quinta de Brunheda Ports, we're talking about cask samples that were acquired at the Quinta. Their retail brand is Blackett. The Blackett 40YO Tawny is pretty new... might have been first released in 2021? They didn't have it in 2019 at the Quinta, so either 2020 or 2021.

I asked the Danish importer a few weeks ago when the Blackett 40YO was released and he said 2021. I was lucky enough to get a sample and taste this wine yet again. A pleasure. It is not as dark in colour that one come to expect of a 40YO tawny and I suspect that they might have mixed in a good bit of old white port. The freshness and lightness of this wine is remarkable. A real treat. Here is what is looks like.