Event: SAMMAMISH VPS AND TAWNIES TASTING

[Stewart T.]

SAMMAMISH VPS AND TAWNIES TASTING - Sammamish, Washington (5/21/2022)

• 1967 Krohn Vintage Port - Portugal, Douro, Porto
  3.5 hours of decant time. Dark, amber-brown in color with some fine sediment in the glass. There is a ton of spice on the nose along with some very strawberry and light cherry. The full-bodied palate shows black licorice, cherry, and rich spices. There is warm alcohol and cinnamon on the very long finish. (93 pts.)
• 1985 Fonseca Vintage Port - Portugal, Douro, Porto
  Very dark purple with amber on the edge. There is a very pleasant nose of light cocoa powder, black plum, and light herbal notes. The palate is rich, complex, and full bodied with smooth, refined tannins and a ton of fruit still noticeable. This is an outstanding, elegant, expressive wine. (95 pts.)
• 1990 Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port - Portugal, Douro, Porto
  Decanted for 4.5 hours. This wine is medium amber-purple in color. There are some really nice milk chocolate notes, beautiful blue fruits, and boysenberry on the nose. On the palate, there are sweet, smoky notes that mingle with the blueberry and cassis. The flavors and tannins are well-integrated, and it has a long finish. This is one of the best showings of the 1990 Vesuvio that I can recall having. (94 pts.)
• Vallegre Vista Alegre 40 Year Old Tawny - Portugal, Douro, Porto
  Bottled in 2016. Amber-brown in color with orange yellow on the edges. On the nose there is sweet vanilla caramel, light maderized notes, old mahogany, orange spice, and toffee. The palate is light and ethereal, with bright acidity and notes of vanilla cream and caramel. There is a touch of nut skin bitterness on the very long finish. (94 pts.)
• Quinta de Brunheda Cask 51 Very Old Tawny Port - Portugal, Douro, Porto
  Cask sample. Amber-orange in color. There is Lemon Pledge with orange peel on the nose. There are also some interesting notes of whetstone, cement, and new cardboard. The oxidation is noticeable. There are dried fruits, orange spices, and roasted nuts on the palate. Nicely balanced, but the dry finish falls slightly short. I was hoping for a little more richness and complexity in this wine, but those were in short supply. Still, a very interesting, pleasant wine. (93 pts.)
• 2003 Quinta do Portal II Vintage Port - Portugal, Douro, Porto
  Three hours decant time. Dark purple in color with light amber purple on the edges. There is a slightly musty nose on this wine with herbs and some fennel / anise. The funkiness also briefly appears on the palate, followed by big dark fruits and great tannins. The funky notes on this wine remind me of Douro Bake, a condition where wines have been exposed to too much heat during storage. However, once you get through the slight off notes, the underlying wine is rather pleasant. (92 pts.)