I opened this bottle today, July 19, for use later tonight for a dinner party. I'll post changes to the wine as things go. I've also placed a photo of the label below.
July 19, 2008, 2:30 PM - Upon opening, a very healthy deep ruby color. The nose is a bit muted, but does not blast with alcohol, which is a good thing. The initial flavors are prunes and raisins, with not much alcohol on the palate. Not very sweet right now. The wine seems to still be slumbering, so hopefully it will wake up in a good for later tonight. Hopefully it doesn't wake up on the wrong side of the bed!
Thanks John, this is a wine that has been mentioned in threads here lately, so I am sure there will be plenty of eyes on your TN, as it evolve. You've been missed here and I wondered what happened to you! Glad to see you back.
July 19, 2008, 10:00 PM - Finally time for the cheese course and time to serve this wine. There had been a good bit of transformation in the decanter. The nose was much more pronounced, with figs and black fruits coming out. The palate was much changed as well. The sweetness had emerged, although it's not as sweet as many ports that I've had, a little like Dow's profile. The alcohol had emerged and was noticably hotter than when first opened, but not at all unpleasant. The color is still a deep ruby without any signs of bricking.
Overall, this was a very pleasant port that still is on the rise, much better than I had anticipated. I wouldn't expect it to be something that lives for 30 or 40 years, but it still has some good life left. The wine went extremely well with the cheese course. For those interested in what the cheeses were, here's the rundown.
1. Camembert
2. Munster by Gerone from Alsace
3. Grayson by Meadow Creek Farms in Virginia (a strong cheese very much like Liverot
