August Virtual Tasting : Get something different

[Frederick Blais]

As mentionned earlier this week, this is the 3rd year of activity of FTLOP forum. To celebrate this milestone and the diversity of Port education this forum is providing, I thought as no suggestion came, that we could aim to make an effort and increase that diversity.

Here I don't ask you to break the bank, but find a bottle that too many times you've pass in front of it and for wathever reason you never were tempted to buy, if quality was not an issue.

For exemple, I'll be trying Andresen white 10 yo. For 25$ or so I'm always tempted to buy something else, but this product should be interesting, especially that we don't talk too much about aged white yet on the furum.

I hope to read your comments during this month VT.

Cheers

[Roy Hersh]

I like the theme and will have to seriously consider what I have hidden downstairs that would fit. Maybe another experiment with '66 Moreira Colheita? Always interesting ... after 2 weeks in the decanter that is ... not before.

Thanks Fred for this volunteer work you do on behalf of Port lovers everywhere!

[Derek T.]

I got "something different" ast week without even knowing about the anniversary or this theme.

I was in Virginia on holiday (vacation) with the family and picked up a bottle of Delaforce "Curious and Ancient" 20 yr old Tawny. I have never seen this in the UK so it was definately "different" for me.

This is a very thick and sweet wine and not really to my taste. It was a nice nightcap each night on my holiday but not something I would buy again. Sorry for the lack of detail but I did not take a tasting note.

I will try to find something else that is different and post again this month.

Derek

[Kris Henderson]

I'm not sure if this is something different but it does fly under the radar a little bit. I was browsing through a local wine shop looking for something interesting to open for the 3rd anniversary of FTLOP. Sitting next to the 1980 Smith Woodhouse Vintage Port were two bottles of 1999 Quinta do Portal Vintage Port. It was a total impulse buy but they seemed to be fairly priced and I remembered reading some good press on them so figured it was a safe bet.

The 1999 Quinta do Portal Vintage Port is a very dark red that is nearly opaque. The nose is moderately complex with aromas of cinnamon, cherry, and black berry. On the palate it is medium to full body with lower acidity and ripe firm tannins that are starting to integrate. The finish is persistent and warm with hints of cherries and other fruit. A very solid Port that will likely improve over the next decade or two. I'll try to save my remaining bottle for at least 10 years but this tastes so good, the likelihood of that happening is slim. A solid 92 - 93 points.

[Andy Velebil]

2001 Quarles Harris LBV Port

For over a year I've seen this sitting on the shelf at my local Trader Joe's market. Always wondered if it was good or not, but even at $13 I've always passed it by for some reason. I guess the time was right thanks to this thread. For those not familar with Quarles Harris, it's owned by the Symmington's (Dow, Vesuvio, etc).

This is a filtered LBV and the back label makes it clear that no decanting is needed. The color is a consistant dark purple and what I'd expect from an LBV of its age. A very appealing and soft nose of plums and blueberries which is also what I'd expect from a filtered LBV. Its a light-medium bodied Port that is fairly straight forward with plums, licorise, and some dates that don't quite balance out the heat. There is still a touch of unresolved tannins present that help give it a lift. But a clipped finish is its major draw back. Overall, this an easy drinking LBV that for $13 is a decent QPR. Nothing flashy here, and it probably won't appeal the serious Port connoisseur, but this bottle is a decent straight forward bottle of Port. 84 points
08/07/08

[Derek T.]

I have only ever seen VP from Qualres Harris - that sounds like a very good value port for $13.

[Andy Velebil]

I have only ever seen VP from Qualres Harris - that sounds like a very good value port for $13.

Its been in the fridge for a bit and that has helped tone down the alcohol a bit, allowing the fruit to show more. It is a decent QPR for a daily drinker that won't break the bank.

[Todd Pettinger]

I've also never tried a Quarles Harris Port of any type, and since FLOP was turning "3" and this port has a "3" at the end of its year... QH is definitely something different to me.

Quarles Harris Vintage Port – 1983
A light, feminine style VP. The instant the bottle was opened there was a delicious aroma of cherries, strawberries and raspberries released. The cork crumbled upon opening and I had to extract the lower quarter of it from the neck of the bottle with a small, thin knife blade.

A light garnet colour with signs of medium aging, the edges were bricking and the meniscus was clear with quick-running tears when the glass was swirled.

The palate was dominated by light maraschino cherries, with some raspberries and strawberries as supporting flavours. A thin mouthfeel completed the supporting evidence that this is a lower-tier producer, not a blockbuster by any means, but nice. Some spicy zip was noted after a few hours of decanting (white pepper perhaps.)

Some acidity was noted initially which gave a bit of indigestion later on in the evening, but this is typical for me with ports and wines that have higher levels of acidity. The next day, the acidity and spice were the more prevalent notes in the wine, but it did stand up okay as an accompaniment to BarBQed lamb with herbed garlic rub.

I would buy this Port again but would only do so for shorter term drinking as I got the impression that this may be at or nearing its best. 25 years for a lower tier VP is pretty decent. Because it has the words “Vintage” and “Port” together on the label and last I checked, I was still in Canada, this VP is probably a bit over-priced at $70Cdn, so I would choose a lot of other bottles over this one.

Final verdict: not a blockbuster, but not too shabby.

86 pts

[Todd Pettinger]

This is one I have tried before but have passed on the rest of this year as I found it was not to my liking as much as the 1995 version of the same LBV. So it qualifies as "different"...
Warre’s Late Bottled Vintage Port – 1999 [bottled in 2003]
Unfiltered; driven cork.

The last time I tried this I didn’t find it great. Certainly not as good as the 1995 Warre’s LBV that I had sampled recently before trying the 1999. Perhaps it is just the fact that I have drank few good Ports over the past couple of months, or perhaps it is the fact that six months (nearly) has gone by, but the last two bottles of 1999 LBV by Warre’s has been very good – much better than my mind gives credit for.

Still with an abundance of grapes, cherries and cocoa in the palate and nose, this LBV seems to have progressed to the point where I spent an evening with it and over 4-5 hours, consumed the entire bottle. This is the mark of a good LBV that has the potential to be great. When I can’t put the bottle down and make excuse after excuse to revisit it over the course of a few hours, it a good sign to me that it is great juice that deserves a place in the cellar, even if just for a couple of months or years.

91+ pts

[Roy Hersh]

I'm looking back at Fred's post and he never mentioned that it had to be a Port. I am going to open one of those bottles of Jose Maria de Fonseca Moscatel de Setubal 20 year old bottlings. Of course there will more than likely be a Port too.

[Andy Velebil]

1982 Sandeman Vintage Port

I'm on fire this VT with two TN's. I found this 375ml bottle of 1982 Sandeman, which had some slight signs of past seepage, yet the fill was still well into the neck. Since the price was right, and with the assurance that if the bottle was bad I could take it back, I bought it. Don't see many 1982's in the market place and even fewer TN's on them. I can't recall from memory ever having a 1982 VP before. It wasn't exactly the best of years and from what I've read only a handful did a decent job making a VP. I just decanted it, so I'll be back to put a full TN later tonight after it had a chance to decant and I've finished my evaluation of it. But for now...Interesting in that the capsule is actually more of a 1/2 capsule. I've seen these short capsules on Sandeman's from the 70's and early 80's. Not sure the reasoning behind them, but I'd love to find out. With a lot of careful Ah-So work, the cork came out in one piece. And while fully saturated was still in good shape for an old 1/2 bottle, with the branding still visible. More later

here is the TN:
Finally finished this after slowly sipping on it for the past 8 hours. Although the color got a very tad bit darker, it was still only a dark ruby with some bricking evident. The nose had soft sweet strawberries and bing cherries yet was a bit simple and showing some heat. The palate picked up some body as it got air and a significant amount of heat mellowed a lot. The tannins were fully resolved on a light weight body of simple cranberries. This really never got past its one-dementional self and the hollow back palate was consistant throughout the time I drank this. It ended with a short and simple finish. I'd love to try this from a 750ml bottle to see the difference, as IMO these older 1/2 bottle VP's show a lot more age than their larger brothers. Although I honestly don't think it will be that much better. While I valued the experience in trying it, I won't buy another one unless its at a great price for a daily drinker. 85 points.
08/15/08

[Todd Pettinger]

Making up for missing a couple of months of VTs, I am on my third TN for "Something Different." This bottle definitely classifies as something different for me because I have never had a Port by this shipper. I speak of course, about the

Niepoort Ruby Port [NV]

For a class of ports considered to be the lowest of the bunch, I wasn’t expecting a whole lot from this Ruby. But since Niepoort is not seen much of in the market I am in, I decided to pick one up to sip on over the next few days while I am on call. (I didn’t want to waste a bottle of a good LBV or VP sitting out over multiple days where I could not enjoy it as I would like to, as when I am on call, the whole world screeches to a halt for a week. Note: as I typed this note I was paged for the fourth time this evening and dispatched on yet another “the sky is falling” incident.”)

Pop ‘n pour, this port showed excessive amounts of spirit in the nose and I was bracing myself for a harsh ride. When I finally found the courage to sample the spirited port, a wonderful floral and fruit bouquet awaited. Showing no signs of the excessive nose, the spirit seemed quite nicely integrated and I was pleasantly surprised.

There are a lot of people that rate Niepoort’s Ports very highly, and as I have never tried one yet, my expectations were high, although I was prepared to be disappointed by the Ruby. Surprising good, this ruby had a more complex nose than I have ever experienced on a “plain ruby Port” with grapes, cherries, a touch of blackberries and vanilla, cedar and chocolate near the end. A pleasant Port, it has a short, crisp, clipped finish but leaves me mouthwatering and wanting more.

In the end, a very, very good ruby offering, one which will replace Graham’s Six Grapes as a household sipper if the local shop that carries this can keep it in stock.

***I own a single bottle of the Niepoort 2000 VP, the only other bottle I have seen in the Edmonton market aside from the ’91 magnum I was going to buy a few months back but never got around to. This experience with the Ruby has enlightened me enough to really want to open up that bottle and I would after I am off call, if not for the fact that it is FAR too early to be opening a 2000 VP of the stature that would entice Roy to include the 2000 Niepoort VP in his Top 12.***

Todd

[Todd Pettinger]

Wow, four TNs for one month's Virtual Tasting... this has to be some sort of record! Yet again, another producer whom I have never tried. For once, the local distribution system is working in my favour for a VT... weird.
Quinta do Infantado Ruby Port [NV]

Infantado is yet another Port producer that I have heard of but never seen locally before. With glowing recommendations from the owner of deVine Wines as "the best Ruby I have ever tasted, particularly when you consider the QPR," I was sold - I had to try it.

Had I not recently had the Niepoort Ruby for the first time just days ago (TN here) I would have had to agree. For a "simple Ruby Port" it is extremely good, complex with a medium body and full mouth-feel. Fruit forward as expected with a Ruby, it speaks volumes about rich grapes, some cherries, raspberries, red currants and in the background I sense a touch of smoke, earth and possibly even aged leather.

While it lacks the chocolate in the end palate that the Niepoort has (and that I absolutely love) it is a very nice Ruby that, also like the Niepoort, rivals many LBVs. While the QPR is still not as great as some LBVs, at $20Cdn, this is a very solid Ruby offering that I will definitely return to again and again.

[Glenn E.]

2001 Baro Waldbott Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos

I have had this beauty before, but thought I'd get another bottle for the August VT.

A rich golden hue in the bottle becomes a paler in the glass, almost becoming yellow. The wine has good legs without being viscous - its consistency is about that of a good German Auslese.

Very strong honey on the nose, backed up by peaches and - very faintly - some fresh apricots.

The honey completely disappears once the wine is in your mouth, which is strange. The peach smell turns into a not-quite-ripe peach flavor which makes me think instantly of that crunch almost sinewy texture of a peach that's not quite done yet. The honey then returns not so much as a flavor, but as an impression just as the tasting ends and the finish begins.

The finish is fairly short, with some green grape and grape skin making brief appearances.

This is good juice, and I have enjoyed it refrigerated on warm summer afternoons and also during dinner with chicken or light pork entrees.

[Andy Velebil]

Glenn,
Get something different means PORT not that "other" stuff

[Glenn E.]

Hey, he never said it had to be Port!

Don't make me open a 2004 Messina Hof Tawny Texas "port" out of spite... :twisted:

[Andy Velebil]

Hey, he never said it had to be Port!

Don't make me open a 2004 Messina Hof Tawny Texas "port" out of spite... :twisted:

Here's the Queen Mother of them all....I double-dog-dare you to open that Texas port :devil: :twisted:

[Glenn E.]

Now you've done it! And since I'm going to be seeing Roy either tonight or tomorrow, I'm going to subject him to it as well!

Actually, I've had it before and while it isn't Port as we think of it, it's pretty good stuff.

[Andy Velebil]

Give it to him blind and in a Taylor's bottle :twisted:

[Todd Pettinger]

Give it to him blind and in a Taylor's bottle :twisted:

Oh yes... oh YES!!! Please do.. I just HAVE to know the reaction...