For The Love Of Port

Disclaimer: I’m not much of a tawny drinker and this is my first go at a tawny TN. I’m also drinking this slightly chilled which may or may not be heretical! :twisted: :twisted:

I can’t really judge the colour with artificial light, but I think it has gone tawny to the middle, with only a slight darkening in the centre. The nose is fairly mute with perhaps a little spirit and caramel. In the mouth, it is very simple. Initially there is a soft sugar, with what I can only describe as (and I am slightly concerned to be writing this word in a tawny TN...) a slight strawberry or strawberry ice-cream feeling at the back. This is then followed by a small amount of the heat I associate with tawnies, though this quickly disperses.

This may not appeal to anyone who likes very complex wines but I quite like is as a nicely balanced, easy drinker. Perhaps most telling is the speed at which the bottle is emptying; much faster than previous 10-year-olds have gone!

-Jacob

Nice note, I can imagine tasting it as I read your note!

I suspect that the mute nose and simplicity in the mouth is caused by it being chilled, though that will depend on just how chilled it is. To me, tawnies show best just below room temperature - around 65-70 degrees. Most refrigerators are set closer to 45 degrees, which is refreshing on a hot day but which also closes down the wine.

Let a glass sit and warm up for about 45 minutes and then try it - I suspect you'll find that it is much more complex and tasty!

Jacob,
An outstanding job on the TN In the summer I also like tawny's when they are chilled slightly. It takes a little from the nose, but when its warm out a solid chilled tawny hits the spot for me. As for the strawberries, that can be spot on as younger tawny's and colheita's still can have some primary fruit left. Thanks again for the TN

Thanks for the TN Jacob - I have never had an opportunity to try a Gould Campbell Tawny. :?
This was a good TN and very telling that the bottle is disappearing quicker than any other 10yr you have had

Thanks for the positive comments! :)

Glenn and Andy, I did try some at a warmer temperature. As expected it was slightly stronger on the nose, and the alcohol was more prominent. The complexity increased slightly, too, with a little dark caramel evolving out. However, it still struck me as a straight-forward and simply-executed wine and benefited from that.

Nice TN Jacob and thank you for posting it here.

I wonder how you feel the acidity reacted when you first had the Port and as it warmed up. Was there a noted difference?

Roy, I’m afraid I didn’t notice any change in acidity when it warmed up (though acidity is not something I often think about when tasting Port). With other 10-year-olds, is there usually a large increase?

Like Andy, I also am a fan of drinking Tawny Port straight from my cellar, which is 55 degrees. Then again, it warms up considerably and doesn't take long to do so during the summer months.

As to acidity ... it is an interesting component of wine, as is tannin. Acidity will not increase or decrease in a wine (or Port) even over many years. The amount that the wine is bottled with supposedly never changes ... according to experts who have studied this dynamic. I was very surprised to learn that, years ago, after a discussion ensued when drinking some German Rieslings with a number of winemakers in CA after a day of judging at a wine competition.

What I've noticed about temperature and acidity is therefore empirical rather than scientific evidence. When wine is cold or lightly chilled, the acidity will be MORE prominent in its perception on the palate. Wines, especially those like Port, Madeira, Sauternes etc. with residual sugar... must have a good amount of acidity in order to prevent the wine from seeming fat or cloyingly sweet. It is the acidity which provides balance. As the wine warms up, the perception of the acidity decreases slightly and a dessert wine will be perceived to be sweeter when at room temp. vs cellar temp. Interesting to note this and be aware of it when doing any serious comparative tasting ... as temperature alone can have a significant effect on one's sensorial perception.

Roy Hersh wrote:As the wine warms up, the perception of the acidity decreases slightly and a dessert wine will be perceived to be sweeter when at room temp. vs cellar temp.

So now I know why I prefer my Ports closer to room temp - I've always been a fan of sweeter dessert wines and I'm not fond of prominent acidity. I knew I liked my wines warmer, but couldn't really explain why. Now I can!

Thanks Roy!

Glenn,
I'm the opposite. i really like the acidity to balance things out and it's one of the things I look for in Ports. Thats why I am not a fan of the 2003 Y'quem. It just doesn't have the acidity that the 2001 does, which I love.