April 2009: Last Bottle Standing

[Derek T.]

Dig out those lone bottles from the cellar guys

I just looked at my cellar list and found that I have 37 bottles that qualify for this month's VT

[Frederick Blais]

Thank you Derek for starting this. I'll look what I have but obviously I have a lot too. I'd like people to explain their choice too and where that bottle came from/history behind. Should have a few nice stories!

[Glenn E.]

The 1997 Romariz VP that I was going to open for this never showed up - the auction house says that the bottle was never delivered to them, so they never charged me for it and cancelled the sale. And I drank my other "last bottle" that I really wanted to open - a 2003 Smith Woodhouse - last month. So I'll put mine up for a vote.

There's a story behind each of these bottles, too, though some are better than others. :)

1963 Royal Oporto VP
1963 Romariz Colheita
1977 Dow VP
1977 Royal Oporto VP

I have other singles, but for one reason or another don't want to open them just yet. I'm personally leaning toward the '63 Romariz Colheita, but any of these would do.

[Carlos Rodriguez]

Nice theme. I do have some to choice. What do you think about:
Sandeman Vau 1999
Calem Quinta da Foz 1997
Don Pablo 1994
Which one you do prefer ear about?

[Glenn E.]

Carlos, I'd like to hear about the Sandeman Vau Vintage. I've seen those in stores before, but have never tried one so it would be interesting to hear what you think.

[Carlos Rodriguez]

Carlos, I'd like to hear about the Sandeman Vau Vintage. I've seen those in stores before, but have never tried one so it would be interesting to hear what you think.

O.k. Glenn, Sandeman Vau 1999 is been this month choice. You'll see my impresions soon (this week, or may be next week).

At the end, are you going for the Romariz Colheita 1963? With an old Royal Oporto VP (from the 70's, yes, for me that is old), I bought few years ago here in Valencia. I did have a very bad experience. The port inside the bottle wasn't that it was writen in the bottle. Frist impresion was already extrange. The IVP label did looks newer than the bottle. Ones opened, the cork also looked new, and at the end the wine wasn't the Royal VP.

[Glenn E.]

Yes, I'm probably going to open my Romariz Colheita. I tasted it once in Porto and liked it a lot, so that is why I purchased this bottle.

Since making my post I have found a different purpose for my 1963 Royal Oporto, so that one isn't available for the Virtual Tasting. It (and the 1977) does look like a real Royal Oporto bottle and label to me, but I don't have much experience with R.O. so I don't know for sure.

I'll probably open the Romariz next week also... I look forward to your TN!

[Carlos Rodriguez]

Hi Glenn, don't worry about your Royal's VP. Mine was purchace in Spain and I don't think U.S. Wine Wholesalers are as deceitful as spanish ones. Also when I went to the Wine Shop they didn't have any problem to change it to me for any other wine they did have, at least they did the proper thing.

[Andy Velebil]

1991 Quinta do Noval Vintage Port

The only bottle of this I have, and the only one I've ever seen. Not sure why, but seems this vintage of Noval isn't exactly an easy find in the market place. I've never seen or even heard anyone ever talk of this bottling, not even so much as a tasting note until I asked here on the forum recently. So what better bottle to chose for this months Virtual Tasting...ok, and a little birthday celebration too

Been sipping this for the last few hours and its held steady during that time. A VP that still has a mix of some young fruit yet noticable secondary flavors emerging. Lighter in weight than others from this vintage, yet by no means thin. A bit tough on the palate as it flirts between the young fruit and those secondary flavors. The tannins show up late and are quite soft for such a young VP. But where it fails is in its complexity and finish, it just isn't there. While I don't think this has peaked quite yet and has a few more years to go, I don't think it will get much better with more age. Without the tannins and complexity and with the lighter body, I fear this will lose the freshness that is holding it all together at its current stage. I'd recommend to start drinking them now and over the next 4-5 years to catch it at it's best. 87 points
04/16/09

[Al B.]

1966 Fonseca vintage port

This was a lone bottle sitting at home and waiting to be drunk. This bottle was given to me as a present a few years ago and has been sitting at home since then waiting for the right time to open it. I decided that today was the right time. The bottle has been open for slightly more than an hour.

Initially very pale in colour but gained in weight very quickly until 10 minutes after decanting this was a gorgeous deep red.

45 minutes after decanting the nose was warm and rich, full of juniper berries and meat juices, just inviting a taste to be taken. Quite light in texture, quite dry in the mouth but full of flavour that takes its time in developing into the full panoply of what it can offer. No tannins visible but plenty of ripe acidity supporting the mature, leathery fruit. An astonishing aftertaste, huge and so incredibly long; tart cranberries and that delicious juniper streak. Simply delicious, a magnificent flavour and promising much for a few hours time. 94/100. Drunk 18 April 2009.

[Frederick Blais]

Ok during the Easter week-end I did open 2 bottle of Port. I did not take notes so this is simply impressions

Offley 1997 Still saturated ruby color, some alcohol on the, sharp on the palate, good volume, tannins are mostly melted, most of flavours are still young primary fruits, a little of dry fruit and figs on the finish. I did enjoy this, should be pleasant in 5 years to revisit.

Dalva 1952 White Colheita It was to celebrate my uncle retirement and he is born in 52. As usual, after 15 mins in the glass, this stuff is just incredible. Intense, complex and soooo long! All the family did crave that stuff, my uncle had to hide the bottle at one point.

[Carlos Rodriguez]

Hi Glenn,
It hasn't been possible to open the Sandeman this month (working, traveling). But as soon as I get back home (midle-end next moth), I'll open it.

[Glenn E.]

Hi Carlos,

I plan to open the 1963 Romariz Colheita tonight and then enjoy a glass with Roy tomorrow night to give him a proper send-off for the Fortification Tour. I'll post a TN later this week... probably on Thursday or Friday.

[Carlos Rodriguez]

Hi Glenn,

Enjoy it!! Luky you, that you can. I don't have any day off, untill I go to Singapore this weekend. I'll see what they've around there. I'll be back in 3 weeks time.

[Andy Velebil]

Carlos,
Have a great trip and I hope you find some nice bottles while you are there.

[Glenn E.]

My one and only bottle of 1963 Romariz Colheita seemed like the perfect drink for the April VT.

I opened the bottle shortly after noon to drink at around 7:00 pm with Roy. Turns out the decant time was a grave error. To be fair, the Romariz was the 4th glass of the night, following a '95 Trockenbeerenauslese, a 2007 Kopke VP cask sample, and an Alambre 20-yr old Moscatel de Setubal. It was followed by a Kopke 40-yr Old Tawny Port. That's pretty tough company, and I think the Moscatel and 2007 Kopke helped reinforce the impression that the Romariz was lacking.

1963 Romariz Colheita
bottled in 1997

Faintly cloudy in the glass. Medium dark tawny, more brown than red.

The nose smells faintly of stewed tomatoes, but is otherwise so subdued that it's hard to smell anything. There's a little bit of alcohol, but not in a medicinal way. There is possibly a very faint madeira-like smell there, but that may just be my nose tonight due to the other drinks.

Smoothly sweet in the mouth, some heat, some almond paste and vanilla, and possibly some coffee. There's not much there, which I blame on it being in a flight with some very powerful drinks. Roy thinks it has just closed down.

Some light grape stem in the finish, which is mildly warm and otherwise pretty nondescript.

-----

Earlier in the afternoon, the nose smelled of oak, cinnamon, and honey. The mouth was impressive though not explosively powerful and showed sweet spices, vanilla, oak, and honey. What a difference several hours can make! If you have a bottle of this, DO NOT DECANT. Pop it open, pour your glasses, drink and enjoy. Even 5-6 hours in the decanter is too many... it should be consumed immediately for best results.

[Carlos Rodriguez]

Carlos,
Have a great trip and I hope you find some nice bottles while you are there.

Thank's Andy,
I just came back and it 's been o.k..

[Carlos Rodriguez]

Glenn, sorry about the delay, but at the end I opened the bottle.

Sandeman Vau vintage 1999

1 hour after opening
Dark, opaque and alive colour. With a small clear edge. Some purple notes. You can see is a young VP. It's very dense. The smell to red matured fruits concentrate, it is closed. The taste quite sweet, alcoholic and astringent. You can feel the vintage classic aroma, but we have to wait until this VP become drinkable.
3 hours after opening
The smell has won complexity, now isn't so fruity, but it has some mulberry notes. In mouth begins to be opened but still needs more time.
5 hours after opening
The smell has lost his alcohol and these good vintage aromas that was hiding has come out. In mouth ended up been astringent. It begins to have harmony on the whole. With a long and agreeable posttaste. It still needs more time.
7 hours after opening
Now is softer, it's still rough.
11 hours after opening
Nearly the same than 7 hours after opening.

I did enjoy it. It needs to be opened at least 6-7 hours before to drink it. But it have something that it doesn't convince me. Maybe the astringent, rough flavour. Anyhow I would drink it again.