During the day I was checking the Fórum,and all I can say is that this could be turned into a whole encyclopedia!
I have a chalenge for each of us...
Basically, it's my work here at the bar but we could imagine this as the selection of Port for a Special Dinner with invited people!
Despite the fact that most of the users turned to discuss here the self called major quality Ports like VP, Colheitas and LBV , I support the idea that all the types are Kings...we only have to find the best ones!
So, enough of cheap talk let's pass to the good stuff!
My Personal Selection:
Normal Whites
-Sweet White -
Quinta de Baldias White ->White Port with more or less 10 yrs, beatifull pale colour and nice aftertaste of fresh flavours from the barrel.
Quinta de Sta Eufémia Fine White - >Very refreshing, with good presence of the Malvasia grape,it's a good everyday White Port.
-Half-Dry
Quinta de Casa Amarela - White ->Excelent half-dry white Port,claimed to have around 10 yrs,nice colour,good flavours of orange and quite unusual texture,like a sirop!Very unusual!
Quinta das Herédias Meio Seco ->Very interesting combination of flavours in this wine, due to the unusual age (18! yrs) and the presence of the wine.Full of character.
-Dry White
Messias DRY OLD PORT ->Good wine from this Portuguese company,with a very good flavour of nuts and wallnuts and a very smooth but intense long finish.
DALVA Dry White ->A very refreshing dry white , with a citric interesting flavour,good presence in the mouth for a young white.
Valriz Leve Seco ->Very curious Port, with 17 % of vol. a young interesting light dry white Port,wich I like as well for the Portonic.
-Extra-Dry
Quinta de Baldias Extra Dry White ->It's the dry version of the sweet mention before, with the same age but it´s for me the driest white Port I ever tasted. Almost like a sherry!
Extraordinary Whites
DALVA Golden White Colheita 1952 -> No comments for this single harvest white Port,already tasted by many users here!
Casa de Santa Eufémia Very Old Reserve White -> An outstanding and superb white port made of a harvest from 1972 with a luxurious presence and complexity in mouth.A wine to chew and that leaves an aftertaste for many many minutes.One of the best Ports/Wines to go with Foie Gras. :o
Ruby and Reserve Ruby(many recognize by Vintage Character altough it's no longer used.)
Quinta do Tedo Finest Reserve ->The Ruby Reserve that came from Burgundy.Excelent by all the angles of analisys,it's a crime to don´t taste this Ruby Reserve.
Quinta do Javali Special Reserve Ruby ->The Boar (Javali) that came from the Douro to conquer us!It's at the moment my very favourite with a warm red summer fruits presence specially in the aftertaste.Just fruit, no alchool.
Quinta da Casa Amarela Reserve Port (Bottled in September 2005) ->A very good entrance of this excelente small producer in the deep red Ports,with a very interesting and catching Reserve Ruby.
Late Bottled Vintages - Young
Quinta da Prelada LBV 2000 (bottled 2004) ->This is the first Port Wine from this newest independant producer, and for my joy it turned my favourite one at the moment.Very elegant and pleasant in the mouth, it has the best aftertaste I ever had in a young LBV.
Quinta do Javali LBV 2001 (bottled 2005) ->Another 4 year LBV,but this one from 2001 with an extremely powerfull first impact flavours.Fruits and fruits and fruits!
Quinta do Tedo LBV 1999 (bottled 2003) ->Altough now it's the 2000 that appears in the market,I'm happy to have kept some bottles of this LBV.
Very smooth,with an unique and particular style.
Late Bottled Vintages - Old
Quinta de Baldias 1987 Tradicional (bottled 1993) - This is one of my favourite jamy LBV.With 6 years in barrel and many more in the bottle "working" with the sediment that it as, I like it with a good cheese.
Valriz LBV 1982 (bottled 1988) - My favourite old LBV,wich as a very rich nose and excelent combination of jam and dry fruit flavours, with a bright "red" colour like a Vintage from the 70's.It has many many many sediment.
Tawny Ports - Without age indication
Quinta de Seara d'Ordens Special Reserve ->This Reserve Tawny makes me believe me, (even more) that I'm a Tawny/Colheitas Fan.Excelnte nose and presente in the mouth.A quality everyday digestive!
Quinta de Santa Eufémia Finest Reserve ->One of the best in this category for me,as good as many 10 yrs Tawny in the market.Nice wallnut flavour.
Romariz Reserva Latina->This is probably, so far, the Tawny Port that perhaps nobody dislike.With a interesting colour,nose and flavour composition,this is a top-rated RT.
Tawny 10 years
PS-This is perhaps the category where I find many favorites,specially due to the high quality 10y T from the small producers.
Casal dos Jordões 10 y ->This is an extraordinary wine.
Believe me.
Perhaps because it is unique and an one of a kind.It's from the onliest Organic(Biological) Port Producer,it as a flavour/nose and specially aftertaste that I DO NOT find in 99% of all Tawnies.
It´s outside the standard flavour for a Tawny Port,despite it's quite dark for a 10y.
Rich peppery flavour, with a special spicy aftertaste.
A wine full of character.
Quinta de Sta Eufémia 10y ->Very smooth and dry finish 10y.With a elegant nose,it's a rich 10y with a very brigth colour.
Quinta de Casa Amarela 10y->This is it!
This is special 10y.With a annual production of less 1 than 1500 bottles this is always a thunder when I taste it.Fullof cinamone and apple jam flavours,wonderfull colour,it's far better that many 20 and 30y in the market.
Quinta do Javali 10y->This Port is the Ferrari of the 10y.It as an wonderfull finish and after it comes back during many minutes.Rich but mostly dangerous!
Tawny 20 years
Quinta do Vallado 20 y ->Silence.Here we are speaking of perhaps my favourite best value for a Aged Tawny.Complex,wild but silky flavours that "rest" in my mouth this is for me an excelent blend full of dry fruits that dances in us during many many long time.
Niepoort 20 y ->This is a respectfull Port.With the presence of the Niepoort's tradition in this kind of Port, this is a very very interesting 20y full of cinamone and chocolate bar flavours.
Ferreira Duque de Bragança ->This one it's by respect of our host, Roy!:P:P:P
Tawny 30 years
Quinta de Santa Eufémia 30 y ->This is an extraordinary wine.Nice and complex combination of the acids while in the mouth,clean and strong aftertaste.
Tawny 40 years
Quinta da Romaneira over 40y ->For a 40 y we always search for the perfection.If that exists !?? I'm sure that this Port it's "her" son.From the Colheitas Specialists Quinta da Romaneira,this is a 40y made of a Colheita from 1935.Wonderfull cocoa,cigar and tofee flavours.Extremely Good!Enormous presence!
Vintages
...
Colheitas
... For this two types I can not make a selection,I need more tasting events and parties to enlarge my available register!
That's it.I will be looking forward to see your critics and, mostly your suggestions.
Many thanks![/i][/b]
