For The Love Of Port

[Madeira @ Plumpjack's (San Francisco)]: It is always a pleasure to taste this wine. While there is some bottle variation with this wine and this was not one of the "best" showings. it was still pretty darn fantastic and one of the wines of the night. This was in cask for 108 years before it was put in demi-johns in 1935. This sample came from a bottle with the "block-like" lettering and was bottled some time before the bottles with the "script-like" lettering, which were bottles in 1989 (and are supposedly better). My notes read "Ridiculous complexity. Ethereal, Weight without weight". (96)
4/3/2008

[Madeira @ The Caucus Room (Washington DC)]: The wine of the tasting! Outstanding complexity with a cornicopia of flavors -- orange peel, tea, toffee, nuts, spice and even a hint of a cool menthol streak. Overwhelming depth and length. PROFOUND! (98)
3/10/2007

[Dinner @ The Place (NYC)]: Much better showing than the last time I had it, the 24 hours of decanting probably helped. Explosive nose of caramel, orange zest, lime, mollasses, chocolate and brown spices. Explodes on the palate, totally filling the mouth. Lingers for what seems forever. Profound kaliediscope of flavors. Wow. (97)
4/14/2000

[Madeira @ Patroon (NYC)]: Very light brown. A delicate wine, with nutmeg and other autumn spices in the nose. Chocolate and caramel hints. A wine of lovely balance, and a whiplash finish that goes away and then comes back in waves. A wonderful wine that lacks only intensity, but that’s not so bad when it has this kind of balance. Excellent. (93)
10/6/1999

One can never have this wine too many times and although you and I have had it together several times, each and every experience has been a great treat.

When Peter was in town recently, Chuck Miller brought over a bottle of this which showed beautifully. I was so very enthralled by it, but the 1839 Terrantez was so stunning that even the great 1827 almost was reduced to "also ran." I am getting jaded in my old age.

Life is good when you have the experiences to be able to compare such wines.