1983 Cockburn Vintage Port -- for Valentine's Day

[Richard Henderson]

This wine was referred to in the optimum number of bottles post.
I did replace the 3 bottles I traded with 6 from Rare Wine as the Valentine's present. The beloved was most happy and I promised never to trade any port ever again.

That said, this is is superb port.

It did not get the long decant time just a couple of hours ( We will try it again tonight).

Rich aromas of mint, caramel, black pepper, allspice, cooked blueberries.

and

The taste!!

One of my fond child hood memories was eating my mother's blueberry pancakes. She would buy a can of stewed blueberries, separate some of the berries and syrup and put the rest of the berries in pancake batter.
These were browned on a griddle and served with butter and the heated syrup with more berries. The butter, berries, syrup warm crisp edged pancakes were just perfect and I would eat until stuffed.

This port had all of those flavors described . A little like cake and berries and warm butter. Long finish. Great stuff.

[Andy Velebil]

The taste!!

One of my fond child hood memories was eating my mother's blueberry pancakes. She would buy a can of stewed blueberries, separate some of the berries and syrup and put the rest of the berries in pancake batter.
These were browned on a griddle and served with butter and the heated syrup with more berries. The butter, berries, syrup warm crisp edged pancakes were just perfect and I would eat until stuffed.

This port had all of those flavors described . A little like cake and berries and warm butter. Long finish. Great stuff.

Richard,

This may be a bit off topic but your description raised memories of my grandmother doing the exact same thing.
Thank you for sharing!

BTW, please do post back after you try it again tonight...maybe after some late night pancakes

[Richard Henderson]

I have posted before in port notes that childhood memories of huckleberry pies and jams, wild blackberry cobblers, and now the blueberry pancakes and those flavors show up in VP.
Without getting into a Fruedian analysis, I think that when I contemplate the flavors of VP, palate memory of those flavors from childhood is triggered.

That said, the Cockburn today has had all alcohol blow off. The bouquet and flavors are of the wild blackberry cobblers my mother and grandmother made. They would pour sugar over the ripe berries and place strips of Crisco crust over the berries . A little butter and cinnamon and sugar on top of that and bake. A little whipped cream or vanilla ice cream on top of that.....
The Cockburn is now evoking those flavor memories. It really makes sense. Those were intense wonderful flavors and they were tasted with the same taste buds. The same places are being stimulated today.
And port is truly a "comfort" beverage.
I also note all of my 5 siblings love port and they all had similar taste experiences from our childhood.

[Al B.]

Are you two guys completely sure you know for certain what your grandmothers put into their blueberry pancake mix? Can you be totally certain that those blueberries were really stewed in syrup...and not syrup flavoured with something else?

Didn't it ever strike you as odd that once you had eaten the pancakes and drunk the "milk" you were given that you then slept soundly for the rest of the night? Or did you just assume that was because you had eaten so much?

Perhaps you were both introduced to VP at a far younger age than you realise......

[Roy Hersh]

Except for a few errant corked bottles I have always loved the Cockburn's VP from this vintage. Thanks for the intriguing descriptors from your youth. How about the mouthfeel and tannins and any other sensorial notes you can provide now that you've had the wine enough to get to know it inside and out. This was a wine that I pegged and touted early on as one of the greats from the vintage. It was one of my earliest case buys. I want to hear more from someone whose palate I trust. Thanks Rich!

[Richard Henderson]

Roy,

Thanks for the kind words, but I wing it on these descriptors. I have read yours and some other wine gurus methodologies on tasting evaluations and it is a bit daunting to me.. :?

That said, winging it, the intitial nose had the alcohol from the fine brandies used that Victoria and I like so much. It was very smooth on entry, no major evidence of heat. Coated the whole mouth with intense pleasant flavors of buttery cooked blueberries and pie crust, cinnamon, licorice , cassis. Very smooth.
I think you have written that you look for balance of fruit and tannins. (After 24 hours , the tannins were all but gone and a little bit the worse for it but still very good)This port is balanced. There are enough tannins and fruit to say it has decades left to evolve.
It is a "darker" style than my favorites Graham and Taylor. Not as sweet. A little more of the licorice and cassis flavors. Slightly but pleasantly dry finish that lasts about a minute. I felt myself salivating slightly as I called the sensations to conscious memory!!!