2003 Cockburn's LBV Port

[Rob Hansult]

1/2/2010 No decant - Pop-n-pour. Rich Ruby/Red. Amazingly Concentrated Essence of Black Cherry, Blueberry, Mulberry, Fresh Fruit Syrup Nose. A hint of Coconut (surface yeast in barrel during elevage) is covered by the Fruit as it expands after being open ~ 15 min. Rich, fairly Deep Fruit - all cherry - black, red, & touch of wild cherry on the palate. Rich & taut at the same time. Long flavor, Great balance between the Rich Fruit, Ripe, Medium Tannins & Good Acidity. A lovely Fruit-driven medium-weight beauty! This is a Great Buy from my local shop @ ~ $21 92/100

[Andy Velebil]

Rob,
I want to thank you for joining our growing group of Port, Madeira, and Douro wine lovers, it's great to have you aboard. And also thank you for making your first post a tasting note When you get a chance can you introduce yourself HERE so people can get to know you better.

I am glad this bottle was to your liking, Cockburn's makes some really nice things yet doesn't always get talked about like some other shippers.

[Glenn E.]

Sounds great! Do you know if it is a filtered or unfiltered (aka Tradicional) LBV?

[Rob Hansult]

Sounds great! Do you know if it is a filtered or unfiltered (aka Tradicional) LBV?

I don't remember any filtered/unfiltered designation on the label, Glenn. It hasn't been in bottle very long, and I would think it would be another year or two at least before you would "have to" decant off the sediment other than just for aeration. Even wines that are filtered will throw sediment. I'll probably grab another bottle or two of this - it's such a steal.

I'll let you know when my teeth are purple!

One slightly strange thing I do remember is that it had a short description of the flavor on the FRONT label. "Red & Black Cherry", or some such - curious. Not inaccurate, either. Now There's a first! LOL

[Glenn E.]

It hasn't been in bottle very long, and I would think it would be another year or two at least before you would "have to" decant off the sediment other than just for aeration. Even wines that are filtered will throw sediment.

True enough! But I was asking more because I find that the filtration process alters the texture of the Port, especially in younger ones like a 2003. I have found that filtered LBVs have a very smooth texture in the mouth, probably because most of the fine particles have been removed. An unfiltered LBV will eventually reach that same silky smoothness, but only after a number of years in bottle so that it can throw off the particles as sediment.

Have you ever had the 2003 Taylor LBV (filtered)? If so, how does this Cockburn compare in your mind?

[Rob Hansult]

Glenn,

I agree that filtering can strip any wine of some facets, especially mid-palate, in a small way. Even if a red wine goes into bottle without being filtered there really aren't particles floating around except in unusual cases. Over time compounds combine & precipitate - this is the sediment. Not having produced Port myself - I can't say specifically, and yes, Port has more "stuff" available to precipitate, but this is the case with precipitated sediment in red table wine.

I guess I'm not drinking enough Port - is it any more standard for Port to acknowledge being filtered/unfiltered, fined/unfined than red wine in general - or is this just insider info that people here are privy to?

Haven't had the Taylor '03 LBV yet - but the '01 was beautiful. Certainly a bigger, slightly more concentrated wine than this Cockburn, although about equal, qualitatively. Think I may have scratched a few notes, but don't see 'em handy.

[Eric Menchen]

I guess I'm not drinking enough Port - is it any more standard for Port to acknowledge being filtered/unfiltered, fined/unfined than red wine in general - or is this just insider info that people here are privy to?

VP won't be filtered, just about any ruby will be, and these won't be labeled in the that respect. LBV can go either way, often is labeled to indicate which, but sometimes isn't which becomes the insider info. I recently had a 2000 Quinta do Portal LBV (TN) and forgot to check the label. As I poured out the last bit on day two--oooops! It isn't filtered.

p.s. A driven cork is usually associated with unfiltered and a T-stopper for filtered, but there are exceptions to this.

[Rob Hansult]

Thanks for the info Eric!

[Glenn E.]

That's basically it (what Eric said). There are a few rare exceptions - Graham's Six Grapes being an unfiltered Ruby Reserve, for example - but generally LBVs are the only ones you have to read the label to figure out.

"Filtered" and "Unfiltered" are of course obvious labels. The only other one that I know of is "Tradicional" which means that the LBV is unfiltered. I seem to recall that there was some sort of change to the regulations regarding this labeling fairly recently (possibly in 2005?), but at the moment can't find anything one way or the other. The only problem is that no labeling of this sort is required, so this information is often left off.

The cork does offer a clue, but even then like Eric said it isn't a guarantee. One would hope that no producer would bottle an unfiltered LBV with a t-cork because it would affect aging in the bottle, but unless there's a cost difference there's really no reason (other than re-stoppering convenience) not to use a full driven cork on a filtered LBV.

[Michael Hann]

I seem to recall that there was some sort of change to the regulations regarding this labeling fairly recently (possibly in 2005?), but at the moment can't find anything one way or the other.

Perhaps you are thinking of a "matured in bottle" designation for having matured the LBV in bottle for a time? This is, I believe, now an officially sanctioned label language option under controlled conditions. I think the authorities require that the LBV be matured for at least 3 years in bottle to merit use of this qualification. Some of Warre's LBV sports the "bottle matured" qualification, for example at least some of the 1999 Warre's LBV is unfiltered and bottle matured. I have read that Smith-Woodhouse, too, sells LBV that has been bottle matured and carries the "bottle matured" qualification on its label.

[Roy Hersh]

I have really yet to have a 2003 LBV that I didn't like. Recently I've enjoyed the Niepoort, Noval and just finished a Quevedo. The Quevedo did not say unfiltered but I am pretty sure that was the case, even though I did not detect sediment when pouring into a decanter and back into the bottle.

I am pleased to see so many posts in an LBV TN. Very cool.

[Claus R]

Sounds great! Do you know if it is a filtered or unfiltered (aka Tradicional) LBV?

I don't remember any filtered/unfiltered designation on the label, Glenn. It hasn't been in bottle very long, and I would think it would be another year or two at least before you would "have to" decant off the sediment other than just for aeration. Even wines that are filtered will throw sediment. I'll probably grab another bottle or two of this - it's such a steal.

I'll let you know when my teeth are purple!

One slightly strange thing I do remember is that it had a short description of the flavor on the FRONT label. "Red & Black Cherry", or some such - curious. Not inaccurate, either. Now There's a first! LOL

I just picked up a bottle of this from a discount box ($18,40] in a local wholesale supermarket.
Its definately filtered (just poured it into a decanter through a filter with almost no sediment) and this bottle also comes with a t-stopper.

Funny thing is, that Rob's bottle says "Red & Black Cherry".... Mine says "Intense with Chocolate Notes"

Now, I'm letting this one breathe a bit... then lets see My intial impression from the nose, is that I'm gonna enjoy it

Cheers,
Claus