For The Love Of Port

I thought I'd share an amusing experience, and one which I learnt an expensive lesson from.

When I opened and decanted the Quinta do Noval 1963 that I recently posted a tasting note for, I had already opened and was drinking a glass of Hermitage La Chappelle 1997. This was a lovely fruity wine which still has a pretty formidable tannic structure. My wife and I had been enjoying this wine with a meal we had just finished.

I opened the port, decanted it and - because of some of the things that I have read recently about some of the '63s being a little fragile - I decided to take an immediate tasting note so that I could track the development of the port over a few hours.

Once I had taken the tasting note, I tidied up and put the QdN bottle on my shelf of "special bottles" and went through to the living room. I found there the remains of my glass of La Chappelle and about a quarter of the bottle left by my wife for me to finish off.

I took one sip of my wine glass....and it was awful My wine had turned to vinegar! It was thin and sour, tasting barely better than juice from unripe cranberries only much more dilute than that. It was just horrible.

So as my wife spent the rest of the evening finishing the bottle, I found that I had learnt my lesson. Don't drink port and then go back to table wine.

I did manage to finish off my glass after I had let my palate settle for around half an hour, but it was a painful and shocking experience.

Alex

Having spent five 3-5 hour long sessions at a large wine festival where France was the focus, but over a half dozen Port producers participated ... I find your post wonderful.

I frequently go from Port to table wine but I find that I need to recalibrate my palate when doing so ... usually I go to Champagne/Sparkling wine or German Riesling to do the trick. After that, red wine is no issue. Maybe 'cause I have done this for so many years? Maybe I have no palate anyway.

Sorry, very much the wrong place,

but what is your view on the La Chappelle? By the formidable tannic structure would you advise against it just yet? I've got 1/2 a case in storage and was wondering whether to get it out this year. RP said it was pretty impregnable, but both the Wine Soc and JR have brought forward their drinking windows on this one, saying it has a bit less than seemed originally promised.

As I've only 6 bottles I can't really afford a pre-window "taster" bottle if it is not ready yet. I only do that when I have 12.

Rule bender!

Stuart

I'll PM you a reply to make sure we don't upset Roy too much.

:)

Alex

are you kidding, I am having that wine on Thursday of this coming week. Please do share here!

I didn't see your reply until I had already sent my PM to Stuart. However, what I said was, in essence, that it was a very enjoyable wine with food but much harder work without.

The tannins are still mouth-puckering but the wine has bags of fruit. I reckon that this will be more to my taste in a couple of years time.....but then we have already established on this forum how personal tastes can be.

Alex

Thanks Alex,

Here are the wines we'll be having that night ... yeah breaking my own rule...YIKES.

1. Michael Gordon - '92-'94 JL Chave, Doisy Vedrines
2. Scott Gruner - 1998 Delas Hermitage Bessards + Doisy Vedrines
3. Hal Blumberg -1996 Pol Roger Brut + 1998 Gerin Champin Le Seigneur Cote Rotie
4. Ed Murray - N.V. De Meric Ay Catherine de Médicis 95, '89 La Chapelle
5. Mark Lacey (VEGAN/eats Fish) 96 Cliquot Gr. Dame, '98 Guigal Brune & Blonde
6. Brad L. - 1998 Jamet Cote Rotie + Lafaurie-Peyraguey
7. Jeff Twersky - La Tour Blanche + '94 Chapoutier Le Pavillon
8. Erik Kleven - '97 Jaboulet La Chapelle + 2001 Suduiraut
9. Glenn Abe -
10. Jody Merrill - 1992 Chapoutier Le Pavillion + 2001 Nairac
11. Brad Merrill - 1995 Chapoutier Cote Rotie Mordoree + Lafaurie Peyraguey
12. Roy Hersh - 1998 Jaboulet La Chapelle + 2001 Guiraud

I've dug out the TN for you.

1/3/06 - superb nose of blackcurrant filling the room on decanting. 2 hours later nose was full of fruit and very inviting. Sweet in the mouth with strong tannins. Modest length aftertaste. Very good wine. 89/100

Presumably the theme was Champage, Rhone and Sauteurnes?

Alex

Roy Hersh wrote:... yeah breaking my own rule...YIKES.

Bad, bad, Roy! I think I am going to call my buddies and have them deal with you accordingly :twisted:

Roy - I can't believe you barred me from posting my PX offer on the Marketplace and then you do this - have you had too much port????

Derek

Roy Hersh wrote:Rule bender!

I didn't KNOW there was a rule, but I guessed there was, hence the:

My justification is that Rhone is the best dry table wine to have during a meal where port will follow, hence the necessary diversion to facilitate good port appreciation.