For The Love Of Port

Served at 20C, 3 hours after decanting..

Colour: Iodine, dark ale..

Nose: Very hot.. Red Licorice is what most came to mind..

Texture:

Very viscose! More so than the Dow and Smith Woodhouse Ports I've tried thus far..

Velvety.. Very chewy..

Very sweet and smooth from attack to finish (hot on attack, but very smooth on finish..

Accompanying dish: King Edward Blue Stilton.

Good almost immediately after opening, as opposed to the VP's and LBV's I've tried thus far, that only settled down after extended decanting..

I tried it immediately after opening, and 3 hours later, and could discern no change..

Defnately an AFTER dinner drink, and I would think better with an accompanying dish (chocolate or cheese), to offer a dichotomy of flavour, and without which I think I would have become bored with this Port all by it's lonesome.

Not a very complex Port, I thought..

Not like the other Ports I've tried where it was bitter, sweet, sickly-sweet, dry all at once..

This one was sweet, sweet, sweet all the way through..

I'll update this TN tomorrow and see if anything's chnaged after 24 hours..

Someone call the Port Police - there's an Auzzie in the Forum

:)

I had to try it, no?

Can't be a Port snob! lol

Doug,

No problem with you trying it or telling us about the experience - however, previous experience tells me that Mr Hersh will want to move this post to "Other Discussions" as this particular part of the Forum is very much reserved for real port

Derek

:)

It was my first and last Aussy port, I think, if that was among their best..

I don't think Roy is too strict with the definition of "port" for tasting notes on the Port (with a capital "P") forum. I've posted a few tasting notes on South African ports here.

On the whole, I much prefer the proper Ports from the Douro. I have enjoyed the South African ones, which have been decent/good quality, sweet, red, fortified wines and were extremely cheap compared to the real stuff - but they weren't the same.

Roy has said that there are some producers in South Africa who are now using the same grape varieties as are grown in the Douro and I look forward to trying one of these blends when I can.

I've never tried an Aussie port so Doug's notes are welcome. If I get the chance to try one, then I will. But based on Doug's note, I can't see me trying very hard to engineer an opportunity.

Alex

Doug,

I have had a few "ports" from the land down under and they all have been very sweet, sticky, and not very complex. I compare them to molasses syrup. For inexpensive ones they are not too bad...not great, but not terrible either. I have a Burge Family "wilsford VO" that Parker scored a 98. I havn't got around to trying it yet, but am curious if it will live up to that score.

I've tried it again after 36 hours decanting, and while it it still good, it definately has not improved..

Not as sweet (which you would think would be good, and it is, kind of..).

I'm reminded of a bottle of juice pop that was left open in the sun for a couple days.. :)