Newsletter - August 2004

For The Love Of Port
August 2004
5th Issue
Article and photos © copyright 2004 by Roy Hersh

Dear friends of Port wine,

The end of summer is right around the corner, and Port drinking season will be here very shortly. I can always gauge Port season by my huge Maple tree in the front yard. Each year, the cool and rainy weather here in Washington State, provides the signal to this massive tree, to dump its 3,000+ pounds of colorful leaves on my property. Weeks of raking ahead, I quickly get the message that the "season" has begun and out come the bottles of Port.

At the moment, I am sipping a great bottle of Vintage Port as I type this newsletter, and my tasting note will be included below. It is still a bit early for predictions of the 2004 Port crop, so I will include detailed notes in the September issue. Given the excitement regarding the 2003 vintage, it should be quite interesting to see what happens to the Port wine from this year. Will there be a split declaration similar to 1991 vs. 1992? Time will tell and I will make sure to keep everyone posted on the harvest progress.

A special feature this month is an excellent article by budding Port enthusiast, Nicos Neocleous. He made his first trip to Oporto, Gaia and the Douro and wrote all about his visit. Neocleous' detailed report with fine photos and tasting notes is included here and is the first time, I have included someone else's writing. It is a fine read and makes you feel like you are alongside him, during his sojourn.

This month, I received a large number of responses to last month's issue and also many Port related questions, that I have included in the "mailbag." I believe this should make for some fun reading with a glass of Port in hand. I welcome the feedback and your emails, and find it one of the most enjoyable parts of creating FOR THE LOVE OF PORT, each month.

Thanks for your supPort!

Roy

CONTENTS:

~ A Tasting Note: 1980 Graham's Vintage Port, An under appreciated classic!
~ Feature article by a special guest: My trip to Portugal - Oporto and the Douro Valley by Nicos Neocleous
~ Roy's monthly Port website recommendation
~ PortoLover's Mailbag: Letters and e-feedback

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~ August's Tasting note: 1980 GRAHAM Vintage Port

Decanted 7 hours. Initially medium ruby with a youthful appearance on the edge. It darkened considerably and rather quickly in decanter. Overt and spicy aromas of clove and cinnamon, give way to ripe figs. This is much better than I remember it being and I tasted this in the past year. This is the best bottle of the Graham's 1980 I have tasted. It is by no means near its peak and is a strong rival to it's cousin Dow, from the same vintage. It brings lots of drinking pleasure now, but will be at its mature best with five and preferably ten more years in the cellar.

The alcohol which appeared in the early going, blew off in due course from the nose, and mostly integrated on the palate within the first two hours of decanting. This shows great succulent and sweet plum and ripe blackberry flavors. It is as smooth and texturally pleasing as one could ask for from a 24 year old VP. The tannins dance at the party but don't stand out in the crowd. I really liked the way this Port finishes, not just your typical long finish ... but memorable, very sweet and refined nuances capture the moment. I am so glad that the Wine Spectator and others, missed the mark with this unheralded vintage, as bargains like this VP, abound. 93 pts.

*** Feature article ***

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FOR THE LOVE OF PORT© ~ My Trip To Portugal - Oporto and the Douro Valley

This is the first time I have included a Port article written by someone else. It is a distinct pleasure for me to do so in this case, as the author Nicos Neocleous, is a close friend and we've shared many a Port together since we first met. Here is Nicos' passionate portrayal of his premiere visit to the land of Port. Coincidentally, Nicos was visiting at the same moment the Greek soccer team was in Lisbon to play the final game against the Portuguese team in the European Football Championship. Here is Nicos' story: http://wineloverspage.com/port/douro.phtml

Should you be interested in some of my other recent articles on Port, please visit the
Article Archive

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Roy's Monthly Port Website Recommendation :

This month's web recommendation is: PortWine.com http://www.portwine.com

Not only is this one of the best commercial Port Wine websites available, but there is great wealth of information offered, and quite a few unique Port artifacts. I have enjoyed visiting this site many times and recently noticed a new product being sold.

For those with a passionate penchant for Port, go visit the site and check out the new DVD series (of 10) Ports to Remember which are part of a documentary series offered for sale on DVD. Not only are these informative (yes, I purchased them too!) but even Port experts can find things to learn from these.

Note: For the sake of disclosure and integrity, I have NO financial interest in this product whatsoever, nor any arrangement with the retailer.

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~ Letters and e-feedback:

Roy

Thanks Roy. I have found your newsletter extremely informative as I am beginning my education on Port. My experience with older vintage ports is very limited, mostly due to the expense. I'd like that to change however. I have recently found a decent deal on 1983 Smith Woodhouse and am eager to try it. What would be your recommendation for decanting (for air) this wine? I realize this is somewhat of a subjective matter, but I'd still appreciate your thoughts as I'm sure you have some experience with this wine.

In addition, what are your thoughts on the readiness of the 1983 vintage as a whole?

Please take your time in getting back to me as I know you are busy!

Thanks again,

Chris Holmes

New York City

Hi Chris,

I am happy to share my passion for Port, put into words in this newsletter. Thanks for the kind words. Older Vintage Ports (VPs) can certainly look expensive to the consumer, especially with prices rising again, over the past couple of months. In comparison to similarly aged wines from other regions of the world though, VP still remains a great bargain today.

Compare any of the top names from an exalted Port vintage like 1970 and you will most likely have to pay around $150 (USD) today, whereas even a year ago, the price would have been almost $30 less. That said, look at a top Bordeaux producer from the same vintage and you are talking about hundreds of dollars for a bottle of similar breeding.

Onto your main question though. I like the 1983 Smith Woodhouse very much and would suggest you shoot for an eight hour decanting time, prior to service. This is certainly one of the very best vintages produced by Smith Woodhouse and one day may prove to overshadow their inky powerhouse, that is their 1977 VP. The Symington family has done a great job with this particular producer. More recently, the 2000 SW is a stunning vintage Port and is worthy of cellaring a case or two. In addition to the fine VPs produced, Smith Woodhouse also makes an excellent LBV which is unfiltered, and made incorporating the traditional methods.

Generalizing specific vintages gets me into trouble. But since you've asked, I have long been on the record as having preferred the 1983 vintage to the inevitably compared 1985 vintage. It is my belief that more 1983 VPs (in general) will age better and are showing better today, than the 1985s. Of course there are quite a few exceptions, but it is analogous to contrast the 1989 and 1990 Bordeaux. This view is not shared by the masses, as 1985 received so much early hype that in often heard/read opinions, those early impressions seem to have stuck.

Thanks for the fun topic!

Roy

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Roy,

Wonderful newsletter as always. By the end I find myself on wine-searcher.com looking for some of the wines and lamenting how I have to parcel out my wine budget to all the different wines I love.

In any case, I have several bottles of Fonseca 1985 and wonder what you might recommend for decanting time. Any insight would be appreciated.

Regards,

Jay Woodruff

Phoenix, Arizona

Jay,

Coincidentally, a local wine acquaintence passed on a great Port tip today (1997 Fonseca and Taylor MAGS reduced to the insanely low price of $100 from $150). In turn, I tipped off a select few close friends about this offering. Tonight I received word that one gent purchased 3 Mags after receiving the email and he is now richer in wine and poorer in his bank account.

Here is my tasting note on the Fonseca '85 from a bottle I opened in April 2004, which was decanted between 9 and 10 hours prior to our tasting it:

1985 Fonseca - showing an opaque ruby hue with bing cherry and pomegranate syrup aromas and a touch of cocoa. Youthful, rich, "class-in-a-glass, this Fonseca really kicks it. It appears now to have surpassed the Graham's for top honors (besides the Nacional) of 1985. It was possibly the best balanced wine of the entire tasting. Huge and expressive rush of juice on the finish that is just starting to gain complexity. A solid powerhouse of a Port with lively tannins and a superb finish. It's still such a toddler! 96 pts.

I hope this is helpful.

Roy

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Roy, Great report - great occasion. Lucky you! I'm delighted to see the Niepoort 1934 Colheita so well reviewed. I have one bottle, and left it in the UK by mistake last week. I left it standing up, and won't be back to try it for another year. Is that a mistake? Should I ask someone to lay it on its side ASAP?

Nigel (Bruce) Williams

London, UK

Hey Nigel,

Hope all is well with you. As far as your bottle of the 1934 in the UK, I would have someone lay it down for you. I can't wait to try a bottle of 1935 Niepoort Colheita which is in my cellar to drink with Dirk someday, as I know it is his favorite Niepoort Colheita. Thank you for the kind words above!

Best regards,

Roy

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Hi Roy,

I've enjoyed your "For the Love of Port" newsletter very much. I also hope you and the family are doing well. (We are). Your last issue stirred me from my complacency of thinking I had enough Port already in the cellar, so I took a look at Premier Cru's site to see what is available (they are the only web site which will ship to me in Michigan). I figured I better place an order, just in case the Supreme Court sides with the wholesalers and most State AG's in the upcoming case. (I really hope I'm wrong, but I don't think wine collectors will win - only a couple of them collect wine, to my knowledge.) Anyway, I noticed that prices for most VP seem to have fallen lately. '00 Churchill could be had for just $30. '00 Noval dropped from $90 to $60, etc. I guess people aren't parting with their money in these uncertain times. I blissfully bought another mixed case for fall delivery, but Sherry just rolled her eyes when I told her how fortunate we were to get some great VP's at reduced prices. Why doesn't the female species "get it" as far as building or maintaining a wine cellar?

Best Regards from the Upper Thumb of Michigan,

Bill (Last name removed by Roy to protect the guilty...until the US Supreme Court rules differently)

Hi Bill,

The last thing you need is some nosey Fed staking out your home, waiting for Premier Cru's delivery to arrive. : ) As for women not "getting it" in re: to building or maintaining a wine cellar, I know quite a few women who are happy to do so ... or are accomplices with their husbands in stocking the cellar. You and me both, just happened to choose women who are less "inspired." Great prices on both the Churchill and Noval from the '00 vintage. I was fortunate this spring to spot a retailer a few miles down the road who had the Cockburn priced at $31 per, and the Noval at $45. This was at a Fred Meyer store and I did a double take and bought quite a few and left some for local buddies who I contacted. FYI, I paid $48 for the Churchill's early on.

Roy

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Dear Roy,

I have already read a lot of your statements about port wine and especially Vintage Ports. I started collecting Vintage Ports a few years ago and right now I have approximately 130 bottles in my cellar including Taylor Fladgate 1963, 1970, 1977, 1992, 2000, Dow 1994, Graham 1977, 1985 and Niepoort 1966, 1966, 1992, 1997 and 2000.

As I found out in your article I should apply at once for Niepoort 2003. My favourite brand is Niepoort and I am very proud that I could purchase an original case with 3 bottles of the 1955 Vintage for an really reasonable price. Additionally this wine dealer had one bottle of a 1931 Garrafeira which was also a must buy for me. I highly appreciated your latest description of the Niepoort tasting including some Garrafeira and Colheita. Maybe you can answer me if it is possible to purchase some ports directly from Niepoort in Porto?

I live in Germany and we are not famous for our port consumption. Therefore it is very difficult to get some VP´s. Sometimes I purchase in Switzerland and the Netherlands. From a dealer in Switzerland I got an offer for a 1945 Ferreira VP. Have you ever tasted this wine? It is not cheap and I have not read any statement regarding Ferreira 1945. It is not as famous as other VP´s of this vintage like Taylor Fladgate, Croft or Graham.

He also offers a Quinta de Vargellas 1995 Vinha Velha. I can remember that you rated this young vintage with 95 pts. I think it is very rare and could also one of my cellar treasures. Right now I live in Dubai and I have to bring some Ports from at home because here is no VP available at all. What a shame! Looking forward to hearing from you.

I remain with very best regards,

Winfried Schiegl,

from Dubai, U.A.E.

Winfried,

Thanks to your email and registering to receive the Port eNewsletter, Dubai makes the 36th country that the newsletter will be sent every month. Welcome aboard!

You have made some very wise choices in your collection of Vintage Ports. My only suggestion is that you branch out and seek to add some of the many other great producer/Shipper's VPs that are out there... instead of only the usual suspects. Nothing wrong with collecting first growths, but if you only have a steady diet of these types of Ports, you are missing a lot.

I can not speak for Mr. Niepoort, but think that the only chance to buy a bottle from the family Port Lodge in Vila Nova de Gaia ... might be to visit (with an appointment and letter of introduction to him) and see if you get lucky. I can tell you that I did not see any bottles being sold at the Niepoort Lodge and it is certainly not one of the more commercialized operations.

So your best bet is to get on the WWW and do some searching around and watch the auction catalogues as well. You might also contact Christie's in London and let them know what you are looking for and they might alert you when it comes in.

I've had the 1945 Ferriera VP on a few occasions. It is a good wine but does not favorably measure up to the other producer's 1945s that you mentioned. On 6/14/97 it was showing quite tawny like with a plummy nose, lots of fruit still present and a long raisined finish, with some roasted nuts showing up. One 2/15/98 I had it again but a much less pleasant experience, with lots of VA appearing on the nose and finish. Otherwise similar flavor components. My third experience on 4/27/98 in a deep Ferreira vertical (going back to 1830) was far more reminiscent of the first experience. Soft and smooth and fully mature and enjoyable. I have had subsequent experiences too, but you get the picture.

The 1995 Quinta de Vargellas Vinha Velha is a very fine wine, but ... wait until you try the same wine from 1997 which is wonderful too, and the 2000 Vargellas VV, rivals just about any of the Ports from that great vintage.

Roy

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Hello Roy,

Please be so kind as to register me for your Port e-newsletter. Also, I was also wondering if you could assist me with a Port buying strategy? Any help would be much appreciated. I have included answers to the questions you asked me in order to give you the complete picture.

A. How old are you? - 36

B. What kind of $ do you want to invest and over what period of time?

I don’t have a budget in mind but I guess I would opt for quality over quantity.

C. Are you looking for depth, meaning having Port to drink this weekend, Port to drink over the next decade and Port to age for the next 20-40 years? What is your goal here?

I have multiple goals. I would like to have Port to drink now and I would like to begin collecting for the future. Maybe a balance of everyday Port and special occasion/holiday Port. I would also like to start a collection to pass on to my son age 4 and my daughter age 2.

D. How many bottles do you figure you will consume of Port per year?

24? My wife and I tend to split a bottle of wine/night. What’s average in your opinion?

E. Lastly, do you have a preference towards Vintage Port or Tawny styles of Port? Mostly Vintage Port but I like Tawny as well. Please let me know if you can help and if you would like any additional info.

Thanks!

Brian Obert

St. Paul, Minnesota

Hi Brian,

I believe we can create a worthy Port procurement plan that will serve you well today and for decades to come. First, you will need to determine how much money you want to spend per year on Port. Regardless of whether it is $300 or $5,000 per year, it really is important to decide on an amount that is comfortable for you. Look out at least five years and realize you will need to be flexible, and of course purchasing quality Ports is always a good idea.

I would suggest you purchase your young VPs first. This allows you to learn what a primary flavored youthful Port tastes like. I believe that unless you are finding some incredible buys on cases, purchase six bottles of each wine. This strategy allows you to develop your cellar with great diversity of producers. Having a narrow focus in just a handful of the top producers may be great for collectors, but it gets boring being so limited to just these producers. Spread the wealth ... just as you would in an investment portfolio.

While spending 80% of your annual funds on VPs from the 1995, 1997 and 2000 Vintage Ports your first year, I would utilize the other 20% to fill in with well aged-bottles from 1970 and 1977 vintage ... even if this means just one or two selections of each, for now. This should be the year one plan.

I would then take year two and start to purchase the three very good vintages of the 1980s, which are 1980, 1983 and 1985. Fill in the 20% of your expeditures with more 1970 and 1977 Vintage Ports. In year three, I suggest you focus the majority of your budget on 1991, 1992, with a concentration on whatever 1994s you can afford. Again, reserve 20% for 1970 and 1977s. Year four, I would look at what wines from the 1980s and 1990s you want to add and take the balance and purchase more bottles of 1970 and 1977.

Past that point, you might want to experiment with OLD bottles from vintages like 1966, 1963, 1955 etc. Due to their expense though, I would look to buy just a couple of these very special "occasion" Vintage Ports to have for very memorable moment. So, that would be my five year plan given your age. To provide you with more specific direction, I would need to know your real annual budget.

Be careful, Port collecting can be a very addicting habit! As far as Tawny vs. Vintage Ports (I love them all), this is no different than asking folks if they prefer blondes or brunettes. It is strictly a matter of personal choice. I find that almost every Port lover though, DOES have a preference one way or the other. For me as much as I love Colheitas and great 20 year old Tawnies, I would have to choose Vintage Port if I was stranded on a dessert island with just one case of wine, and the brunette too thank you.

Let me know if there is anything else I can help you with.

Roy

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Hello there Roy,

Thanks for your most recent newsletter - very interesting and informative as always. Wonderful to have a guide to American ports - a very under-covered area. Would be interested to hear you opinions on Australian producers also - perhaps a subject for a future newsletter. I am a great fan of Niepoort so to read your reviews of such varied and rare wines of theirs is quite wonderful.

A couple of comments you may find interesting:

- I have a bottle of the Niepoort 1962 colheita, but it was actually bottled in 1987 rather than 2002. I have yet to try it (saving it for an as yet to be named occasion) but will attempt to let you know if it seems any weightier or lengthier than the 40-yr aged bottle that you tasted in Florida.

- was very interested in your list of recommended / well known tawny producers (no argument with those that you included) but rather surprised that you excluded Krohn, who I would rank second only to Niepoort and Barros based on the tawnies and colheitas that I have tried. Their style is certainly different to most, but if you get the chance to try what I assume is their most recent release (Krohn Colheita 1994, just released last month in Ontario, Canada where I live) then don't miss it. Quite extraordinary complexity and length in such a young wine, very dark in colour, almost a cross between a wonderfully complex 10 yr old tawny and a bold youngish vintage port. Would be fascinated to hear your opinion. Assume that you have yet to try it based on your comment on the Niepoort 1994 colheita.

Anyway, thanks again for your writings, always of great interest.

All the best,

Brian Mackie

Toronto, Canada

Brian,

I am glad that you did appreciate the side bar on the various American ports produced, as it is certainly a limited market for these wines. There are a number of very fine ports made here and as you mentioned, in Australia as well. At some point, I do hope to get to Australia and South African port-style wines. Both countries have a wide range, which I have explored and enjoyed.

Please do let me know of your impressions on the 1962 Niepoort Colheita. It will be interesting to see how your bottle compares or contrasts with the one that I tasted. I have had many older Krohn Colheitas over the years. Some are very good, but I find this producer to be hit and miss and others that are far more consistent across their entire lineup. Lots of people love the Krohn Colheitas and especially in the Scandinavian countries, there is a large market for Krohn. Don't get me wrong, I like their Colheitas from 1960, 1978 and other vintages, but producers like Kopke and Niepoort (just to name my two favorites) are almost always outstanding. I will keep my eyes open for a bottle of the 1994 Krohn Colheita. Thanks for the recommendation.

Roy

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Hi Roy

I'm very fond of tawnies and colheitas but do not stock them in my cellar as I tend to buy them from time to time, whenever something interesting appears.

Vintage Port - that's the name of the game for me. I started colleting early nineties and have been fortunate enough to buy an acceptable collection of younger wines from 1977 and forward. Currently approx. 450 bottles - and growing. I tend to open these beauties to rarely but, partly due to the fact that most of my wines are still way to young to drink with maximal pleasure.

I've included a list below. Do you have some advice for me? What would you buy to stock, in order to complement my cellar?

1987 Barros Porto
1994 Barros Porto
1985 Burmester Porto
1992 Burmester Porto
1985 Calèm Porto
1991 Calèm Porto
1992 Calèm Porto Quinta da Foz
1983 Cockburn Porto
1977 Dow's Porto
1985 Dow's Porto
1994 Dow's Porto
1986 Dow's Porto Quinta do Bomfim
1983 Fonseca Porto
1992 Fonseca Porto
2000 Fonseca Porto
1991 Fonseca Porto Guimaraens
1995 Fonseca Porto Guimaraens
1977 Gould Campbell Porto
1983 Gould Campbell Porto
2000 Gould Campbell Porto
1980 Graham Porto
1983 Graham Porto
1985 Graham Porto
2000 Graham Porto
1990 Graham Porto Malvedos
1992 Graham Porto Malvedos
1987 Kopke Porto
1985 Kopke Porto Quinta St. Luiz
1987 Kopke Porto Quinta St. Luiz
1982 Niepoort Porto
1987 Niepoort Porto
1992 Niepoort Porto
1994 Niepoort Porto
1997 Niepoort Porto
2000 Niepoort Porto
1994 Niepoort Porto Vintage Port Quinta de Passadouro
1966 Offley Boa Vista Porto
1995 Pocas Porto
1977 Quarles Harris Porto
2000 Quinta de Magalhães Porto Vintage Port
1992 Quinta Do Infantado Porto
1991 Rozès Porto Vintage Port
1994 Rozès Porto Vintage Port
1997 Rozès Porto Vintage Port
1997 Sandeman Porto Quinta Vau
1977 Smith Woodhouse Porto
1980 Smith Woodhouse Porto
1983 Smith Woodhouse Porto
2000 Smith Woodhouse Porto
1977 Taylor Fladgate Porto
1983 Taylor Fladgate Porto
1985 Taylor Fladgate Porto
1992 Taylor Fladgate Porto
2000 Taylor Fladgate Porto
1986 Taylor Porto Quinta de Vargellas
1987 Taylor Porto Quinta de Vargellas
1991 Taylor Porto Quinta de Vargellas
1995 Taylor Porto Quinta de Vargellas
1996 Taylor Porto Quinta de Vargellas
1980 Warre Porto
1985 Warre Porto
2000 Warre Porto

Best regards

Martin Petersen

Arhus, Denmark

Martin,

I actually had a lot of fun reading and analyzing your cellar. It is well thought out and you have thoroughly touched on all major vintages since '77 with a range of a dozen producers well stocked.

Here is where I would concentrate my efforts if money was not a major issue and I had your current collection:

a. Look for some of the excellent wines from the 1995 "bargain" vintage and you can go out of the box and search out great wines like Ferreira and Martinez Eira Velha from this vintage, in addition to Vesuvio, Vargellas and Guimaraens et al. These are very affordable wines and will provide inexpensive alternatives to open while your other wines age properly.

b. Fill in your 1994 hole. There are not too many VPs that I would overlook from this excellent vintage ... but buy them now as prices are not going to decrease! Certainly the Quinta do Vesuvio, Dow, Graham, Taylor, Fonseca, Noval Nacional (is amazing), Niepoort and I can go on and on ...

c. I would then seriously look to back fill with more 1977, 1970 and 1966s. These 3 vintages will offer you drinking pleasure for another 2 decades and in time will be looked at like the flamboyant 1927, classic 1945 and elegance of 1955 compared, respectively. I know the prices are not inexpensive for these wines so you may want to cherry pick the upper end of these vintages, say the top 5 producers from these individual vintages.

You are already well on your way to having an excellent and diverse Port cellar. Please feel free to keep in touch and ask questions anytime. Best of luck Martin!

Roy

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Dear Roy,

Having just returned from holiday, I have only just seen issue #4. Your reply to my observations about the ideal drinking window of VP leads me to think that I need to return to the drawing board. My 'researches' so far have been quite random; it will be interesting to try long and short decantings on my VPs which are currently drinking, and note the results over the next few months. Thank you for addressing this subject which never fails to excite controversy.

Regards

John Hardman

Bolton, UK

John,

I am sure that there are many people who might disagree with my "extended duration" decanting process. I know plenty of people who open Vintage Port, decant it and drink it straight away. There are also many others who never decant VP more than two hours regardless of the age of the wine. My studies on "when a VP shows at its best" with prolonged decanting times, is VERY subjective. It works for me, but my Port palate certainly may not coincide with most. I prefer my VPs fully mature (although on rare occasions I will open a young bottle to try too) and lots of people either don't have the patience or prefer the primary delights that Vintage Port can offer. So, no methodology is wrong and it is very subjective. It requires paying detailed attention to how the Port reacts in decanter and at what point it shows best for the way you like to drink Port.

Please do report back when you have come to some conclusion!

Best regards,

Roy

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I have just inherited a case of the 1945 Niepoort Vintage Port all contained in separate wooden boxes. How should I drink to enjoy to the maximum?
Thank You!

Roger Turner

Australia

Hi Roger,

Now that is what I call a great inheritance ... sure beats cash! Depending on your age, you might decide to drink a bottle on your birthday or anniversary each year or so, over the next 12 to 25 years. You may choose to drink a bottle on your father's birthdate and toast his lifetime, or even open a bottle for the wedding of one of your kids etc. Regardless, you do not have to hurry to drink these bottles, especially if they have been well stored.

This is a very fine VP and I have only had this once, on May 3rd 2003.

1945 Niepoort Vintage Port – I had held this bottle for many a year waiting for an occasion to open it with Dirk van der Niepoort, and this was the right time and place. Very musty initially to the point where it was questionable if this was corked. We were in no rush on this evening. Dirk said from the get go that this was definitely NOT corked and to be patient. He knows his wines well. Once this funk blew off, it was a very different wine. Nice dark color, this is considered one of the two or three greatest Niepoort vintage Ports of the past century. Part of what was going on was sheer youth and this bottle would have benefited significantly from a few hours in decanter. There was a pure, fresh raspberry note that I often find in Niepoort's VPs. Smooth, almost silky on the palate with round, resolved tannins and an intense rush of complex nuances on the wonderful finish. 94 points. Most others at the tasting here, rated this higher.

Please let me know what you think of the wine when you open the first one. Enjoy!

Roy

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Should you be interested in some of my recent articles on Port, please visit our Article Archive. I welcome your feedback, critiques, suggestions, or questions on any Port related topics. Please be sure to mention if you do not want your email (whole or in part) incorporated into the text of the newsletter*. My e-mail address is: roy@fortheloveofport.com and I look forward to hearing from you. I will do my personal best to respond to all e-mails addressed to me, in a timely manner.

Roy Hersh

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