1997 Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port

[Glenn E.]

Served blind. Dark and opaque in the glass. Some said "inky" but it wasn't quite that to me, just dark and opaque (it didn't stain the glass the way something truly inky would). Somewhat odd nose - abundant blue and black fruits as well as a very strong minerality and wet stone, but almost no red or purple fruits to round out the profile. In a way it almost smells like a blending wine - something that you'd add as a component to provide a touch of minerality and those blue and black fruits on the nose. Great fruit flavors which do include some purple brambles. The tannins are good but nowhere near what you'd expect from something this dark, even allowing for the tannins to be at least somewhat subverted to the fruits.

We were told it was from a major declaration. Working backwards... insufficient tannins to be 2011 or younger. Completely wrong flavor profile to be 2007. Insufficient tannins and wrong flavor profile to be 2003. I lack experience with 2000 but assumed the tannins were too weak for that year as well and while Niepoort and Broadbent aren't the best flavor indicators for an entire declared vintage, they were enough for me to consider the flavor wrong for 2000 as well. Flavor profile could fit 1997 but my experience with that vintage says the tannins were still too weak. Tannins could be from a secondary house in 1994, but the flavor profile wasn't right. So maybe 1991/1992? My guess flipped back and forth between 1991/1992 and 2007 and the best I could do for a house was Gould Campbell. The reveal, of course, was 1997 Vesuvio.

93 points. Needs a broader, rounder flavor profile to get a higher score, though still an excellent Port.

[Eric Menchen]

I loved this in a Vesuvio vertical a few years back, and just bought six more. Sounds like I should try one again.

[Glenn E.]

I don't think it's plateauing if that's what you're reading from my note. Others thought that the tannins were simply hiding behind the fruits, but I've always been able to find them when that's what's going on. These were just lighter and smoother than expected.

[Eric Menchen]

I don't think it's plateauing if that's what you're reading from my note. ...

I didn't quite read that from your note, but the comments about the tannins made me want to evaluate it anew.