1999 Warre's LBV -- [b.2003]

[Todd Pettinger]

Warre’s Late Bottled Vintage Port – 1999 [bottled in 2003]
Unfiltered; driven cork.

Bright red with a center receding towards purple. Fruity on the nose, with a touch of alcohol that blows off after 30-45 minutes of decanting. Excellent poured straight out of the bottle or with 4-12 hours of decanting time. Sweet with a lighter body than I remember the 1995 LBV being. Tannins are present though and leave a dry mouth pucker in a short, clipped finish. A touch of cocoa but the palate is dominated by grapes and dark cherries. Some spicy notes throughout the mid-palate give this a life that far surpasses the typical filtered LBV.

Good, not great. Perhaps some cellaring potential. I’d like to compare it next to the 1995 on a level –playing field (giving the ’99 four more years of bottle-aging.) Worth looking at a case of to ensure that I can drink this over the next few years.

[Andy Velebil]

i also prefer the 1995 and think its the better of the two. I don't ever see the 1999 being as good as its younger sibling.

[Todd Pettinger]

After a second bottle from when this TN was taken (back before or just after my son was born... I am just starting to get all the TNs done up and posted now... 2 months later!) I think I agree with you Andy. I doubt it will be as good at the '95, even if it were given four additional years and you could somehow compare the 95 today to the 99 then.

I won't be seeking out a case, but rather see if there are any available cases of the '95, which I have far too few of in my cellar. Drinking wonderfully now, I would also like to try it in 4-5 more years and I know I don't have enough in the cellar to make it last that long!