What's been your favorite Port(s) tasted in 1st 1/2 of 2009?

[Roy Hersh]

* 2008 cask sample of Quinta da Pacheca was a ton of fun.
* Barrel tasting the white and red Colheitas of Krohn from the 1896 (not 1898) vintage
* 2006 VP from Quinta do Portal was stunning and an eye opener
* 1960 Ferreira - one of the finest bottles I've had from this underappreciated vintage
* 1935 Sandeman - a gorgeous Port drinking beautifully at 74 years old
* Numerious 2007 Vintage Ports - a really solid vintage overall
* 1970 Fonseca - my favorite young Port at the Gala although ...
* 1994 Vesuvio - at the Gala, probably the best showing of this VP I ever tasted
* 1947 Quinta do Noval - a BBR beautiful bottle and had it not been a bit hot, would have been my favorite
* 1994 Taylor at part of a 1994 horizontal - Epic VP
* 1985 Fonseca at the Gala - insanely great showing
* 1963 Fonseca @ the 1963 Horizontal in ATL

Best Port so far in 2009, if I had to choose one: 1863 Krohn Colheita - barrel sample. I saw God in my glass.

[David Spriggs]

* 2008 cask sample of Quinta da Pacheca was a ton of fun.
* Barrel tasting the white and red Colheitas of Krohn from the 1896 (not 1898) vintage
* 2006 VP from Quinta do Portal was stunning and an eye opener
* 1960 Ferreira - one of the finest bottles I've had from this underappreciated vintage
* 1935 Sandeman - a gorgeous Port drinking beautifully at 74 years old
* Numerious 2007 Vintage Ports - a really solid vintage overall
* 1970 Fonseca - my favorite young Port at the Gala although ...
* 1994 Vesuvio - at the Gala, probably the best showing of this VP I ever tasted
* 1947 Quinta do Noval - a BBR beautiful bottle and had it not been a bit hot, would have been my favorite
* 1994 Taylor at part of a 1994 horizontal - Epic VP
* 1985 Fonseca at the Gala - insanely great showing
* 1963 Fonseca @ the 1963 Horizontal in ATL

Best Port so far in 2009, if I had to choose one: 1863 Krohn Colheita - barrel sample. I saw God in my glass.

Interesting! Yes, I enjoyed the Pecheca 2008 also.
So the white and red Krohn were from 1896? I'll have to look at my notes again.
1947 Quinta do Noval - As noted above, that was my favorite from the gala. I didn't get the heat at all.
Wow! You liked the 1994 Vesuvio at the gala? I was kind of underwhelmed by it. That bottle was from my collection and I was disappointed... I have had way better bottles. Just shows how awesome that wine is!
1994 Taylor - yes, awesome wine. One of my favorites. I ran out and bought more as a result of that tasting.
1985 Fonseca - I think it will be a legend - one of the all time greats in my mind. Huge fruit and incredible structure. It will out live me.

1863 Krohn Colheita - barrel sample - An incredible wine. If I could have given it 100 points I would have. It deserves it!
-Dave-

[Andy Velebil]

I have to add one
1941 Constantino VP. WOW!

[guilherme]

Impossible to point out just one among those:

Taylor's 92 and 94
Vesúvio 94
Ferreira 78

Guilherme

[guilherme]

* * 1960 Ferreira - one of the finest bottles I've had from this underappreciated vintage.

Agree. A great Port. Tasted it last year or the year before and posted here or in another place,
can't remember right now.

Try the 78. The smoothness and complexity of the 60 , even more vibrant, and lively.

Guilherme

[Roy Hersh]

Guilherme,

I have had it three times between 1994 and 2000, and as you say the 1978 is a very good VP, although in all honesty, I prefer the Ferreira 1980 to the 1978.

[Gerwin de Graaf]

Untill this point of 2009, for me this would have to be the Croft 1991 VP. A truly excellent VP. The next best thing so far this year has been a Kopke 1994 Colheita.
Not to sell the Croft short by any means, I have to admit that I haven't had very many (great) ports to drink so far this year (especially VP's, my "weekday-non-special-occasion-ports" are Graham's 10 years old Tawny, and Q. do Noval 10 years old Tawny).

But not to worry (don't feel any pity for me) , I'm planning to open either a Burmester 1985 VP or Q. da Roeda 1987 VP coming monday July 13th. The occesion is sort of a celebration of my being 1 year married on July 12th (but then my wife and I are still enjoying a weekend alone -without the kids ) in Gent (Belgium) to celebrate, so the VP celebration will have to wait one day longer.
And it's always nice to have something more to look forward to, following the first thing to look forward to (am I violating the English language here?, it's been a while since I had to write in English, so if I am, my apologies).

[Derek T.]

Here is my list...

Fonseca 1985
Pintas 2007
Niepoort 2007
Niepoort Pisca 2007
Vale Dona Maria 2007
Passadouro 2007
Sandeman 1960
Sandeman 1963
Sandeman 1970
Sandeman 1977
Sandeman 1958
Sandeman 3* Ruby (bottled prior to 1932)
Fonseca 1963
Fonseca 1966
Graham 1948
Taylor 1948
Niepoort 1970
Taylor 1970
Noval Nacional 1964
Kopke 1970
San Leonardo 30yr Tawny
Noval Over 40 Years Tawny
Graham 1970
Dow 1970
Warre 1970
Quarles Harris 1970
Smith Woodhouse 1970
Gould Campbell 1970
Martinez 1970
Capela da Quinta do Vesuvio 2007
Dow’s 2007 (plus components)
Gould Campbell 2007
Graham’s 2007 (plus components)
Martinez 2007
Quarles Harris 2007
Quinta de Roriz 2007
Quinta do Vesuvio 2007 (plus components)
Smith Woodhouse 2007 (plus components)
Warre’s 2007 (plus components)
Constantino 1941
Dow 1896
Taylor 1927
Noval 1931
Croft 1945
Taylor 1945
Fonseca 1948
Graham 1955
Noval Nacional 1963
Noval nacional 1967
Noval Nacional 2003
Noval Colheita 1937

...all tasted within the past two weeks

[Roy Hersh]

...all tasted within the past two weeks

Bragger. :help:

[Andy Velebil]

...all tasted within the past two weeks

Bragger. :help:

:stupid: :lick:

[Eric Menchen]

Derek, perhaps for you we should ask, "Which Port(s) tasted in the 1st 1/2 of 2009 were not your favorites?" Oh, and wouldn't anything tasted in the past week count as the second half of 2009? I suppose I wouldn't be giving you a hard time if I weren't jealous.

[Jonathan S]

Update

At San Francisco's Boulevard restaurant on June 30th, I had the most fantastic of ports, and it now is the new champion for the first half of 2009: Porto Rocha's Three Centuries of Port. (One day later, and it wouldn't have qualified. )Because I am a tawny lover and Porto Rocha's style truly resonates with me, I must give it a 98/100. I can't imagine many ports pleasing me more than this one did! I can still taste it!

[Eric Menchen]

Jonathan,
Did you buy any of that Three Centuries in the FTLOPortunity? It was in there in that same offering as the Kopke 40. I didn't, and now wonder if I should have.

[Derek T.]

Derek, perhaps for you we should ask, "Which Port(s) tasted in the 1st 1/2 of 2009 were not your favorites?" Oh, and wouldn't anything tasted in the past week count as the second half of 2009? I suppose I wouldn't be giving you a hard time if I weren't jealous.

I suppose I should have been more specific: they were all tasted between 24th and 29th June

[Glenn E.]

Jonathan,
Did you buy any of that Three Centuries in the FTLOPortunity? It was in there in that same offering as the Kopke 40. I didn't, and now wonder if I should have.

In my case I would have because the FTLOP opPORTunity was a good price, but I already have a couple of bottles in my fridge. I have only ever tasted it at Fine Wines & Cigars in Redmond, but that was enough to tell me I needed to buy a couple of bottles. Now I just need an excuse to open one!

[Roy Hersh]

I have had it on several occasions and was one of the first to write a TN on it, when it was released. It was a really solid Port and maybe just a couple of points below the awe inspiring 150th that came out before it ... but sold out inside of a year, except for two bottles I learned of, earlier tonight. Both are tremendous and a friend of mine created the blend.

For those that did not bite on that particular bottling, you really missed a truly special opportunity. I know you guys concentrated on the 40 year old, as it was selling at a spectacular price for the USA ... however, that was one I expected everyone to grab a bottle of.

Who knows, it may be offered again at some point.

[Jonathan S]

Jonathan,
Did you buy any of that Three Centuries in the FTLOPortunity? It was in there in that same offering as the Kopke 40. I didn't, and now wonder if I should have.

Sadly, no... How I wish that I could go back in time!

Derek, all those Ports between June 24th and 29th? If I were not seated, I would be in a heap on the floor! You are now on my short list of heroes in the Pantheon of Port! I'm speechless...

[Jonathan S]

I have had it on several occasions and was one of the first to write a TN on it, when it was released. It was a really solid Port and maybe just a couple of points below the awe inspiring 150th that came out before it ... but sold out inside of a year, except for two bottles I learned of, earlier tonight. Both are tremendous and a friend of mine created the blend.

150th anniversary? I just read your TN from the database and I can only imagine having 4 oz. of such an amazing wine for a mere $16! Wowsers! You wouldn't happen to have a lead on acquiring one of the those newly discovered two bottles, would you? The blend you describe in the TN sounds heavenly!

[Andy Velebil]

Derek, all those Ports between June 24th and 29th? If I were not seated, I would be in a heap on the floor! You are now on my short list of heroes in the Pantheon of Port! I'm speechless...

That was the line up from our recent Douro trip, plus some that aren't mentioned. The component samples Derek mentions were another 19 bottles alone! It was a lot of tasting and writing of notes, so now you understand why I said in "MY Douro Trip" thread why it would take some time to type up all my notes. :help:

[Glenn E.]

You wouldn't happen to have a lead on acquiring one of the those newly discovered two bottles, would you? The blend you describe in the TN sounds heavenly!

Unfortunately the two bottles he refers to are mine. I'd never heard of the 150th Anniversary Port either until, I think, the Port Gala this year. Roy or possibly Andy mentioned it and said it was extremely rare, so the very next morning I went out on wine-searcher.com and found these two bottles in California. I called the store and bought them immediately, and they're the last two bottles of it that I've ever seen listed anywhere.