NV S. Leonardo 30 Year Old Tawny Port -- Quinta do Mourão

[Andy Velebil]

I hesitated in posting this TN as this bottle was the sole leaker out of a bunch of 30 Year Old Tawny's a friend imported to the US. It appeared to have some type of cork failure and leaked while in transit to the US, so this was the first to go as soon as I got it (all other bottles were perfect). The producer did generously offered to replace it, but honestly it's just not worth the trouble for him to do that and I declined. In the end I decided some TN is better than no TN, so here ya all go

It's been open for several days now and has generally held quite steady over that time. Although there is a slight bit more heat starting to show on the nose now. Despite that touch of heat the licorise, spices, and carmel are still tickle the senses. The palate has lost some freshness that other bottles typically show and some heat is also present that normally isn't there. Not enough to detract overall, just enough so you know it's there. Toffee, cinnamon, allspice, and some mahogany are kept in check by lots of acidity and provide some nice complexity. While the finish isn't as long or complex as it normally is, this still packs a long finish with plenty of layers to keep me coming back for more. Again, I must reiterate this bottle was not "perfect" and even thought the score is still very respectable, it's not up to other bottles of this I've had.
91 points

01/26/10