1960 Taylor Vintage Port
Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2010 4:26 pm
Opened to celebrate my parents' 50th wedding anniversary.
1960 Taylor Vintage Port
Signs of old seepage. Cork soaked through but not still leaking.
Cork branded: Bottled By ?RISTOP?(ER?) 1962. Front label indicated that it was bottled by Christopher & Sons, London.
Color: Faded red, possibly some orange and/or tan. Fairly light overall. Almost looks tired.
Nose: If I didn't know better, I'd say corked. (Not possible for me to detect, as I cannot smell or taste TCA in any way.) At the very least, some mild harsh-toned alcohol. Also some light honey and vague fruitiness. The harsh tone mellowed with time in decanter.
Palate: Very secondary - mostly sweetness and rich but vague red fruits. Some rich but faint honey. Still has tannins and decent acidity. Quite warm but not hot. Slight coffee-like echo both in the mouth and at the start of the finish. After 2 days in decanter, some trademark Taylor spice started to show and the heat mellowed enough to be pleasant.
Finish: Great length for a 50-year old Port. Warmth bordering on hot, but not quite. Fruits last throughout. Tails off with tart apples.
Score: 91 points. Breaking the memory bank tells me that this bottle wasn't quite as nice as the one at the 2009 Port Gala, but I still very much enjoyed it. Everyone else thought I was being nit-picky about the minor flaws I noted.
1960 Taylor Vintage Port
Signs of old seepage. Cork soaked through but not still leaking.
Cork branded: Bottled By ?RISTOP?(ER?) 1962. Front label indicated that it was bottled by Christopher & Sons, London.
Color: Faded red, possibly some orange and/or tan. Fairly light overall. Almost looks tired.
Nose: If I didn't know better, I'd say corked. (Not possible for me to detect, as I cannot smell or taste TCA in any way.) At the very least, some mild harsh-toned alcohol. Also some light honey and vague fruitiness. The harsh tone mellowed with time in decanter.
Palate: Very secondary - mostly sweetness and rich but vague red fruits. Some rich but faint honey. Still has tannins and decent acidity. Quite warm but not hot. Slight coffee-like echo both in the mouth and at the start of the finish. After 2 days in decanter, some trademark Taylor spice started to show and the heat mellowed enough to be pleasant.
Finish: Great length for a 50-year old Port. Warmth bordering on hot, but not quite. Fruits last throughout. Tails off with tart apples.
Score: 91 points. Breaking the memory bank tells me that this bottle wasn't quite as nice as the one at the 2009 Port Gala, but I still very much enjoyed it. Everyone else thought I was being nit-picky about the minor flaws I noted.