For The Love Of Port

Bottled May 1987. This was tasted blind in a lineup of 1983 Vintage Ports, and was revealed to be a ringer, as predicted.

Darker red-brown color, fading to orange at the rim. Big old oxidized aroma, like a Belgian Dark Strong (beer); along with molassas and perhaps light treacle. There is also some wood aroma, and a hint of vanilla. In the mouth, this featured big sweet fruit flavor, like fig; syrupy, tangy, along with the flavor of Belgian Aromatic malt. There was more wood in the mouth with faint Bourbon barrel. There was a long finish. Was there a hint of light acetobacter? 94 points. My favorite of the first 10 at the 1983 VP tasting, although this did not taste like a Vintage Port.

Interesting! I've had several Ficklins but not this one. I think they start out tasting more like real Port, but as they age, depart. Still enjoyable, but definitely not VP.

I'll get my notes up in a bit, when I get some time. But blind I swore this was consistent with a VP that had been adultered during harvest/fermentation. In other words, not very VP like.

Andy Velebil wrote:I'll get my notes up in a bit, when I get some time. But blind I swore this was consistent with a VP that had been adultered during harvest/fermentation. In other words, not very VP like.

Technically you were correct. It was adulterated by not being harvested in the Douro valley.

I believe this is the first instance of me not pretty much instantly figuring out that a port was from California. I've tasted several blind and always fingered them. In this case, while (like you) I thought there was something very weird about it, I wasn't able to confidently point my finger at California.

For me California ports always have a zinfandel-like essence to them, even when they've been made with traditional Portuguese grape varieties. In this port that essence was subtle enough that I didn't really notice it until after the reveal, and at that point I can't be certain that it wasn't label bias.

Since the '83 Ficklin was bottled in 1987 wouldn't that make it "contender" for an LBV and not a VP? Just saying.......................

Mahmoud.

Mahmoud, I doubt that the Cali port makers could care less (especially back then) about the rules stipulated by the IVDP in Porto/Regua.

I found it an interesting old and tasty dessert wine, but not as typically good as say, 1991 Ficklin.

Roy Hersh wrote:Mahmoud, I doubt that the Cali port makers could care less (especially back then) about the rules stipulated by the IVDP in Porto/Regua.

Roy, I quite agree. I was referring to the style, if the "port" was aged in barrels for five years then, for all intents and purposes, I would consider it an "LBV style" and not a "VP".

For example, I once had an Australian "port" from the early '70s, a De Bortoli, that was bottled about a decade later. Although the label said it was a tawny-style port I considered it a "colheita" as it was a vintage dated.

I also noted that you referred to the Ficklin as a "dessert wine". Chuckle.

Mahmoud.

Mahmoud Ali wrote: I also noted that you referred to the Ficklin as a "dessert wine". Chuckle.

Technically that, or "fortified wine," is all that it is.

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I have seen a non-Portuguese wine labeled as an LBV, but don't recall which at the moment.

Ficklin has made their version of LBV and have labeled them as such. Unfiltered. Decent stuff and ages in the bottle. Similar flavors but ages more quickly than real LBV. I'm thinking this "Special Bottling" label was replaced with the LBV moniker.

Eric Ifune wrote:Ficklin has made their version of LBV and have labeled them as such. Unfiltered. Decent stuff and ages in the bottle. Similar flavors but ages more quickly than real LBV. I'm thinking this "Special Bottling" label was replaced with the LBV moniker.

I got the impression looking at their website that (at least originally) their special bottlings were supposed to designate wine club only versions of wines rather than necessarily extended aging, though I could definitely imagine that that would usually turn into just late bottling things for the club, rather than early.

You're probably correct. I think the "LBV's" have only been offered to their wine club members.

I am pretty sure Eric I. has had 'em before, but the rest of you owe it to yourself to try the Ficklin 1991 VP, I am sure you can find them still. Really great for a domestic dessert wine.