For The Love Of Port

Many people don't like this wine, but I'm actually quite fond of it. I picked up a couple of cases over a decade ago at a bargain price and all the bottles and corks have held up very well. After reading TNs here, I opened the worst ullaged bottle to see how it was traveling. This really isn't a port that will present well without a looong decant. On opening, it presents with a thin, pale ruby/slightly tawny colour and a closed nose. As I was keen to try the wine over several days, I double decanted back into the cleaned bottle and stoppered the top with a T-cork.

So..decanted at 8am, stoppered at 9am. At 5pm I poured a glass out and let it breathe until about 8pm. By the time I drank this, it had darkened in colour to a deeper ruby and gained a little viscosity. The nose was lifted and appealing. The palate was reasonably sweet with elegant dark fruit flavours. I didn't detect an excessive alcohol kick, but this port is more austere than most - it seems stylistically quite different to other VPs I've had. I found it quite elegant and very easy drinking. 90 points

Taylor's Ports dropped off a bit in the 1980s, and this Port is just one example. That's not to say that it isn't an excellent Port - because it is - just that it doesn't meet Taylor's normally even higher standards.

A nice note. I'll have to remember to give any mid-80s Taylors a nice long decant in the future.

For someone claiming not to write good tasting notes you sure write good ones....I really get a sense of the wine from you every time...thanks!

John, that's very kind of you, thank you. I struggle to identify individual flavours and aromas, so I have to try and find other words to convey how I feel about the wine! :)