For The Love Of Port

From day 1 of the 1985 horizontal, 24-25 Jan 2015, Holiday Inn Issaquah. All Ports were tasted blind. Unless otherwise noted, Ports were decanted for ~4 hours the morning of the tasting. The ones that I decanted received ~8 hours of decant overnight and were then stoppered for another ~6 hours until the tasting.

1985 Ferreira Vintage Port

Color: Medium brick, slightly tan overtones.

Nose: Slight caramel, some buttery oak? Mild fruits and aromatic wood.

Palate: Moderately bright acidity, very faint soap, bark spice. (Note quite cinnamon, but similar.) Very slightly sour, so possible very low level VA. Buttery texture and flavor.

Score: 87 points. I guessed this as Niepoort due to the bark spice, faintly sour VA, and aromatic wood on the nose. A very pleasant Port - I'd be happy to have a case of it for drinking now. Drink up, though, as this probably isn't getting any better.

Glenn E. wrote:A very pleasant Port - I'd be happy to have a case of it for drinking now. Drink up, though, as this probably isn't getting any better.

I have about a half a case left, but haven't had one in years! Thanks for the update, I should revisit this bottle some time soon. I feel Ferreira does better on off years or SQVP's...

Moses Botbol wrote:

Glenn E. wrote:A very pleasant Port - I'd be happy to have a case of it for drinking now. Drink up, though, as this probably isn't getting any better.

I have about a half a case left, but haven't had one in years! Thanks for the update, I should revisit this bottle some time soon. I feel Ferreira does better on off years or SQVP's...

IMO, Ferreira suffers the same fate that Warre's does. It's a more feminine styled VP like Warre's is and it doesn't smack you in the face like a Fonseca or Graham's. So many people write them off as being over the hill too soon. I have grown quite fond of them as they get older, and they do age well, but differently than some other houses.

Andy Velebil wrote:IMO, Ferreira suffers the same fate that Warre's does. It's a more feminine styled VP like Warre's is and it doesn't smack you in the face like a Fonseca or Graham's. So many people write them off as being over the hill too soon. I have grown quite fond of them as they get older, and they do age well, but differently than some other houses.

I too am a big fan of Ferreira, we did a vertical several years ago. Ferreira can age like the best of them.

Andy Velebil wrote:IMO, Ferreira suffers the same fate that Warre's does. It's a more feminine styled VP like Warre's is and it doesn't smack you in the face like a Fonseca or Graham's.

Except at this tasting, where the 1985 Warres did smack me in the face. I agree for many other vintages of Warres I have tasted.