1995 Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port
Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 7:48 pm
With all the talking on Vesuvio lately, I could not resists and I open one bottle I had never tasted, the 1995.
Decanted for 3 hours beacause it was a last minute dinner. The colour was still dark saturated ruby, it has lost its purple color, but no evidence of premature aging on the rim. The nose is intense, bursting floral aromas, crushed dark cherries, dark plums and licorice. The mouth was just so balanced and smooth with rich ripe dark fruits. The tannins are still big but so well contained by the structure giving us just a hint of bitter chocolate on the long finale! The best 1995 tasted so far! To visit again in 2013. 17/20+
I poured back in the bottle the left over and I did the experiment of drinking it again 18 hours later. As many on this board agreed, it was still very good. It had lost its floral escence to show more alcool and spices on the nose. Samething on the mouth, the alcool and the peppery finish was giving it more power, the fruit was oxydised and feeling more dried, the tannins were no longer so well absorb by the fleshy fruit and were leaving us more of that bitter chocolate taste. Nothing of what is describe above is unpleasant but I prefer rich, fresh, balanced and velvety Vintage Port to raw power.
Decanted for 3 hours beacause it was a last minute dinner. The colour was still dark saturated ruby, it has lost its purple color, but no evidence of premature aging on the rim. The nose is intense, bursting floral aromas, crushed dark cherries, dark plums and licorice. The mouth was just so balanced and smooth with rich ripe dark fruits. The tannins are still big but so well contained by the structure giving us just a hint of bitter chocolate on the long finale! The best 1995 tasted so far! To visit again in 2013. 17/20+
I poured back in the bottle the left over and I did the experiment of drinking it again 18 hours later. As many on this board agreed, it was still very good. It had lost its floral escence to show more alcool and spices on the nose. Samething on the mouth, the alcool and the peppery finish was giving it more power, the fruit was oxydised and feeling more dried, the tannins were no longer so well absorb by the fleshy fruit and were leaving us more of that bitter chocolate taste. Nothing of what is describe above is unpleasant but I prefer rich, fresh, balanced and velvety Vintage Port to raw power.