20 Year Old Tawny Port by Quinta das Heredias
Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 10:26 pm
I picked up a 20-year Tawny Quinta Das Heredias as part of a lot at an auction. It's yucky and rainy here tonight, so a good evening to open a port and try it out.
The label says that this wine is bottled unfiltered, and it was bottled in 2000. I wasn't in a position to decant it as I was at a restaurant, but I didn't notice any sediment in the glass.
I was concerned about the color, as it's very light compared to top-tier 20-year tawnies. This color is like ice tea after the ice has mostly melted in the glass.
The nose was a strong toffee scent, very nice. With the addition of the alcohol, it smelled exactily like a hot buttered rum. All that was missing was the ski lodge.
On the palate, this is a very strange port. The alcohol was a bit hot. However, there was very little sweetness, although it increased a little as the evening went on. It never attained a sweetness level that I would even call moderate. The finish was pretty dry. The wine was very reminicent of a 15-year Verdelho Madeira.
Overall, the wine was interesting (as most are), but not something to seek out. Don't pay much more than $20 for this one.
The label says that this wine is bottled unfiltered, and it was bottled in 2000. I wasn't in a position to decant it as I was at a restaurant, but I didn't notice any sediment in the glass.
I was concerned about the color, as it's very light compared to top-tier 20-year tawnies. This color is like ice tea after the ice has mostly melted in the glass.
The nose was a strong toffee scent, very nice. With the addition of the alcohol, it smelled exactily like a hot buttered rum. All that was missing was the ski lodge.
On the palate, this is a very strange port. The alcohol was a bit hot. However, there was very little sweetness, although it increased a little as the evening went on. It never attained a sweetness level that I would even call moderate. The finish was pretty dry. The wine was very reminicent of a 15-year Verdelho Madeira.
Overall, the wine was interesting (as most are), but not something to seek out. Don't pay much more than $20 for this one.
