Page 1 of 1
Is Douro a candidate for your christmas table?
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 4:10 pm
by Pedro Guimaraes
Just wondering if anyone of you is choosing a Douro for the epic date....
Im going (besides others from different regions) to open a 1985 Barca-Velha....
Re: Is Douro a candidate for your christmas table?
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 4:32 pm
by Andy Velebil
Depending on who shows up i will most likely be taking a Douro wine...not sure which one though.
BTW, I say depending on who shows up because outside my brother, his fiance, and me, we are about the only ones that drink wine in the family. All the rest have an occassional beer now and then and thats about it. Since I'm not sure my brother and his fiance are coming down yet or not, most likely not, it may be just me. In which case I'll forgo any wine for the evening.
Re: Is Douro a candidate for your christmas table?
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 9:28 pm
by Frederick Blais
Choosing Douro .... Indeed!! I'll be there between the 27th and the 7th for celebration in the main land :)
Not sure yet what I'll drink but some good bottles will be bought and opened once I'm there!
Re: Is Douro a candidate for your christmas table?
Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 1:21 am
by Jan-Tore Egge
Probably not on Christmas Eve, but I hope to get a friend to open a bottle of Barca Velha 1991. :)
And I might open some Niepoort Redoma Branco sometime during the Christmas week.
Re: Is Douro a candidate for your christmas table?
Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 6:42 am
by Pedro Guimaraes
[quote="Jan-Tore Egge"]Probably not on Christmas Eve, but I hope to get a friend to open a bottle of Barca Velha 1991. :)
quote]
I had one just a few days ago and it was in a wonderfull stage...peak!!!! Extremely elegant and complex...
Re: Is Douro a candidate for your christmas table?
Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 3:26 am
by João Rico
Fred, you are coming to Portugal?
Re: Is Douro a candidate for your christmas table?
Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 1:51 pm
by Roy Hersh
I'd never pour one during our Christmas meal. However, I do plan to pour two!

Re: Is Douro a candidate for your christmas table?
Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 4:27 pm
by Frederick Blais
João Rico wrote:Fred, you are coming to Portugal?
Yeah baby :)
Got an invitation I could not refuse. I'll be visiting some friends, towns, step family of my sister and maybe 1-2 tasting but this is more a friendly casual trip than an intense tasting experience. I'll be base in Amarante but I'll move a lot. I should be back around June for the tasting part

Re: Is Douro a candidate for your christmas table?
Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 9:55 am
by Moses Botbol
Who celebrates Christmas?
Re: Is Douro a candidate for your christmas table?
Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 10:30 am
by Andy Velebil
Moses Botbol wrote:Who celebrates Christmas?

I celebrate all holidays, world-wide, and across all religions....more excuses to drink more wine and have fun

:joker:

Re: Is Douro a candidate for your christmas table?
Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 10:50 am
by Moses Botbol
Andy Velebil wrote:Moses Botbol wrote:Who celebrates Christmas?

I celebrate all holidays, world-wide, and across all religions....more excuses to drink more wine and have fun

:joker:

I don't even get paid holidays, bah humbug

Re: Is Douro a candidate for your christmas table?
Posted: Sat Dec 20, 2008 9:36 am
by Roy Hersh
From my experience the past few bottles I've enjoyed of the 1991 Barca Velha are fully mature and need to be consumed. I had 2 pristine six packs which I had bought from a distributor closing them out, while I was still in the business ... at $29 per bottle, not a bad price, even back in 2001. The last one I had was almost Burgundy like. Delicious, elegant and with great symmetry ... but in my opinion, nearing the end of its glory days. I have kept one last bottle for a special occasion and I can see one coming at the end of January.
Re: Is Douro a candidate for your christmas table?
Posted: Sat Dec 20, 2008 11:30 am
by Jan-Tore Egge
Well, we shared a bottle last year, and it did not seem OTH to me.
Re: Is Douro a candidate for your christmas table?
Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2008 10:15 am
by Roy Hersh
Agreed, not over the hill yet. But it is time to drink these, for sure.
Re: Is Douro a candidate for your christmas table?
Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2008 1:27 am
by Ronald Wortel
Friends, who live in the Douro, are over on a visit and I'm sure we'll open some Douro wines on Christmas dinner. And a nice port as well. :)
Re: Is Douro a candidate for your christmas table?
Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 10:17 am
by Pedro Guimaraes
My Christmas in terms of Douro wines....
White
2004 Wine&Soul Guru - the wood is finally gone and the wine is showing itself finally...good but not great!!! Still there is a very pure mineral side to it....i guess going against the Raveneau Chablis Valmur 2001 was a tough match :)
Red
1985 Barca-Velha - not sings of fading away, instead there is a pure essence of cherry fruits wrapped in very perfumed dried herbs and flowers....very good indeed!!!!
1994 Duas Quintas Reserva - i was not expecting such a wine....commanding ripe red fruits, full-body and velvety long end....still a keeper!!!!
Re: Is Douro a candidate for your christmas table?
Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 5:26 am
by Jan-Tore Egge
Jan-Tore Egge wrote:Probably not on Christmas Eve, but I hope to get a friend to open a bottle of Barca Velha 1991. :)
Well, we did drink this, and it was much more developed than a bottle we shared last year, which seemed young and almost tight in comparison. I just managed to get the cork, which broke in two, out of the bottle, and I suspect it was responsible for the state of affairs. Not a bad wine, showing complexity, but a very different mouthfeel from the previous bottle. Well, now we have an excuse for cracking his last two bottles...