For The Love Of Port

blind tasting on 12/26 at Roy's house (8 total wines)

1960 Ferreira Vintage Port
Tawny in color, but still reddish and not completely tan. It has a bright nose, but with something very mildly sour as well. Possibly a very faint vinegar.

The flavor is very smooth and contains almonds, vanilla, and some faint caramel. There's another nut-like note in it, too... possibly pecan. After some time in the glass, it also shows some processed sugar and a faint smokey note.

My guess was a mid-80's Colheita, possibly Kopke. Kris H. nailed the date - 1960 - which was really impressive.

In retrospect, the lack of apricots and any wood notes at all should have tipped me off, but the color and other flavors seemed so right.

I ranked this one #2 on the evening, behind the 1966 Kopke Colheita.

I just finished (2 minutes ago) the last glass from the 1960 bottle. Wow, who would have believed that not only would this last open 5 days ... but get even better at least for 3 or 4 days. Today it was sweet and genteel, but wow on day 3 it was a rock star.

I really loved this bottle ... not like 98 points or anything, but just an elegant and gorgeously well balanced VP. Ferreira often does it for me in lesser vintages ... like the beautiful 1975 Ferreira and 1980 too!