For The Love Of Port

1985 Burmester Vintage Port
Still holding its color and with a nose of a young perfume nose of plums I had high hopes for this bottle from a house not normally associated with top notch VP’s back then. Young grapes, menthol, pepper, big tannins, and some unintegrated heat are a bit syrupy as it seemed to lack some acidity. The palate also had this underlying medicinal cardboard taste that, based on other older Ports from Bermester I’ve had, I didn’t perceive as being corked. But other 80’s Ports I’ve had from them have had some massive band-aid flavors and although this wasn’t nearly as bad as other bottles I’ve, was reminincient of those. A shame as this seemed to have lots of potential. 89 points.
01/31/09

I have always been a fan of the '85 Burmester and find it to be a great unspoken value in VP from this vintage which doesn't typically come inextpensively these days. At least not the bottles we'd want to drink.

I would like to try this one again. I don't recall ever having tried this one before and I'd heard it was a normally a good bottle. So I was bummed that this bottle didn't show quite as well as it should have. That just means I gotta find a bottle of it to try again

Of the eight 1985s we had at the 1st Gala, this and the SW were the favorites for me and my wife. It is too bad I can't find any here in the US. My thanks to whomever brought it.

It was one of mine, but no thanks required at all. Again, I think this is one of the really fine under appreciated VPs from 1985 and there are some around, but they don't show up all that often.

I am sure I could get some for you if seriously interested, but it would take awhile to arrange. Let me know.

Roy Hersh wrote:I am sure I could get some for you if seriously interested, but it would take awhile to arrange. Let me know.

Thank-you for the offer, but at the moment scarcity of Port is not the limiting factor in my purchases. I have a long list awaiting funding, and of course I'm saving up for the FTLOP opPORTunity next month.

Thank's for the notes. (Sorry I couldn't reply earlier but I was abroad).
I still have a bottle or two of this Port. Do you recomend me to drink it right now or it maybe some years later..?

Carlos,
This port is in a really good place right now. I would drink it sooner rather than later.

I agree with Kurt. In great shape now and although I believe the upside on well stored bottles is still pretty good, that upside is only probably another 10 years or so, before reaching a plateau.

Roy Hersh wrote:I agree with Kurt. In great shape now and although I believe the upside on well stored bottles is still pretty good, that upside is only probably another 10 years or so, before reaching a plateau.

That is what I am hoping for. Haven't bought any yet, but a few cases are on my horizon by years' end.

Thank's Kurt and Roy,
It's been very helpfull. Then I may drink one soon and probably leave the other to reach the 30yrs. I'll tell you how they are when I try them.