For The Love Of Port

1976 Quinta do Noval Colheita Port

Bottled 2007. The first thing I noticed was how dark this was. Seemed a bit younger that it’s true age. While this had a touch of heat, but not as much as the 1968, it was seriously lacking in complexity on the palate. I don’t think this was decanted and that may have played a role. As like the 1968, the finish was entirely long and quite tasty, yet the mid palate was what was lacking. 89-91 points.

Hey Andy,

Didn't this one win some award or something last year and didn't we dispute it???

I need to try this one again. First one was unmemorable.

I have a Dow 82 Colheita that I am going to open soon.

Typically, even from recently bottled examples, these are significantly better when decanted. I know that Andy is a believer in that too. Like Madeira, these reductive styles really benefit from some air time.

In my experience, I often find that Colheita's and Tawny's with an indication of age generally show better on the second day after being opened. The mid-palate fills out and becomes more expressive and integrated with the acidity, leading to a more balanced Port. I suspect that was the case with these. There are exceptions of course, as the 1964 Noval Colheita is an absolute beauty from the moment you pull the cork and I've never found the need to wait for this one.