1937 Quinta do Noval Colheita Port

[Gary Richardson]

Opened December 9, 2009 --- bottled 2006 --- and this was so good I am inspired to post my first tasting note:

I had one bottle of this that I bought several months ago from a local shop. He offered to sell me an additional 14 bottles, so I had to try this before making such a commitment.

As soon as I sniffed the (intact) cork, I could already tell that this was going to be very special. Decanted and filtered the last drops through an unbleached empty tea bag. I have an aerating funnel that I use when decanting. It has a long spout that I sometimes insert into an unbleached empty tea bag (like a condom for the funnel) to catch sediment from the bottom of the bottles. Some fine sediment at the bottom, but most of it was filtered out through that process. Color in the decanter is dark orange with a hint of a green rim when poured into the glass. Initial alcohol from the first night blew off by the second and this colheita was even better. Everything was well balanced, and the overwhelming tastes were of butterscotch, caramel and orange peel. Amazing experience.

By the way, any bets that this is the first time that the word 'condom' was used in a tasting note?

-- Gary

[Glenn E.]

Sounds fantastic, Gary, I'm jealous!

I did pick up 2 bottles of this during Roy's Quinta do Noval offer for FTLOP members, but that was all I could afford. You must have gotten a great deal to be inspired to buy 14 bottles!

[Andy Velebil]

Gary,
This is a wonderful Colheita and the last bottle I had was in June at the Quinta. You are a lucky man to have so many of them, as there is very little left.