For The Love Of Port

Tasted at Roy's on 3/14/2010

1995 Martinez Eira Velha Vintage Port

Color: Medium ruby through and through. Not opaque in the center, so quite light overall for a mere teenager of a Vintage Port.
Nose: Cooked tomatoes, something that I can only call green olive, and a minerality that screams iron.
Palate: Italian dressing, slight green pepper note. Okay tannins but good acidity. Very drinkable, but probably only 10-15 years left.
Finish: Very nice all around. Good length.

A bit of a strange bird, but once past the savory notes on the nose and in the mouth it's really very nice. My WOTN (out of 9 total), but not by much. Start drinking these if you have a supply, they're probably within 5 years of their peak. 93 points.

The flavor doesn't match, but the age evaluation is consistent to what I found for the 1994 Martinez VP.

I've done the 1994 Eira Velha and 1995 side-by-side in the past at a local tasting I organized several years ago. There was also a 1997 as well as a bunch of other non-Martinez Ports. Interesting to see them in that mini-vertical context though. I remember the 1995 was slightly better than this showing but not by much. The other two vintages were better than the 1995. I still have six or seven left. I don't know what I was thinking, yet they are interesting.

Granted, it has now been open for nearly a week (I tasted it 3/14, but Roy opened it the morning of 3/12 for a different tasting), but this has dropped of precipitously this evening. It's still pleasant enough to drink, but it's starting to get hot and is developing a bite as the fruits (and savory notes) fade.