1994 Calem Vintage Port
Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 12:43 pm
Consumed over a two day period...
I was initially impressed by this wine as soon as I started to pour it into the decanter. After 11 years in bottle it's still virtually black at the core, trimmed with a brilliant reddish purple edge - a pretty port. The nose is concentrated and dark-toned as well. Black mission fig and boysenberry dominate, with hints of prune, sweet strawberry jam, and lavender coming out after being in decanter overnight - a little bit tight still, yet shows good complexity. It's quite impressive on the palate as well - juicy dark cherry and mixed berry fruit is right up front - generous and with a harmonious texture. The tannins just barely start to come out on the mid-palate, but they are quickly subdued by the lushness of the fruit, and even on the finish, which is of medium-long length, it is still the fruit that continues to echo, taking on a tasty licorice nuance as it draws out - no heat showing here at all. This was my first tasting of a Calem VP and I was really pleased. It shows the great ripeness and up-front fruit of the 94 vintage, with tannins that already come off as so well integrated that you could easily overlook them. This port seems to have a pretty solid underlying structure, and if that structure can hold up long enough to let the big tasty fruit flesh out, it should turn out to be delicious in it's maturity. 91pts, Tasted 3/08
I was initially impressed by this wine as soon as I started to pour it into the decanter. After 11 years in bottle it's still virtually black at the core, trimmed with a brilliant reddish purple edge - a pretty port. The nose is concentrated and dark-toned as well. Black mission fig and boysenberry dominate, with hints of prune, sweet strawberry jam, and lavender coming out after being in decanter overnight - a little bit tight still, yet shows good complexity. It's quite impressive on the palate as well - juicy dark cherry and mixed berry fruit is right up front - generous and with a harmonious texture. The tannins just barely start to come out on the mid-palate, but they are quickly subdued by the lushness of the fruit, and even on the finish, which is of medium-long length, it is still the fruit that continues to echo, taking on a tasty licorice nuance as it draws out - no heat showing here at all. This was my first tasting of a Calem VP and I was really pleased. It shows the great ripeness and up-front fruit of the 94 vintage, with tannins that already come off as so well integrated that you could easily overlook them. This port seems to have a pretty solid underlying structure, and if that structure can hold up long enough to let the big tasty fruit flesh out, it should turn out to be delicious in it's maturity. 91pts, Tasted 3/08