1997 Quinta do Tedo Vintage Port
Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 3:31 pm
Purchased from QFC on closeout for a mere $21/bottle. At a price like that it's worth buying even if you ultimately don't like it and use it for cooking!
I used about a cup to make Seared Scallops with Port Reduction and then stoppered the bottle and left it on the kitchen counter. So it was opened 2 days ago, but hasn't had a lot of air since then. I tasted it while cooking and then again now, so this is a combined TN.
1997 Quinta do Tedo Vintage Port
Color: Very dark garnet leaning toward rustic brick red. Opaque center with about an inch of fade from the rim.
Nose: Lots of fruitiness wafted into the room when the bottle was opened, but in the glass it is a bit more subdued. Red fruit compote leads the way and hints at being stewed... but eventually is not. Significant but not obtrusive alcohol tending toward the fragrant side of the spectrum. Light blueberry and blackberry backed by soft sour cherry. Some dust in the background and maybe just a hint of smoke.
Palate: Starts with a pleasant medly of brandied fruits, including the alcohol. Some sweet cherry, tart cherry, mellow red raspberry, and blackberry. Despite the long list, it doesn't seem very deep or complex. Body weight and sweetness are both average. Tannins are just decent and acidity seems like it might be just a little bit on the mild side.
Finish: Simple sweet fruit flavor gives way to a fairly strong bite, which slowly resolves into grapes and grape skin. The finish is nice and long.
Score: 87 points. It drinks nicely now, but would be improved with some secondary development. Unfortunately I get the feeling that another 5-10 years is all this has left in it, so it may not last long enough to really develop good secondary characteristics. No need to drink up just yet, but watch it carefully over the next decade.
I used about a cup to make Seared Scallops with Port Reduction and then stoppered the bottle and left it on the kitchen counter. So it was opened 2 days ago, but hasn't had a lot of air since then. I tasted it while cooking and then again now, so this is a combined TN.
1997 Quinta do Tedo Vintage Port
Color: Very dark garnet leaning toward rustic brick red. Opaque center with about an inch of fade from the rim.
Nose: Lots of fruitiness wafted into the room when the bottle was opened, but in the glass it is a bit more subdued. Red fruit compote leads the way and hints at being stewed... but eventually is not. Significant but not obtrusive alcohol tending toward the fragrant side of the spectrum. Light blueberry and blackberry backed by soft sour cherry. Some dust in the background and maybe just a hint of smoke.
Palate: Starts with a pleasant medly of brandied fruits, including the alcohol. Some sweet cherry, tart cherry, mellow red raspberry, and blackberry. Despite the long list, it doesn't seem very deep or complex. Body weight and sweetness are both average. Tannins are just decent and acidity seems like it might be just a little bit on the mild side.
Finish: Simple sweet fruit flavor gives way to a fairly strong bite, which slowly resolves into grapes and grape skin. The finish is nice and long.
Score: 87 points. It drinks nicely now, but would be improved with some secondary development. Unfortunately I get the feeling that another 5-10 years is all this has left in it, so it may not last long enough to really develop good secondary characteristics. No need to drink up just yet, but watch it carefully over the next decade.