For The Love Of Port

NV Henriques & Henriques Madeira Bual 15 Years Old - Portugal, Madeira (11/12/2013) -- popped and poured -- -- tasted non-blind over a couple hours -- NOSE: very similar to a tawny Port; varnish/new plastic; raisins; toasted and candied pecans; very expressive. BODY: medium brown color; full bo...

Hmmmm, bummer about the oak --- glad it yielded enough to enjoy the bottle, but it does give some reason for concern. Thanks for this note, Andy.

2010 Niepoort Douro Redoma Branco Reserva - Portugal, Douro (10/24/2013) -- popped and poured -- -- tasted non-blind on Day 1 and also on Day 3 -- NOSE: DAY 1: strong oak --- banana; corn meal (tamale); papaya Lifesavers; hint of cooked pasta. DAY 3: much less oaky than on Day 1. BODY: nearly color...

Nice! Glad to hear this bottling does, indeed, take well to ageing.

2010 Niepoort Douro Redoma Branco Reserva - Portugal, Douro (4/9/2013) -- popped and poured -- -- tasted non-blind over 24 hours -- NOSE: powdery; light pear note; medium-light expressiveness; light oak. BODY: pale green-tinged yellow color; no spritz; light to medium-light bodied. TASTE: loads of ...

2011 Niepoort Douro Redoma Branco - Portugal, Douro (2/18/2013) --popped and poured – -- tasted non-blind over a few hours -- NOSE: strong aromas of fresh green pear and canned Bartlett pears; smells like a white wine that is still going through primary fermentation; interesting chilli powder and o...

Great news!

LOL! It's really real, Roy!

2009 Niepoort Douro Redoma - Portugal, Douro (1/14/2013) -- decanted for 1 hour before initial taste -- -- tasted non-blind over 4 days -- NOSE: ripe; juicy purple berries; a touch floral; medium+ expressiveness; high-toned orange note; tightened-up 2.5 hours after opening. Still tight on Day 2, 23...

The Douro Valley is one of two places I've visited where I honestly felt (feel) like I could spend the rest of my life there (Barcelona being the other one ... and Paris is slowly creeping into that equation, as is Rome). The Douro is just so unassumingly beautiful.

White:
2010 Niepoort - Redoma Branco Reserva

Red:
2007 Quinta do Tedo - Grande Reserva Savedra
2010 Quinta do Vallado - Touriga Nacional (bbl sample)

Roy Hersh wrote:Any new thoughts on this fine topic?

It wasn't until I checked the date stamp on the OP that I realized the OP wasn't a facetious advertiser for The Durand, which seems like one of two obvious solutions, the other one being port tongs.

1980 Graham's VP

2010 Niepoort - Redoma Branco Reserva (x2)
2009 Niepoort – Redoma
2011 Niepoort - Redoma Branco (x2)

This is the wine that introduced me to the Baga grape. I've also had a couple from Luis Pato, but I prefer this Saima bottling. Bummer to hear it's a difficult region to source in SoCal.

Wow, color me surprised, too. This may have been the best non-fortified red wine I tasted during my quick swing through the Douro back in May. Here's what I thought of it back then: -- barrel sample -- -- tasted a couple pours non-blind at the winery -- NOSE: this wine is redolent of all things that...

This is the 6th time I've tasted this over the past year and a half, and this wine continues to impress me. 2007 Casa de Saima Bairrada Reserva - Portugal, Beiras, Bairrada (12/11/2012) -- popped and poured -- -- tasted non-blind over a few hours -- NOSE: expressive, mineral-dominated Nose (pencil l...

Hi Andy, I thought it was at its best on Day 1. I was hoping the alcohol would integrate or blow-off a bit by Day 2 or Day 3, but it didn't, and it also lost just a touch of vivacity that it had on Day 1. (can't remember for sure, but I definitely drank this over two days, if not 3 or 4 --- I didn't...

NV Vinhos Oscar Quevedo Porto 20-year Tawny - Portugal, Douro, Porto (11/12/2012) -- popped and poured -- -- tasted non-blind over a couple days; TN is from Day 1, on which this was tasted non-blind over a few hours -- NOSE: charred chicken or pork; turkey; brown sugar; wood stain; expressive. BODY...

2009 Quinta do Tedo Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto (10/3/2012) -- popped and poured -- -- tasted non-blind over 3 – 4 hours -- NOSE: intoxicating; deep; brooding; spicy – black pepper; only moderately expressive. BODY: impenetrable black-violet color; full bodied. TASTE: wow! Incredible aci...