What have you opened this week?

[Glenn E.]

1995 Vesuvio for a small vertical spanning 1994-1998. Second best on the night for me, but it was very different than the others.

[Tom Archer]

Calem 89 crusted,

This is a little stash that I re-visit every couple of years or so in the interests of science - the bottles are severely affected by VA.

Is there any evolution of the problem over time? Not much. However observing and consuming this decanter over three evenings left me wondering whether there is one contaminant or two at work here.

When first decanted, the wine looks dull and flat, but after a day or so becomes more normal and lustrous, at the same time the unpleasant varnishy nose largely blows off. The note on the palate endures however. This note on the palate is sometimes found on whiskies and marzipan - if one thinks of it as being 'different' rather than 'a fault' it doesn't seem so bad.

Giving affected bottles a lot of aeration after decanting seems to diminish the issue significantly.

[Andy Velebil]

Calem 89 crusted,

This is a little stash that I re-visit every couple of years or so in the interests of science - the bottles are severely affected by VA.

Is there any evolution of the problem over time? Not much. However observing and consuming this decanter over three evenings left me wondering whether there is one contaminant or two at work here.

When first decanted, the wine looks dull and flat, but after a day or so becomes more normal and lustrous, at the same time the unpleasant varnishy nose largely blows off. The note on the palate endures however. This note on the palate is sometimes found on whiskies and marzipan - if one thinks of it as being 'different' rather than 'a fault' it doesn't seem so bad.

Giving affected bottles a lot of aeration after decanting seems to diminish the issue significantly.

Odd wine. Odd vintage. VA doesn’t go away with aeration. Given the year wouldn’t surprise me more than one issue going on.

[Tom Archer]

VA doesn’t go away with aeration.

You've argued that before Andy, but it's clear to me that the problem does partially goes away with aeration. This stash exhibits a textbook example of the problem, which is why I'm retaining the bottles and re-visiting them from time to time.

[Moses Botbol]

Odd wine. Odd vintage. VA doesn’t go away with aeration. Given the year wouldn’t surprise me more than one issue going on.

Most are unlikely to ever drink that vintage. I've never had an outstanding Calem port.

[Tom Archer]

Most are unlikely to ever drink that vintage. I've never had an outstanding Calem port.

Being a crusted port from a producer that doesn't routinely produce it, one can assume that it's a bottling of leftovers - probably mostly '85, given the VA..

[Andy Velebil]

VA doesn’t go away with aeration.

You've argued that before Andy, but it's clear to me that the problem does partially goes away with aeration. This stash exhibits a textbook example of the problem, which is why I'm retaining the bottles and re-visiting them from time to time.

So you’re bottles somehow defy science is what you’re saying? VA is a bacterial infection. Unless you put the wine through reverse osmosis or blend it away with a lot of good wine it doesn’t go away. Please stop spreading fake news.

[Tom Archer]

So you’re bottles somehow defy science is what you’re saying? VA is a bacterial infection. Unless you put the wine through reverse osmosis or blend it away with a lot of good wine it doesn’t go away. Please stop spreading fake news.

Now then.. - this is NOT fake news, this is proper research I've done myself.

There is definitely a volatile element to VA - you wouldn't be able to smell it if there wasn't. The question that arises is whether there are two chemicals involved here, one of which blows off and another that doesn't, or whether there is a single chemical that partly blows off and partly remains in solution.

Given the way if affects the appearance of the wine it could be the latter, that the solubility of the contaminant is too low to be be fully dissolved in the wine, creating the matt appearance on the surface until the excess has blown off. However, given the significantly less pleasant nature of this volatile element it could equally well be that the initial reaction that creates the VA phenomenon then degrades into two distinct organic compounds, one far more soluble than the other.

[Andy Velebil]

So you’re bottles somehow defy science is what you’re saying? VA is a bacterial infection. Unless you put the wine through reverse osmosis or blend it away with a lot of good wine it doesn’t go away. Please stop spreading fake news.

Now then.. - this is NOT fake news, this is proper research I've done myself.

There is definitely a volatile element to VA - you wouldn't be able to smell it if there wasn't. The question that arises is whether there are two chemicals involved here, one of which blows off and another that doesn't, or whether there is a single chemical that partly blows off and partly remains in solution.

Given the way if affects the appearance of the wine it could be the latter, that the solubility of the contaminant is too low to be be fully dissolved in the wine, creating the matt appearance on the surface until the excess has blown off. However, given the significantly less pleasant nature of this volatile element it could equally well be that the initial reaction that creates the VA phenomenon then degrades into two distinct organic compounds, one far more soluble than the other.

VA is a well researched and known thing in wine...FOR DECADES. Your “research” claim isn’t somehow better than actual scientists and exceedingly wealthy wine companies.

[Tom Archer]

VA is a well researched and known thing in wine...FOR DECADES. Your “research” claim isn’t somehow better than actual scientists and exceedingly wealthy wine companies.

And how much of that research was done on aged bottles?

- Diddly squat - which is why I'm investigating it..

[Julian D. A. Wiseman]

Most are unlikely to ever drink that vintage. I've never had an outstanding Calem port.

I have: 1970, both Cálem and Cálem Foz.

[Tom Archer]

I have: 1970, both Cálem and Cálem Foz.

Ditto: '58 is also superb..

[Mike J. W.]

I have an '03 and an '11, so selfishly I'm hoping they'll be decent Calems.

[Andy Velebil]

I have an '03 and an '11, so selfishly I'm hoping they'll be decent Calems.

Their newer VP’s are much better. From What I’ve had, solid mid-term’ers.

[Moses Botbol]

Most are unlikely to ever drink that vintage. I've never had an outstanding Calem port.

I have: 1970, both Cálem and Cálem Foz.

Wow 1970 is great for Calem? Who made a crappy port for the '70 vintage?

[Tom Archer]

Wow 1970 is great for Calem? Who made a crappy port for the '70 vintage?

Dalva is pretty lame.

Everyone else made a decent wine, even Hutcheson. Noval should have done better.

[Andy Velebil]

Wow 1970 is great for Calem? Who made a crappy port for the '70 vintage?

Dalva is pretty lame.

Everyone else made a decent wine, even Hutcheson. Noval should have done better.

Agree on 1970 Dalva. Not so good.

‘70 Noval Nacional is awesome. The regular VP is Not horrible but not great either.

[Jonathan S]

1991 Fonseca Guimaraens VP (375 mL)

I have six magnums of FG91 - bought in 2015 when the TFP did a bit of housekeeping and sent some remnants to auction. I've never seen another magnum of FG - of any vintage - before or since, although there seem to be some recent ones around - and wonder whether these six may have been filled on a whim and are otherwise unique..

Wow, Tom! That's amazing! I know one thing, I have really enjoyed this 375 mL bottle! It is showing beautifully on Day 4.

[Al B.]

On Tuesday I opened a bottle of Graham 1963, which was really on form and didn't last very long. Last night I opened a bottle of Quinta do Noval 1966, which is so full of Golden Syrup and butterscotch. Just delicious.

[Tom Archer]

a bottle of Graham 1963

I have three small stashes of G63 left - a total of ten bottles. All are in such good order, with levels in neck, that the 'puter never selects one for home drinking..

..must bring one to a tasting when things return to normal..