Well, if two days of debauchery weren't enough, Roy Hersh had a third day in store for us on Sunday...
The day started out with a special tasting and lecture on what were the finest ports I have ever tasted in my life. This was a remarkable tasting, and I was so excited by some of the wines that I was literally online buying cases of two of them (1977 Taylor and 1994 Fonseca) on my web-enabled cellphone in the MIDDLE of the tasting. Hey, when you have to have it, you have to have it! Happy, happy day!
Port (1955-1970)
- 1955 Sandeman Porto - Portugal, Douro, Porto
The color here is still quite dark with a lot of brown but a solid rim, slightly cloudy in the glass. I found the nose on this to be slightly dusty and musty with a strong scent of toffee. On the palate this showed coffee, roasted nuts, and caramel. The wine was gorgeously balanced and silky with a very long finish. This is a beautiful port that is at peak and seems to be have plenty of time ahead. (91 pts.) - 1963 Graham Porto - Portugal, Douro, Porto
This showed the lightest color of the flight with a pink edge. On the nose there is a pretty clear bit of spirit, yet the nose soars from the glass and is almost piercing in the way it hits your sinuses. Wow, the palate on this is very bright and fresh, almost delicate. The port finishes with juicy strawberry and continued brightness with some violet notes. The very end of the finish shows a distinct nuttiness that I found particularly pleasing. (92 pts.) - 1966 Sandeman Porto - Portugal, Douro, Porto
A faded rim with glowing color, very pretty to behold. About half of the folks on the room thought this was lightly corked, but I didn't catch this at all. In fact, this wine had my favorite nose of the flight with a soaring, floral personality, caramel, chocolate and mint. On the palate this was very sweet with a heavy (but not cloying) texture with caramel and tart and juicy fruit. The finish was explosive, very long and complex. (95 pts.) - 1970 Dow Porto - Portugal, Douro, Porto
This is very youthful in color with a deep purple core. On the nose there is a hint of grapiness and mint, yet I found the aromatics to be somewhat reticent. On the youthful palate there is a refreshing blast of wintergreen, but I found the wine to show a fair bit of spirit. The structure is impressive. Others really liked this wine a lot, but I found it to be a tough comparison to the earlier, more mature ports in the flight. (90 pts.)
- 1977 Taylor Porto - Portugal, Douro, Porto
On describing this to the other attendees, I popped out with "Oh man, this just rocks!" This actually had the lightest color by far in the flight, but that was a red herring. The nose was quite medicinal and showed some spirit. The palate was utterly seamless with figs, dates, raisins, fruitcake, maple syrup, molasses, and treacle yet with a very silky and vibrant texture. The finish is luscious and long with so much life and elegance. This is the best port I have ever tasted. (97 pts.) - 1980 Dow Porto - Portugal, Douro, Porto
Unreal color, opaque, black, totally saturated. Alas, the nose is swampy with some seaweed, and there it is, the unmistakeable nose of a heavily corked wine. Drat! I did venture one taste and was amazed by the structure of this. Crap!!! - 1983 Cockburn Porto - Portugal, Douro, Porto
Glowing color yet one of the lighter wines in the flight, only darker than the 1977 Taylor. The nose here was Madeira like with cooked onion. On the palate I got prunes, raisins and an Amarone-like character. The finish burns a bit and still shows alcohol. This is a bit disjointed right now and seems to need a lot of time to settle down and mesh. (90 pts.) - 1985 Fonseca Porto - Portugal, Douro, Porto
Very dark color. The nose is youthful and grapey with some chocolate. The palate shows dark fruit, roasted coffee, chocolate and is deep and luscious. The finish is very grippy with awesome structure, very brawny and masculine. This was clearly one of the most structured ports of the tasting. (94 pts.)
- 1994 Fonseca Porto - Portugal, Douro, Porto
Extremely dark. The nose is dense with lots of violet popping out. On the palate this has a sweet, tightly wrapped core of explosive fruit. The finish is stunningly smooth with chocolate and toffee. For most tasters this was their favorite, although for me this was tied for second with the 1966 Sandeman and two points behind the 1977 Taylor. (95 pts.) - 1997 Niepoort Porto - Portugal, Douro, Porto
Dark color. The nose shows tangerine. Wow, this is very silky with a citric edge that provides an interesting freshness. This is tightly knit and pure. It is just so primary right now with a beautiful core of fruit and structure. (94 pts.) - 2000 Quinta do Vesuvio Porto - Portugal, Douro, Porto
Deep color. This is showing much more overt oak than I recall with vanilla and caramel and a certain herbal element. This is a massive wine, yet it is actually smaller in the mouth than the 1997 Niepoort and 1994 Fonseca. The structure here is very impressive, huge and rocking. (92 pts.) - N.V. Porto Rocha Porto Three Centuries - Portugal, Douro, Porto
The nose is more reminiscent of Madeira than Port with cooked onion. The palate has luscious texture with a sharp, saline element. The unbelievably long finish is nutty and delicious. Did I mention it was long? This is the finest tawny I have ever tasted! (93 pts.)
After we finished the port tasting, we moved next door to a banquet room at Spazzo's Italian Cafe in Bellevue, WA to have a 7 course Italian dinner along with a series of (mostly) Italian wines.
We started with some Sangiovese (and Grosso) based wines to get us rolling with the Gaja (Pieve Santa Restituta) stealing my heart.
- 1997 Castellare Chianti Classico Riserva - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico Riserva
This was a fairly forgettable Chianti, not very rousing or leathery, just tart and acidic. (82 pts.) - 1995 Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva Tenute Marchese - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico Riserva
Served from magnum. Very dark color. The nose shows leather, brett, strawberry and caramel. Quite promising. On the palate however this is totally flat with no vibrancy or acid. It didn't smell corked, but a few folks wondered if perhaps it was cooked. Too bad! (83 pts.) - 1995 Pieve Santa Restituta (Gaja) Brunello di Montalcino Sugarille - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Tasted from Magnum. The nose shows piercing notes of pine resin. The palate is leathery, tannic and massive. Over the course of two hours this just kept opening and opening. We were clearly drinking this about a decade early. (93 pts.)
Then we moved to Piedmont where the Spinetta stole the show!
- 1999 La Spinetta Barbera d'Asti Superiore - Italy, Piedmont, Asti, Barbera d'Asti
I love these wines. Slutty with raspberry all over the nose and palate. Leathery and chewy, showing delicious Barbera character. This is everything I look for in an over the top Barbera. Luscious! (92 pts.) - 1996 Giuseppe Cortese Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
Very young and painfully tight with drying tannins. The nose shows some dried rose. This seems to have some big upside, but this wine is really tough to drink right now. (87 pts.) - 1997 Pio Cesare Barolo - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
The nose shows obvious tar. This palate is very smooth with no rough edges, but this is also fairly restrained and lacking in depth and intensity. (89 pts.)
The next slight with a memorable dish of grilled Ahi Tuna was a series of Super Tuscan and Umbrian wines. Frankly, for whatever reason I didn't want to like the Tignanello, but it was in fact an elegant wine.
- 1997 Antinori Tignanello Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT
This was my bottle, and I liked it a lot more than I wanted to. The nose is very expressive and high-pitched. The palate is huge and shows lots of structure with juicy fruit and somewhat drying acid and tannin on the finish. This is a very powerful wine that needs a LOT more time. (91 pts.) - 1998 Sportoletti Villa Fidelia Umbria IGT - Italy, Umbria, Umbria IGT
Oak and blueberry on the nose. On the palate this is very international in style, very round yet monolithic and lifeless. Let it age and hope that it gains some life. (82 pts.) - 1995 La Brancaia Il Blu Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Maremma, Toscana IGT
Very austere and angular. Where is the fruit and love in this one? Very unforgiving wine. (80 pts.)
Next we had a pair of Cabernet Sauvignon wines. The Quilceda was clearly one of the best dry wines of the weekend.
- 1995 Zonin Berengario IGT - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Venezia Giulia, IGT
Hideously corked. - 1994 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, Washington
Classic Quilceda with violet and raspberry on the nose. On the palate this has huge structure and is so pure and silky. Massive and long, this is a special, special wine. 96+ (96 pts.)
Next we moved to Veneto for what should have been a flight of three wines. Alas, I am a farkin' klutz, so the flight ended up at two. Sorry Roy! The Quintarelli was stunning here!
- 1991 Sartori Amarone della Valpolicella Classico - Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
Uggh, this bottle was broken in a big game of dominos as we arranged the flights. It could have been a lot worse, as three bottles hit the floor and only this one shattered... - 1995 Giuseppe Quintarelli Valpolicella Classico - Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Valpolicella Classico
Well this was a pretty darned cool wine with a high pitched nose of violet. The palate makes you say WOW with remarkable structure and caramel. Holy crap, this is tasty! (93 pts.) - 1995 Allegrini Amarone della Valpolicella Classico - Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
Wow, this show a ton of volatile acidity on the nose. The palate has beautiful structure with a hint of caramel. While this was a nice wine, it was nothing like a 1997 I had of the same wine. (88 pts.)
Finally we finished up with some dessert.
- 1999 Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Herrenweg de Turckheim - France, Alsace, Turckheim, Alsace AOC
This was more of a starter wine than dessert, but it was misplaced. The nose shows mineral and slate with a hint of botrytis. The palate is ripe yet finishes bone dry and shows some astringency. I think this needs a lot more time. (88 pts.) - 1998 Joseph Phelps Johannisberg Riesling Special Select Late Harvest - USA, California, Napa Valley
The nose shows lots of botrytis and nail polish. On the palate this is clumsy and sugary and flavors like licking a shower curtain. It has no acid and is totally flacid as a result. - 1993 Fattoria di Felsina Vin Santo del Chianti Classico - Italy, Tuscany, Vin Santo del Chianti Classico
The nose shows significant volatility. This is very sweet on the front and mid-palate. This has surprising acid behind the sweetness with gorgeous nuttiness on the finish. A nice way to finish up the night.
Posted from CellarTracker
