1985 Calem Vintage Port

[Claus R]

Decanted 4 hours:

Appearance: Slightly unclear, Deep dark red with a slight hint of orange to the edge

Nose: a little alchohol, some dampened down wine, prune juice?

Taste: again pretty closed, but loads of dark berries lurking in the background, no real alchohol attack as on the nose - just a nice hot berrie feel to it. Real fruit concentrate!

Finish: way above average IMHO - and better than the reviews it's been getting, I think - but then Also slightly tannic/drying on the finish - I like the laid back style to this one...

Note: Don't chill this one too much - it'll loose it's complexity!

Comments:
I like this - alot!
I'll get back with more at a later time - either when this has breathed longer og when a new bottle is opened.

[Andy Velebil]

Claus,
Great job at describing this Port. I look forward to hearing how it held up on subsequent days. That is, if there was any left for day 2.

Now the question that everyone dreads , if you had to put a score on it, what would you score it?

[Claus R]

Claus,
Great job at describing this Port. I look forward to hearing how it held up on subsequent days. That is, if there was any left for day 2.

Now the question that everyone dreads , if you had to put a score on it, what would you score it?

Thanks Andy,

Been doing tasting notes on whisky for a few years now, so it's 'just' a matter of getting a new vocabulary set up/fined tuned for Ports.
Although I feel I can use many descriptors from sherry cask matured whiskies, I still get quite some new input and need to adjust accordingly...

I use 2 small decanters (50cl's and the best of Danish Design ) and fill 1 full and the remains in second one, which I then enjoy during the evening.
I'll get back to you on how it holds up after 1 days time - still got the most of a full decanter to go.


Final score? Let me get back to you on that sometime tonight - still trying to find my foothold here. I'm still trying to get a good baseline set up here, so maybe putting a score up here will not do it just - but like I said, let me get back to you...

Regards,
Claus

[Claus R]

24 hours after decanting:

An entirely different beast on the nose

Nose:It's gone all traditional earthen-floor dunnage warehouse with a slightly chemical hint to it (in a strange, but good way!) A little alchohol + the fruits have almost dissappeared with only few dark but concentrated berries left. Also maybe som exotic spices to be found, like the ones you get in a good curry? The prune juice from yesterday has completely gone.

Taste:Now extremely mild, the grapes seems fantasticly integratic with the alchohol, some would maybe even say one-dimensional?? But I like it! If you think a slight bitter blackcurrant marmelade...?

Finish:More from the taste goes here - but with a tannic hit/drying that prolonges notes from the taste

Conclusion: I still like it very much and if you -as I did- came across this at a more than fair price 150Dkr./30$/15£ (which is a good price in Denmark) - buy it!

Andy, with my limited benchmarks so far - i'll score it at 87 and with that leave room for broadening my horizon and say it's a very good Port.
I got 3 more bottles of this tucked away, and will rate this bottling again as I go along...


Cheers,
Claus

[Glenn E.]

i'll score it at 87 and with that leave room for broadening my horizon and say it's a very good Port.

A great TN Claus, and at least according to most explanations of the 100-point scale (including mine) your score of 87 fits your words perfectly. I still find it easier to rate a Port in words first and then convert those words to a number, and "very good" typically corresponds to the range from 85-89.

I love that decanter picture, by the way. Do you know if it can be purchased over the internet?

[Claus R]

i'll score it at 87 and with that leave room for broadening my horizon and say it's a very good Port.

A great TN Claus, and at least according to most explanations of the 100-point scale (including mine) your score of 87 fits your words perfectly. I still find it easier to rate a Port in words first and then convert those words to a number, and "very good" typically corresponds to the range from 85-89.

I love that decanter picture, by the way. Do you know if it can be purchased over the internet?

Thank you for you kind words, Glenn

That's what I do also...put words on it and then rate it...

...and another falls victim to our famous danish design, I see

The official design website is http://www.rosendahl.dk (use the change country in the top menu bar) and you'll be looking for the 'Grand Cru' series in the 'Glasses & Carafes'-category.

There's only websales available for Denmark, but a dealer search on the website found these:

Chartreuse
2609 1st Avenue
WA-98121 Seattle
Phone: 001-206 328 4844
Fax: 206 328 1987
Email: sales@modchartreuse.com

Gifts By Design Inc.
151 Western Avenue W # 350
WA-98119 Seattle
Phone: 001 206-286-6688
Fax: 001 206287-1865
Email: heidi.simonds@giftsbydesign.net

A 0,75L carafe is around 30$ converted directly from Danish kr., but I'm sure it'll have picked up some more on the way to the US. Anyway, try contacting the shops if you're interested

Regards,
Claus

[Glenn E.]

Thanks Claus, I'll check out those two stores!

[Moses Botbol]

Thanks Claus, I'll check out those two stores!

www.modchartreuse.com

Is pretty high end with Kartell, Herman Miller and Alessi products.