1995 Quinta do Noval Silval Vintage Port

[Lamont Huxley]

Burgundy in color with a ruddy rim. The nose is fairly intense with aromas of raisin, dried cherry, coffee, and a prominent earthiness that reminded me of damp autumn leaves. The palate gives soft fruit up front - more like raisin / dried berry fruit than fresh - and on the mid-palate gives way to mild spices and a moderate length finish with a sightly stemmy edge to it.

There was a good deal of heat coming through on the first tasting (to be fair, we didn't give it a very long time to air out before sipping it), but after more time in the decanter it calmed down and the alcohol seemed much more integrated into the wine. Overall, this is a softly structured and early-maturing port with some nice qualities but lacking a bit in freshness and depth. Tasty, but not one made to age for the long term - drink this one sooner rather than later. 86 pts, Tasted 3/08