TN: 1994 Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port
Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 12:31 am
Decant: 4½ hours - Bottle number 24,668 (out of 76 pipes or about 51,000 bottles) was a leaker that I discovered in a re-racking exercise that I had to do after moving house. Once opened, the cork was inspected and gave no clue as to why this should have been leaking. The cork appeared to be in perfect condition, pale in colour and with a slight bulge in the centre. Although short for a vintage port cork at 4½ cm, it was a challenge to get out of the bottle and I ended up having to use a rabbit type corkscrew.
Decanted at 6pm, delivering the typical Vesuvio fine and intensely purple sediment but with some sediment the like of which I have never seen before. This was solid, brittle and almost metallic in nature. Very strange.
A beautiful, ripe, sweet blackcurrant smell comes out of the glass. Soft and attractive, making your mouth water just as you smell this port. The first sensation in the mouth is of blueberry juice, but with tannins and acidity very present but never dominating. The taste doesn't really develop or show significant complexity but is in beautiful balance with the dominating fruit. The aftertaste takes a while to start and does have a very slight burn, but once it is established the flavours of fruit yoghurt and milk chocolate just last forever.
This is one of my absolute top 5 ports that I have ever had the opportunity to drink. I love this port and it will only get better. On Uncle Tom's scale, this is one of the best 5 ports I will drink this year - and will be even better in 10 years time so it has to be 10 / 10 or 96/100.
Footnote: 24 hours on, this port was even better and would rate 97/100. The nose had opened up, the tannins had softened a little but the fruit was very much at the fore of the flavours, mid-palate complexity was now very obvious and the aftertaste was just superb. 96 points
Decanted at 6pm, delivering the typical Vesuvio fine and intensely purple sediment but with some sediment the like of which I have never seen before. This was solid, brittle and almost metallic in nature. Very strange.
A beautiful, ripe, sweet blackcurrant smell comes out of the glass. Soft and attractive, making your mouth water just as you smell this port. The first sensation in the mouth is of blueberry juice, but with tannins and acidity very present but never dominating. The taste doesn't really develop or show significant complexity but is in beautiful balance with the dominating fruit. The aftertaste takes a while to start and does have a very slight burn, but once it is established the flavours of fruit yoghurt and milk chocolate just last forever.
This is one of my absolute top 5 ports that I have ever had the opportunity to drink. I love this port and it will only get better. On Uncle Tom's scale, this is one of the best 5 ports I will drink this year - and will be even better in 10 years time so it has to be 10 / 10 or 96/100.
Footnote: 24 hours on, this port was even better and would rate 97/100. The nose had opened up, the tannins had softened a little but the fruit was very much at the fore of the flavours, mid-palate complexity was now very obvious and the aftertaste was just superb. 96 points