What have you opened this week?

[Mike J. W.]

My house Port seems to have turned into Quinta das Lamelas 10 year old white. I can’t stop drinking it chilled from the fridge after a hard days gardening in the heat.

But today is much colder and wetter - so it was a bottle of Delaforce 1963.

How is that Delaforce '63? I have a Berry Bros. bottling of it from the same year and I'm curious.

[Andy Velebil]

1985 Dow’s Vintage Port (embossed black glass bottle). Opened this for friends last night. Just a fantastic and still young VP as it approaches its 35th year.

[Glenn E.]

1944 Kopke Colheita, bottled 2013.

[Tom Archer]

Fresh in the decanter now - Offley '70 - barely two thirds mature, but a lovely quaff..

Prior to that Warre '75 - light, but no longer fiery - nice wine now, strange evolution..

And before that, Dow 60 - my most drunk wine, both at home and at tastings - lovely juice, still no sign of going south..

And prior to that, Croft Roeda '80 - not a superstar, but a good, solid, mature quaffer..

[Glenn E.]

1977 Niepoort VP

Fancy bottle with a tin (or other semi-soft metal) tag hanging about its neck listing the brand, year, and style.

Lovely wine. Needed more decant than I gave it initially (just 1 hour), so filled out and opened up nicely over the next 3-4 hours.

[Andy Velebil]

1977 Niepoort VP

Fancy bottle with a tin (or other semi-soft metal) tag hanging about its neck listing the brand, year, and style.

Lovely wine. Needed more decant than I gave it initially (just 1 hour), so filled out and opened up nicely over the next 3-4 hours.

Brass tag.

[Glenn E.]

1977 Niepoort VP

Fancy bottle with a tin (or other semi-soft metal) tag hanging about its neck listing the brand, year, and style.

Lovely wine. Needed more decant than I gave it initially (just 1 hour), so filled out and opened up nicely over the next 3-4 hours.

Brass tag.

It's extra good tonight. Really filled out and settled into a good spot over the last 24 hours.

[David Spriggs]

Fancy bottle with a tin (or other semi-soft metal) tag hanging about its neck listing the brand, year, and style.

That's the real deal. A wonderful wine!

[Tom Archer]

Have just finished a bottle of Borges Coroa

Dumpy bottle bought at auction, the previous owner kept the original price tag and noted the date - it cost 418 Escudos in January 1986.

Beautifully smooth wine with absolutely no sign of going tertiary.

People so often parrot the line that bottles like this are not intended for long aging - yet few have tried doing so. Occasionally a bottle will be over filtered, light struck - or both.. - and emerge as a sad mess, but more often than not, old standard and reserve tawnies bottle age really well, as do the age indicated ones.

[Andy Velebil]

1994 Quinta do Vesuvio VP. Not had this in a long while so was time to check in. Still a youthful rich and amazing port. Long life ahead of this one.

[Tom Archer]

Sandeman 63

This was the first big name '63 VP to show signs of going over the hill, yet a decade later there are signs in this bottle of it finding it's 'second wind'

Awkwardly fiery at first, but after a couple of days finding much better integration. Not a superstar, but still good for a few years yet - Score 6-6

[Glenn E.]

1980 Gould Campbell for tonight.

[Tom Archer]

1980 Gould Campbell for tonight.

I have a half case as yet un-explored - do report..

[Moses Botbol]

Sandeman 63

This was the first big name '63 VP to show signs of going over the hill, yet a decade later there are signs in this bottle of it finding it's 'second wind'

Awkwardly fiery at first, but after a couple of days finding much better integration. Not a superstar, but still good for a few years yet - Score 6-6

I don't find it to be over the hill either.

[Glenn E.]

1980 Gould Campbell for tonight.

I have a half case as yet un-explored - do report..

Clicky clicky.

[Eric Ifune]

Half bottle of 2005 Vargellas. Just starting to go tertiary.

[Tom Archer]

Half bottle of 2005 Vargellas. Just starting to go tertiary.

Tertiary?? That wine shouldn't be out of short trousers yet..

[Andy Velebil]

Half bottle of 2005 Vargellas. Just starting to go tertiary.

Tertiary?? That wine shouldn't be out of short trousers yet..

That gave me a morning chuckle!

[Eric Ifune]

Just starting. Not quite the bloom of youth.

[John M.]

Kopke 10 Year Old Tawny, bottled in 2018. Not usually a fan of 10s, but I paid less than $11 and it's Kopke, who IMHO make superb tawnies. Well this one certainly did not disappoint. Absolutely lovely and nice to drink with socially distanced friends around a fire in the twilight.