For The Love Of Port

Bottled in 1997. T-cork. Ruby color - similar to a 10yr. A nightcap on a crisp fall night. My first impression is that this is an excellent colheita, showing great balance of all elements - fruit (ripe plums), wood, acidity, spirit, sweetness, and tartness. With airtime, it opens up to a long lasting finish. Yummy.

2nd night under vacuvin: smooth with a nutty note on the finish.

This has been sitting out on the counter under vacuvin for about 2 weeks now. It has progressively gotten better each time I taste it, with the brilliance of the fruit and the nuttiness of the finish becoming more pronounced the longer it sits. Tonight, it is a jaw-droppingly excellent glass of tawny port with an immense finish that commands the utmost respect. I think that the extended time this has sat out after being opened lends creedence to the fact that decanting and air really helps a port to show its very best.