For The Love Of Port

Finally had a chance to crack open the Otima 20 that I brought back with me from California, which, a couple of months ago, was the only place I could find it. Now, I have seen it in no less than three local merchants, but at least it is a reasonable price. I decided to open an Otima 10 year at the same time to compare the two side by side. In the past, others have raved how the 20 far exceeds the 10. Here are my own observations:

Warre's Otima 10 Year Tawny
The last time I had this bottle, I distinctly remember not thinking the world of it. I believed it was (for my taste) a bit to astringent with the alcohol with perhaps a tad too much acidity.

This bottle has been showing better. Popped 3 days ago, I have been sipping this tawny at cellar-temperature over the past few nights, but decided to send it head-to-head against it's older brother, the Otima 20 YOT. The 10 year shows a bit more of a ruby colour towards the middle with definitive orange tawny notes, fading to light brown at the edges. Thick, slow-running tears run down the side of the glass when swirled.

The nose is still a tad astringent for my taste, with a brown-sugar sweetness. The palate is pleasing though, a touch of citrus, some light caramel notes and a follow-through that lasts a decent amount of time. Warming brought out the alcohol, which I was not so fond of, but this Otima 10 seems to have convinced me it is a worthy companion to a good book or a good surf thru FTLOP.

Warre's Otima 20 Year Tawny
The 10 year is no match for it's older sibling. More time maturing in oak has brought a slightly darker colour, although surprisingly just a slight amount more. Not knowing the two glasses apart, I would have a tough time identifying on colour alone that the two Tawnies were 10 years difference.

The nose, however, gives this port away. A strong butterscotch, caramel nose with very little alcohol. Definite notes of orange rind, and a hint of vanilla. A sweeter, more syrupy nose to be sure. The palate holds true to this promise of both vanilla, which is more clearly defined in the mouth than on the nose, and the orange peel. Balanced acidity and the alcohol is very nicely integrated on this port. There seems to be a complexity with the Otima 20 that is not evident with the 10. Perhaps in a decade we may see a Otiima 30 and see if this port has developed even more in barrel??

I can definitely see why those that have had the Otima 20 have declared it is worth almost double the price of the 10.

I much prefer the Otima 20, although I think I have come around to the Otima 10 as well. Especially as cellar-cool temperatures. Once they gained a few degrees Celcius, the 20 was the obvious chouce as it had the less intrusive alcohol. The 10 started showing a bit more heat as the glass warmed up.

Todd

I could swear I wrote this analysis. Damn you are getting good. Glad to see some of us are not crazy.

Thank you for your very detailed comparative evaluation. It is so much fun to compare 2 bottles ...or .... even 30.

Todd

Great notes and analysis. I rarely drink tawnies so it is always really interesting to read up the sort of comparison that you have posted.

Thanks,

Alex

Todd,

Very good comparison that echos my experiences to a tee!

Excellent comparison, thanks for the note.

Great notes!

Todd,

Great head-to-head notes indeed. I not only echo this particular Otima sentiment, but I seem to always prefer the 20 year to the 10 yr of any and every producer where I have had both so far.

By the by, I just retunred from your neck of the woods as my sister got married in Niagara on the Lake.....Wow, the trip and tasting of a few dozen plus ice wines more than confirmed my affinity for them. But your complaints about Canadian taxes are justified for sure. Wine is sooo expensive in Canada . The few ice wines I can get up my way in the States cost about the same as they did at the wineries and stores at the source!

Roy Hersh wrote:Thank you for your very detailed comparative evaluation. It is so much fun to compare 2 bottles ...or .... even 30.

Roy,
I hope to join you soon (November) in my first major tasting of more than 3 ports at a time! I'm on the advanced notice sheet for your November tasting at deVines and looking forward to it immensely!
(and yes, I'd love to be able to do more frequent tastings of multiple ports!)

Al B. wrote:I rarely drink tawnies so it is always really interesting to read up the sort of comparison that you have posted.

Alex,
I have strayed away from Tawnies as of late (I have been too busy trying to acquire, and then agonize over the slaying of, VPs that are within a reasonable drinking window so I can increase my experience and knowledge on VPs) but find myself revisiting the Tawny occasionally, and usually in a batch. Of all the ideas I have for group tastings (when I finally find a group to TASTE with!!!) is a side-by-side of multiple varieties of 10 year Tawnies, then throw in a couple of 20 and 30 yr examples as a treat. I have at least 5 producers represented in my cellar waiting for the day this tasting will occur so I can open them all at once. Perhaps an "guest corner" article will result from that (when it occurs)???

Scott Anaya wrote:Todd,

Great head-to-head notes indeed. I not only echo this particular Otima sentiment, but I seem to always prefer the 20 year to the 10 yr of any and every producer where I have had both so far.

I agree - I have tried the Taylor 10 and 20, albeit not at the same time, but remember the complexity of the 20 year being distinct compared to the 10. I once tried a single shot of the 40 yr in a restaurant through a work affair, but it was a long time ago and there is no resulting note. (It may not have made much sense anyway due to the amount of spirits consumed prior to 'dessert' )

Scott Anaya wrote:By the by, I just retunred from your neck of the woods as my sister got married in Niagara on the Lake.....Wow, the trip and tasting of a few dozen plus ice wines more than confirmed my affinity for them. But your complaints about Canadian taxes are justified for sure. Wine is sooo expensive in Canada . The few ice wines I can get up my way in the States cost about the same as they did at the wineries and stores at the source!

I'll let you go on the "my neck of the woods" thing and simply state that your home is probably closer to mine than Niagra, but..... :twisted:

Yes... Canadian taxes suck. It doesn't seem to make much sense that the wineries themselves do charge pretty much retail price, does it? (in my experience most do, especially for the ice wines that I have tried... Inniskillan being the most infamous for it) - a recent trip to the Inniskillan vineyard in the Okanagen found me arguing vehemently that the price was ridiculous considering they didn't have the shipping costs, handling, etc associated with the product being sold AT the production point.

However, being a complete sucker for the icewine as well, I of course left the heated debate by ONLY buying three bottles at like $65 each. Yeah... I showed THEM!

I really need to move to the States or the UK. Somewhere where the port flows freely (and at a lesser cost than my first born!!)

Todd

I'll let you go on the "my neck of the woods" thing and simply state that your home is probably closer to mine than Niagra, but.....

However, being a complete sucker for the icewine as well, I of course left the heated debate by ONLY buying three bottles at like $65 each. Yeah... I showed THEM!

Woops....I forgot to check your locale. Yeah, Edminton isn't really that close to Ontario now is it! But, right back at ya as living in Alaska puts me about twice as far from Ice Wine Country as you sir! hehehee

Yeah, discussing the outrageous prices with every Canadian winery myself, I was a bit peeved too. Like you, I also "showed" them and brought home 9 bottles.

20 seems to be the perfect age for most tawny in my book. Good review.

Okay, so I have a buddy that is getting deeper and deeper into the Port drinking world, and this morning he emailed me.....

"so, spur of the moment last night I decided to drop 45 bucks on a bottle of dow's 20 year tawny. that shit is good.
the 20 is just so much smoother than the 10. it's like it's doing you a favor by letting you drink it. oh my god. I am turning into you."

With the current 10/20 yr discussion, I just had to post it.

P.S. This is a friend I have been "Port Mentoring" for a few years. I have been sending him links to the site and am trying to get him to put down the Mets websites for a minute and join FTOP!!!!

Scott,

That's a great response from your friend and just gave me a good laugh, thanks

You guys are going to think that I am crazy, but I prefer the niepoort 10 yr tawny over the niepoort 20yr tawny.

Alex R wrote:You guys are going to think that I am crazy, but I prefer the niepoort 10 yr tawny over the niepoort 20yr tawny.

Having tried neither, I can't call you anything but more experienced than I :) However, I would like to try both... to see if this is a single opinion or mirrored.

FWIW, I have heard that the Niepoort 10 YOT is VERY good. Shame we don't see it in my neck of the woods. I'd have to drive nearly 800 miles just to pick up a bottle of it in BC. <sigh>

Todd