For The Love Of Port

Hello,
well it was my birthday dinner and I had to have some port. What to have, was the hard part. My guests have mixed feelings on Port. Some don't like it, some like it but don't really know the difference between the various types and there was me, big fan with a cellar full of port.

My first instinct was to open one my vintage 85s. Probably all drinking well at this point with some even past the zenith (Dow, Taylor, Quarles Harris). Couldn't decide between the QA and the Dow. (more on this Dow in a later post)

Then I thought of those 2 guests that don't like port. The solution a spicy Colheita! So different from the usual LBV, tawny and vintage... I was banking it could go along the lines of complex cognac or rhum with half the alchool.

A peek in the cellar and the Barros 1975 (bottled in 2004) looked back.\ at me.
I put it in the fridge overnight and took it out of the fridge, 4 hours before serving it, letting it sit at room temperature. Opened only moments before pouring. Used port INAO glasses but after a few sips we all "upgraded" to wine glasses.

Well, exactly what I wanted, spicy, complex, not too nutty, nice amber color, long and no cork or alchool aftertastes. Everyone loved it including the two non-port drinkers. Ironically, one of those two kept coming back for more and stated... "ok this port I like, where can I get some?"

PS. I have it on good reference that the Barros company is up for sale. Based on the recent price paid for Osborne. Even if Osborne was overpaid, I think Barros has more important stocks at VNG.

cheers
paba

Thanks for the TN! Since 1975 is my birthyear, it is always interesting to see TN's from that vintage.

Hi Paul, nice to see someone from Montreal!

Where did you get the 1975 Barros? I don't remeber having seen it on the shelves in the past years. I just like spicy colheita, did you taste the Offley 1975, just great!

It would be great to do a Port offline in Montreal!

Hi Fred_Quebec,

your right this was not purchased at our government $monopoly$, they had the 77, my 75 came from Portugal.
Looking at my notes on the 77, it was sweeter and I wrote the word "toffee".

Other good colheitas are the Noval's from the early 70s. But those are very hard to find.

cheers
paba

I just taste the 77 last week and I turn it into refund. Its the 5th year in a row that I buy it and this one was thin showing nothing great.

I agree for Noval, I'll be there next week and I surely buy some 1974 Colheita!

Fred_Quebec wrote:I just taste the 77 last week and I turn it into refund. Its the 5th year in a row that I buy it and this one was thin showing nothing great.

I agree for Noval, I'll be there next week and I surely buy some 1974 Colheita!

Next week, wow, lucky you.
I had the 77 twice, one over there and one over here. Both were fine.
I had less luck with aged tawnies from other shippers, must be those plastic capped corks after 2 years or so.

let us know what you taste over there and what you bring back!
cheers
paul

Fred - are you going on Roy's first trip to the Douro? If so, I really hope you have a fabulous time and hope to hear all about it from you when you return.

(If not, I still hope you have a fabulous time!)

Alex

No, I'm not on Roy's trip. We have talked to each other about that. I'm going for 2 weeks but I will visit other things than Port. I'll be 3 days in Porto, 4 in the Douro and the rest in Spain and other siting in North Portugal.