For The Love Of Port

Upon opening the color resembled that of a 20 year old Tawny. I fully expected a single quinta port with 45 years of bottle age to be light at this point in its development, but I wasn't anticipating it to be quite this light. On the nose there was quite a bit of brown sugar and a bit of alcohol in the background. On the palate the brown sugar once again dominates with some fleeting cherry notes - very sweet and not very complex. At 3 1/2 hrs. the nose is much less pronounced - it seems almost closed, but I know that isn't the case. On the palate brown sugar is still very pronounced, but there are also some dark choclate notes and a stronger cherry presence. Upon reaching the 6 hr. mark this wine had lost all of its charms. All of the fruit was gone and all that was left was tons of spirit. All in all, this wine was somewhat disappoining. I was expecting a bit more from this particular wine, this is not a wine for continued cellaring - drink up!

Marc,

I think your impressions are astute and right on within your TN. I don't quite know why you would think that a weak vintage like 1962 should still be showing well, especially as Single Quinta Vintage Port (before the Symington's took over Graham's and long before they obtained Malvedos) from a producer that was in the midst of really bad times back then? That said, your note is pretty typical of '62s, although I have had a very fine 1962 Noval crusted Port on a couple of occasions and once in awhile I am pleasantly surprised by the showing of the '62 Nacional.

All others from that vintage I'd say ... drink up, unless someone can share a great experience with a VP from this vintage not already mentioned?

Roy,

I was probably expecting more since the '62 Malvedos is one of the better Malvedos vintages from the '60s (or at least was one of the better vintages) and I was expecting a wine that might be past its peak, but still enjoyable and pleasant. Clearly it was WAY past the optimum drinking window and merely a shadow of its former self. Without a doubt I'm in total agreement with you, this is not a vintage to be held.

Marc,

Thanks for posting your tasting note.

While the '62 Malvedos is showing its age, I'm still a bit envious of your opportunity to taste this wine. The '62 Malvedos is hard to come by these days and I have never tried one. Its on my "one day I will" list purely out of curiousity as it is the birth year of one of my friends who is a wine drinker (but who I have not yet been able to convert fully to port) and each year on his birthday we try to open a bottle of wine from the '62 vintage.

We haven't had too many that have been memorable for the right reasons!

Alex

One of these showed up on eBay, but after reading this note, I decided not to bid as it reached $100.

Al, I also see that one went unsold on winecommune.com, so that might be another source.

Thanks for the note Marc!

Thanks for the old thread revive. I've got a bottle of this and I have been waiting for the right oportunity to open it, even though it isn't a great Port. Alex, maybe I'll be able to open it next time I see you.

Oh no... Have a bottle of this and was expecting the world from it...

Moses Botbol wrote:Oh no... Have a bottle of this and was expecting the world from it...

Oh thats ok Moses, you can still expect the world....you just may not get it

Andy Velebil wrote:

Moses Botbol wrote:Oh no... Have a bottle of this and was expecting the world from it...

Oh thats ok Moses, you can still expect the world....you just may not get it

Just cause the capsole broke and cork is a 1/4" sticking out doesn't mean anything either...

Moses Botbol wrote:Just cause the capsole broke and cork is a 1/4" sticking out doesn't mean anything either...

I had a 1964 Noval Colheita like that and it was fine. A touch of VA, but I don't think a pushed cork has any relation to VA does it?

Glenn E. wrote:

Moses Botbol wrote:Just cause the capsole broke and cork is a 1/4" sticking out doesn't mean anything either...

A touch of VA, but I don't think a pushed cork has any relation to VA does it?

I thought they go hand in hand, but they are not a cause-relationship thing. Pushed cork can also be caused temp swings. Not all pushed corks show VA.

Would like to hear from some experts...

Just cause the capsole broke and cork is a 1/4" sticking out doesn't mean anything either...

Moses, no wonder you had such high expectations.


By the way, there is no scientific correllation between a pushed cork and VA. A pushed out cork (I'd rather have a slightly depressed cork, myself) is typically caused by the exansion of wine during freezing in shipment, but even more so, due to temperature levels that are too high. Oxidation is the typical outcome, bricking color or tawny flavors can result. Often times if caugh early on and consumed shortly thereafter, there are no negative effects at all. Port is quite hearty in this way. VA may be apparent in a bottle like this, but it is not a result of the cork being pushed out slightly.