For The Love Of Port

Decanting 5 hrs. Partly consumed at 5 hrs and partly at 7 hrs. Have had five of these bottles previously, and normally they fully open up after abt 6 hrs and then being very nice up to abt 10 hrs. However, for this bottle the peak was reached after 5 hrs.

Dark to medium red colour with a clear brown touch. Wonderful aroma of sweet ripe fruit (prunes and some raisins) and in the background some oak and actually tea leaves. Full body. Elegant, minerals, a bit dry in the middle part, fruity, prunes, raisins, well-structured. Long aftertaste. Still a very nice vintage port, but based on having consumed five bottles over a period of three years, I am wondering whether this GC 1977 is over the top. 92 pts.

What do you mean by "Over the top"?

These magnums were available at the Norwegian State Wine Monopoly for a shorter period three years ago. I purchased one bottle to check out, and I was so pleased with the condition and the product that I purchased another nine magnum bottles (all at the same time). All bottles are in good condition and having no leakage. All corks so far look fairly new, and it could be that a re-corking have taken place, but I am not sure.

The first four bottles were excellent and I gave them 95-96 pts. The fifth (for Christmas Eve 2015) was unfortunately not drinkable. At the same time I read that Roy Hersh had similar experience. So then came the 6th bottle which was the basis for the tasting note I posted two days ago. Still nice at 92 pts, but nowhere near 95-96 pts. So my question/comment was therefore whether the GC 77 has peaked and moving over the top. I have four magnums left, and maybe they should be consumed earlier than I had originally planned?

Rune EG wrote:These magnums were available at the Norwegian State Wine Monopoly for a shorter period three years ago. I purchased one bottle to check out, and I was so pleased with the condition and the product that I purchased another nine magnum bottles (all at the same time). All bottles are in good condition and having no leakage. All corks so far look fairly new, and it could be that a re-corking have taken place, but I am not sure.

The first four bottles were excellent and I gave them 95-96 pts. The fifth (for Christmas Eve 2015) was unfortunately not drinkable. At the same time I read that Roy Hersh had similar experience. So then came the 6th bottle which was the basis for the tasting note I posted two days ago. Still nice at 92 pts, but nowhere near 95-96 pts. So my question/comment was therefore whether the GC 77 has peaked and moving over the top. I have four magnums left, and maybe they should be consumed earlier than I had originally planned?

Thanks.

IIRC these were recorked a year or two before they were released for sale (they sent some to the USA as well of which I have a nice stash). So that explains the newer corks.

I suspect these may just be going into a phase again. My empirical evidence indicates VP goes through various rough patches as they get older. Just like when the 1985 Fonseca a few years ago went flat and same for some 1994's. I'd let them sleep for a couple years and then come back and check in on them.