1992 Taylor

Richard Henderson · Post by **Richard Henderson** » Fri Nov 25, 2005 7:49 pm

This is a 100 point Parker rated port. We tried it tonight from a half bottle. It deserves its 100+ rating. Last tasted in Scotland ( long story) in August 2005 in the the 375 format. I have tried to describe a huckleberry pie , from Arkansas from my childhood, in other posts. It is a rich small blueberry like fruit, famous in the Ozarks. This 1992 Taylor defies description. It is fabulous. It reminds me of those pies and so much more.
It is a great port. What will it be like in 50-60 years?

Kurt Wieneke · Post by **Kurt Wieneke** » Sat Nov 26, 2005 7:37 am

Hello Richard,
Is the 375 ml on its drinking plateau right now, or do you think it will be peaking more down the road in say 20-30 yrs?

Richard Henderson · Post by **Richard Henderson** » Sat Nov 26, 2005 8:47 am

It is definitely ready to drink now. I checked Parker and he predicted the plateau from 1995-2045. I think I will leave the magnums I have at rest for a few years and test out these 375's from time to time.

NickA · Post by **NickA** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 10:24 am

You'e had better luck than me - I've only had it once and it certainly fell well short of 100 for me, and felt like it was in the middle of an awkward spot (at best.). I'd be interested to hear what other experiences there are of this wine recently - we may have just had a dud bottle...

KenBirman · Post by **KenBirman** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 6:42 pm

As for me, I love this port and totally agree with the huckleberry pie description -- awesome wine. Nick, I think your bottle has to have been either a dud, or asleep (it happens for port, and wine...)

This port is really hard to resist now -- but how will it taste in 25 years? I'm wishing I had puchased more than a case....

Richard Henderson · Post by **Richard Henderson** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 8:45 pm

Nick, Your 83 Fonseca was not good for you and now the 92 Taylor???? Where are you getting your stuff from? Is your wine getting some damage?

Ken , the 92 Taylor is difficult to describe. I have 22 375's and 6 1.5's. No 750's. It is a supreme wine experience.

I can drink it now or in 20 or 30 years, if I am still here.
The 92 Taylor is in a realm by itself. Forget points, ratings, it just is....

NickA · Post by **NickA** » Fri Dec 02, 2005 3:54 am

Nor have I had particularly impressive Taylor 77s (multiple times) or '77 Fonseca...and the '94 Taylor is somewhat distinct second to Fonseca...

Sometimes open tastings, sometimes blind...it's nothing to do with the labels, only what I taste in the bottles...

alec · Post by **alec** » Fri Dec 02, 2005 9:58 pm

Well, the 1992 Taylor might be good but someone just bid $360 for a 750ml bottle. That's before the 15% buyer's premium:

http://www.winebid.com/buy_wine/item_de ... 2397-T6237

Is it that good?

--A

Derek T. · Post by **Derek T.** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 3:15 am

rahenderson wrote:Parker and he predicted the plateau from 1995-2045.

How can a VP reach a plateau after only 1 year in bottle and then stay there for 50 years?

I thought the plateau was a period were the wine went through very little evolution and therefore remained fairly consistent during this period. Am I missing something?

Derek

KenBirman · Post by **KenBirman** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 6:48 am

Derek, the port is nowhere near "mature", so if you like VP to have a mature taste and aroma, the wine is still a baby and needs 25 years more in the cellar. It just happens that the 92 Taylor has particularly soft, supple tannins and hence that the wine is showing amazing well in this young rich style, like an ultra-concentrated rhone red. Right now it doesn't resemble a mature VP and you could almost use it as a syrup on vanilla ice cream. But wow, it sure is a nice after-dinner drink, just the same. Sort of in a category of its own.

So "plateau" is the wrong word here. The port is just fun to drink now. In fact we're all speculating when we guess at what it will be like at age 50. Maybe this is as good as it gets? Could be that to appeal so strongly young, the wine lacks something needed to age really well... A mystery. If you own it and like it like this, it makes sense to drink a bottle now and then.

Alec, for wines like this you do best buying from the UK (Berry Brothers and Rudd, for example, shows this at $120/bottle by the case from bonded storage) or Solokin out of their "brokerage" unit (you need to call a salesman, but the advantage is that the prices won't be drastically different from BBR and the wine will show up in NYC and then can be shipped in the US -- except it takes a few months before it turns up). If you buy a few bottles you should be able to find it at a much more reasonable price. Watch Premier Cru, too.

The RMP 100 scores pushed the auction prices up, permanently, but one can still sometimes find these ports at sensible prices.

The trick is to grab the port when it finally surfaces at a price you think is more sensible. This will probably not happen during mid-winter, though. Wait for the slack period -- late spring through late summer...

Richard Henderson · Post by **Richard Henderson** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 7:15 am

I think you are on target about the plateau, Ken. I am fortuante enough to have these 375's which mature faster.