1985 Rocha Vintage Port

[Glenn E.]

I've just opened this to give it some decanter time tonight. I'll be re-bottling it and then taking it to a poker party tomorrow night where it will probably get another hour or two before we drink it.

No signs of seepage on the cork, which was nice and clean. It didn't come out intact, though... the bottom 1/4 to 1/2 inch cored on the corkscrew and then broke off in the neck. I poked it down into the bottle to decant.

I couldn't help but be amused as I would pouring, because the Port had a decidedly pink cast to it coming out. It smelled gently sweet with a hit of raspberry. As usual I poured the last couple of ounces into a lowball, which isn't the best glass to use for a tasting but it makes it easier to drink off the top of the sediment.

This has a very red tone to it compared to my last couple of VPs (especially compared to the 1983 Warre's). It much more burgundy than purple, almost to what could be called a very dark magenta.

There's a whiff of alcohol on the nose, but that could be the broad mouth glass. There's a sugary tone overlaying the raspberries... something like unflavored cotton candy or possibly marshmallows. It's soft like powdered sugar, not hard like simple syrup. At the moment there's not much else, but then again it's only just been decanted.

The flavor is currently soft and restrained, almost muted. About all I can say at this point is that it's grapey, but not an overtly fruity "Welch's" style. There's a faint spiciness to it as well.

The finish is almost not there, but there is a hint of green grape skin.

It clearly needs some time, so I'll try it again later tonight.

[Glenn E.]

After 4.5 hours in the decanter, the flavor picked up a hint of smoke and the finish picked up a distinct note of grape seed.

The sugar is much more difficult to smell in an appropriate glass (I switched to a port glass for the 2nd taste) but it's still hiding in there.

I haven't said much about the flavor because I just can't figure out how to describe it. It is pleasant and mellow, but other than some raspberry I really can't pull much out of it. The tannins are soft but present.

I stoppered the bottle with a vaccuum stopper and left it on the counter. I'll re-decant it tonight while we're eating so that it will hopefully have 6-ish hours in total before we start drinking.

[Glenn E.]

I can't say that much changed after another 1.5 hours in the decanter at the party, and then over the course of 3 hours while playing poker. The nose is still primarily raspberries and marshmallows, as is the taste.

It seems rather nondescript to me overall, but it is still very pleasant to drink. I would buy it again because it is very accessible, but there doesn't seem to be anything truely special about it to me. We'll see if it changes any further by tomorrow. I have re-bottled the remaining glass or two (but without vacuum seal this time) and will probably drink them tomorrow night.

Although, I did find out quite by accident that if you fling a glass of it all over the table that it does fill the room with a nice port smell.

$20 up and half a bottle down for the night... both nice results!

[Andy Velebil]

Although, I did find out quite by accident that if you fling a glass of it all over the table that it does fill the room with a nice port smell.

Opps But at least the room smelled nice

[Glenn E.]

One last update... the marshmallow/processed sugar tone now seems to have integrated into both the smell and the taste in a way that I would now call it strawberries instead.

Still quite pleasant, but still nothing particularly special about it.

P.S. tasting a powerful old vine Grenache before drinking port has a VERY dramatic effect on your palate!