For The Love Of Port

This bottle has actually been open for quite a while. I opened it at least a month ago shortly after receiving the shipment, didn't really like it, used a couple of cups for cooking (which worked really well due to the high acidity), and then left the bottle sitting on the counter. Oddly enough, I think that the time has helped.

When I first opened the bottle (which had been in my wine fridge for a couple of days) the Port was cloudy and had smelled strongly of VA. It was still very red and didn't really look like a Tawny/Colheita. I dutifully drank a glass but didn't write a TN because it seemed that something was clearly wrong with the bottle. Since I have a few more bottles, I figured I'd just wait until I opened the next one and see if it was better. I was getting ready to open another bottle of Port tonight, though, and noticed this on the counter so thought I'd give it another try.

1994 Delaforce Colheita
Bottled in 2002
Open approx 1 month

The color is about what you would expect from a wine that has been in oak for 8 years - it's still reddish, but is starting to take on that distinctive tawny color. It fades to a burnt pink before becoming almost clear at the rim.

The nose is still dominated by VA, but there's a sharp edge and some tanginess to it. I can't really make out any fruit smells, but there is a faint undertone of "Tawny" smell present - it just smells like dried orange fruits. (As opposed to "Port" smell, which to me is ripe red & black fruit.)

Zowie, there's a lot of acidity in this. There's more zing to it than even a Sandeman 20-yr old, and to me that's saying a lot. It's not as smooth or as well blended as the Sandeman, though, and ultimately that's its downfall. The in-your-face acidity and citrus are followed by a bit of that ever-present bite, through which I can just make out some almond or marzipan.

The start of the finish finds me wanting to pucker from the acidity and citrus, but as that fades the finish becomes pleasant. It smooths out, revealing apricots, grape skin, a very faint hint of honey, and a generic woody overtone.

Overall not a Port that I would normally drink, but as previously mentioned it's great for cooking. It's also not a bad sipper, but if I want this kind of acidity I'll get a Sandeman 20-yr old which is better integrated and smoother. But I'm not really being fair comparing it to a $50 Sandeman, because this was only $16! At that price, it's a fine purchase and stands up well against the competition.

I think your bottle does have a VA problem. I opened one from the same lot (as you know) a few weeks before you did and mine was considerably better and with zero cloudiness. I look forward to your impression when you open the next one.

Yeah, there shouldn't be VA on any Port. If there was I'd say it was a bad bottle. Give it another try, I'd love to hear what you think of non-problem bottle.

Quick update:

As it turns out, the cloudiness in this particular bottle was caused by sediment. I had another glass last night, and it was once again cloudy (due to the sediment that I wasn't aware existed having been stirred up) and tasted "off" like the first time I'd tried it.

Now that I'm aware that it is throwing sediment, I'll be careful with the next bottle. It seems odd to need to decant a Colheita, but this one did only spend 8 years in wood so I suppose it makes some sense.

Sediment generally doesnt cause it to be cloudy. Its more of visible sediment. Unless someone really shook up the bottle, like from shipping or transporting in a car. But It shouldn't be cloudy and other colheita's I've experienced this on were ones that were either heat damaged or had VA issues. Plus a 1994 Colheita shouldn't throw much, if any, sediment.

This isn't your typical VP-style sediment, which sometimes almost ends up cake-like in consistency.

This is a very fine particulate matter that is easily stirred up back into the liquid, but which - if given time - will settle back to the bottom of the bottle/glass. The particles are no larger than a single pixel on a high resolution monitor, and that's a maximum. Most are significantly smaller than that, to the point of not really being visible unless you look very closely. Thus the cloudy effect. There's still about a glass left in the bottle, if I can I'll try to get some pictures of it in its various states.

And yes, I was quite surprised to discover what it was, because I too thought that a 1994 Colheita (even though bottled in 2002) should not throw nearly this much sediment. Yet there it is.