For The Love Of Port

6/9/2009

Very dark red. Nice aromatics, spicy red fruit. Firm fine grained tannin. Good acid and well balanced. A pleasing warm finish.

In your opinion and experience, what do think about this VP compared to what other reviews have said about it?

The only review I've seen on this is the 89 - 92 from Wine Spectator in which they call it "a little disappointing". I certainly wouldn't call it disappointing. It's a solid port. It didn't have the massive structure of the Taylor but there's still alot going for it. I didn't assign points because I have such little experience tasting cask samples. If pressed, I'd give it 91-94.

This was certainly the best showing of this Port that I have seen, of any of the 5 bottles I have had tasted so far.

I have two more to try. One from the original batch and one from a newer batch that came from the identical lot that Kris describes. Fortunately, that is the final blend that will be bottled.

I really liked this bottle and thought it showed very well. I noted it as the "best for drinking now" out of all 10 Ports at the tasting, though I also marked it down as a tie with the 2007 Vargellas Vinha Velha for Wine of the Night.

My fellows (A small port club) & I rated this very high. Nicely balanced, good aroma, good on the palate with a wonderful finsh. Rating on a 1-10 scale, this one got a 9.0, a very high rating for us (average is 6.7).

John,

Thanks for the TN on this one and glad you and your club liked it. It really seems to be the tale of two Ports with some bottles showing brilliantly and some not. Who knows why that is, but hopefully it's just some youthfulness that will resolve itself with time.

I've also sent you an email, so if you could check it I'd appreciate it.