What did you drink over the week-end

Frederick Blais · Post by **Frederick Blais** » Sat Oct 15, 2005 8:44 pm

On the american east coast, it was rain allover friday and saturday so far, perfect temperature to drink port!!

On Friday I was hired as a sommelier to make the selection of wine and to teach the crowd of a 50th anniversary celebration. An interesting Port was poured, Quinta do Santa Eufemia old white. A complex, fine Port with a powerful finish and after taste. It is made from a blend of an average of 30 years old port. Really on of the best white Port I've tasted with the Dalva 1952. We also poured the LBV 2000 from the same house, it was correct but not a great LBV.

Today I was receiving some friends, I was supposed to open a Colheita 1977 from Barros, but when I tested it in the afternoon, the wine did not show anything interesting. Alcool and shy notes of caramel on the nose, the palate is smooth but nothing is really showing up. So I decide to treat them with a young vintage, Quinta do Vale Maria 1999. After decanting it the alcool was present but well integrated after 6 hours in the decanter. Nice concentration, lots of violets, crushed black cherries, full bodied, tannins are bold and everything is well balanced. Still in its youth but evolving at a fast pace.

Last Week I had the Croft 1991, a very good Vintage, still on its fruit side, it has a nice future ahead. I also had Taylor LBV 2000. I had never been a fan of Taylor LBV since I start drinking the 1994, but the 2000 has something the other bottling didn't have, more jammy fruit to cover these rough and dry tannins.

I have not take any notes, so these are just impressions.

Al B. · Post by **Al B.** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 10:14 am

Fred,

My weekend drinking was less in volume that yours.

Friday night I finished off what was left in the last of my bottles of Chateau de Beaucastel 1996.

Saturday night my wife and I drank a bottle of 1990 Champagne from the small house of Corrine Picard. Fabulously developed and mature - a fantastic wine now.

That was followed by a couple of glassfuls of Malvedos 1996 - delicious and very drinkable, but not a great or legendary wine.

Sunday night I am travelling and won't drink anything

Alex

Frederick Blais · Post by **Frederick Blais** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 5:45 pm

Alex, the bottles were shared and since I was working on Friday, I did not drink a lot, just 1 oz pour to make an idea of the product.

Today I had some thoughts for you Mario Ferreira, my brother came in with a Jackson Triggs Riesling Ice wine 2003! I don't drink a lot(read enough) of Ice Wine, this one was again very perfumy on floral notes, pineapple and candied apricots. Mouth is full and syruppy with the same notes as the nose, long finish with a full fruit salad! Yummy!

Post by **Roy Hersh** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 5:55 pm

a. 1985 Fonseca
b. 1985 Fonseca (two nights later from another bottle)
c. 1963 Croft
d. 1966 Croft
e. 1970 Croft
f. 2003 Croft
g. 2003 Fonseca
h. 2003 Taylor
i. 2003 Delaforce
j. 2000 Fonseca
k. 2000 Taylor

Onto others:

1994 Quinta do Noval LBV
1996 Quinta do Infantado LBV
Taylor's 40 year old Tawny
Delaforce 20 year old Tawny
Fonseca 20 year old Tawny

Not a bad weekend for Port, but this was a small showing compared to the red wines I got to drink.

Derek T. · Post by **Derek T.** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 1:38 am

Roy,

I hope you were at a tasting and not trying to drain your personal cellar

- it would be interesting to know if you had any different experience from the 2003's this time compared with the cask samples you used for your 2003 notes.

Derek

JohnG · Post by **JohnG** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 1:18 pm

I am surprised that Roy can still type after that lot.

This weekend, having a visitor, I broached two VPs, first Warre 77 and Taylor 83. The Warre showed very well after 24 hours decanting; fresh and with a good structure. Not over sweet, but satisfyingly rich.

The Taylors was very sweet, too much so perhaps. That had 12 hours decant, and showed much better on Saturday than Sunday.

Engel's Vosne Romanee Les Brulees 95 was divine. A Raveneau 97 was a little disappointing (for this producer).

Work is the curse of the drinking classes.

Post by **Roy Hersh** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 2:12 pm

I am just gearing up for leading the first tour group to Portugal. I will need to be in practice. Tonight it is an offline with White Burgs. What the heck that has to do with practice though... well, it does have alcohol. Anyway, I cheated. That was from Thursday night through Saturday night, so not all were weekend evenings.

Richard Henderson · Post by **Richard Henderson** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 7:04 pm

We have had no rain in this area since August 16 and then not much. Unusually hot with mid 90's today. Not exactly port weatehr but Saturday, We had a 1983 Fonseca decanted 6 hours. Lots of mint, eucalyptus, ripe black berry fruit. It needed even more decanitng to cool off the heat from the alcohol. Still a very nice port on the nose , palate and a lingering finish. 90 points if you are keeping score. I would rather have wines in the mid 90's than temperatures.

Frederick Blais · Post by **Frederick Blais** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 8:51 pm

John I had read many different opinions on the Taylor 1983(good and bad), how many years would you wait before opening another one? I have only one, so I'd like to open it at its peak.

Tonight for me was a special night that finally wasn't so special. We had a vertical of 9 vintages of Mouton Rothschild from 1987 to 1999. We had no WOW on any wines and many were disapointing, expecially the 1999, 1994, 1997 and 1990. I don't think I'll spend any money on the Mouton for a few years, I was very disapointed from this 1st growth performance. For me the 1998 was the best of the flight with 1995 and 1996 showing good potential. 1987 was surprising !!