TOP PORT IN FIRST HALF OF 2010?

[Roy Hersh]

Can you name a single Port which is the standout of all Ports you have consumed in the first six and a half months of this year (or up to date)?

[dom carter]

Ah yes that's an easy one!

1970 Taylor @ Glenn's tasting for us Brit travellers - the bottle was brought by Kris H (excellent choice!!)

Regards

Dom

[Gerwin de Graaf]

I can name two (quite different from each other so very difficult to choose between them):

1 Graham's 1977 VP; very good, still somewhat compact (about 3-4 hours of decanting, on day 2 for which I kept a glass it had opened up, on day 3 when I took the last little sip, it really was fading) and still had some heat in it. A lot of power in this one.

2 Porto Vasconcellos / Muito Velho 40 Anos Tawny / Bottling of 2009; at their lodge in VNdG during a tasting after a lovely little tour around the lodge. What a Tawny!! An aftertaste that just wouldn't end. We shared a glass betwee three of us and it persuaded me to take a bottle of this one home! We were told that the blend of this particular 40 y.o. was made up out of ports from 1902 - 1946 (the youngest being 63 years old at the time of bottling!!).

[Glenn E.]

It's tough to name just one! If I limit myself to just those Ports that I've rated over 95 points, though, I get three:

97 - 1977 Porto Rocha Colheita
97 - NV Kopke 40 Year Old Tawny Port
96 - 1970 Taylor Vintage Port

The Taylor and Rocha were both at the tasting that Dom attended. The Kopke was a bottle I opened for no particular reason - I just needed something to drink - and it turned out to be the best bottle so far from that case.

Honorable mentions go to the 1970 Niepoort at Andy's, the 1975 Kopke Colheita that was at the tasting for Dom, a 1985 Graham that was - you guessed it - also at the tasting for Dom, a Noval 40-yr old that I opened after midnight on New Year's eve because we'd run out of 1970 Taylor, and the 1968 Quevedo Colheita at Andy's.

Looks like a pretty good year so far!

[David Spriggs]

I haven't had a lot of great Ports since the start of the year and I've been on a self-imposed break from drinking for the last two months... My favorite so far this year is S. Leonardo 30 Year Old Tawny Port.

[Roy Hersh]

This makes for a great read and those that are willing to venture their opinion here, will have something fun to look back on in years to come. We do a thread like this every year.

So please feel free to step up to the microphone.

[Adam F]

I had a Niepoort 1970 which was just a joy. I wasn't too hopeful, house disposal etc., but it was a joy. Having met Dirk on several occasions the connection was there, I could picture his father with a "young" son juggling the vintage and family. I am very fond of the Niepoort ports and wines, a smaller family than some, a sense of place and passion and a lovely mix of nose, pallet and beautiful length when on song.

[Brian C.]

1966 Graham's.

[Markus D.]

I'm going to have to go with the 1975 Kopke Colheita, I really enjoyed this one (also tasted at the event @ Glenn's that Dom described) - although, the 1970 Taylor VP was great as well.

If I'm able to stretch 3 weeks into 2009, I'd say the '52 Dalva (delicious!).

I also suspect my answer to this question will be completely different after amazing tasting scheduled for next week!

[Roy Hersh]

Markus,

Just think, you won't even be the only person from BC in attendance eight days from now. There will be two others!

The possibilities are endless and I can GUARANTEE that your top wine for the 2nd half will be "older" if nothing else.

[Tom D.]

Easily the 1955 Taylor VP consumed at a CellarTracker offline event in San Antonio. This wine seems to receive some inconsistent reviews, but this bottle was superb -- I guess you just never know...

[Roy Hersh]

Mikey likes it.

[Gustavo Devesas]

1977 Dow and 1966 Graham, serious milestones.

[Al B.]

I've had three ports so far this year which I've rated at 95 points - these were:

- a wonderful bottle of the 1994 Vesuvio at the Vesuvio vertical that was held in London in February with a bunch of other port lovers
- a Graham 1970 that was opened as part of the Malvedos vertical in London in March, the Graham was a "control sample" that we opened to be able to have something we knew to use as a guide to judge the quality of the Malvedos wines
- a Graham 2007 that was shown at the Big Fortified Tasting in London in April. This really impressed me with its sweet fruit, structure and big palate presence. My preference over the Dow, but I think that's a personal stylistic preference.

Alex

[Kurt Wieneke]

1995 Dow's Quinta do Bomfim. I gave it 8.5 out of 10 on my scale. Fruitcake on the nose, touch flabby, stiff tannins.