For The Love Of Port

On the weekend I opened a bottle of the 1996 Smith Woodhouse 'Madalena' SQVP at the end of a long evening and it was much appreciated by the dinner guests. It is 20 years old and though still youthful makes for elegant drinking. I really like the Smith Woodhouse style and though I don't drink as much port as I'd like to I have not had a Smith Woodhouse port that I did not like, in all forms, the VP, SQVP, and LBVs.

Cheers ........................ Mahmoud.

I can't recall the last time I had a "Madalena", can you elaborate on the style.

And as a side Madalena VP's are more rare than Nacional as they make so little of it and only once in a great while. Pricing is very different though, lol.


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Mahmoud Ali wrote:On the weekend I opened a bottle of the 1996 Smith Woodhouse 'Madalena' SQVP at the end of a long evening and it was much appreciated by the dinner guests. It is 20 years old and though still youthful makes for elegant drinking. I really like the Smith Woodhouse style and though I don't drink as much port as I'd like to I have not had a Smith Woodhouse port that I did not like, in all forms, the VP, SQVP, and LBVs.

Good stuff Mahmoud. I will be tasting it at a Single Quinta themed tasting I'm hosting on the 4th of November. I now look forward to it even more after your description. I too am a big fan of Smith Woodhouse and their style of port. I have a couple of their 85 vintages tucked away and have tasted it on a couple of occasions. It is superb. Also their LBV's are great.

Cheers

We had a special guest from Montreal via the Douro, Fred... I joked that we would open a 3L of '77 Taylor, but I knew he'd be too jet lagged, arriving late to Boston, so we opened a '75 Graham magnum. I had only had this vintage once like 8 years ago and figured an odd vintage and from a magnum would be very rare event. The port was smooth and mature. Great port if not in a vertical, lol... We all drove up to Montreal and a couple of days later, he opened an '83 Gould Campbell. This vintage is showing quite young. You'd think it was 1995! One of better ports of the decade IMO.

Moses Botbol wrote:We had a special guest from Montreal via the Douro, Fred... I joked that we would open a 3L of '77 Taylor, but I knew he'd be too jet lagged, arriving late to Boston, so we opened a '75 Graham magnum. I had only had this vintage once like 8 years ago and figured an odd vintage and from a magnum would be very rare event. The port was smooth and mature. Great port if not in a vertical, lol... We all drove up to Montreal and a couple of days later, he opened an '83 Gould Campbell. This vintage is showing quite young. You'd think it was 1995! One of better ports of the decade IMO.

On the Gould Campbell, I think all of '80, '83 and '85 are nowhere near maturity and I think they'll have a long life ahead! I've been really impressed by all of these when I've tasted them.

Mike Meehan wrote:

Moses Botbol wrote:...We all drove up to Montreal and a couple of days later, he opened an '83 Gould Campbell. This vintage is showing quite young. You'd think it was 1995! One of better ports of the decade IMO.

On the Gould Campbell, I think all of '80, '83 and '85 are nowhere near maturity and I think they'll have a long life ahead! I've been really impressed by all of these when I've tasted them.

Yes, agreed.

1997 Quinta do Crasto Colheita. TN is posted.

Andy Velebil wrote:I can't recall the last time I had a "Madalena", can you elaborate on the style.

And as a side Madalena VP's are more rare than Nacional as they make so little of it and only once in a great while. Pricing is very different though, lol.

To me the Smith Woodhouse style is drier than most and is marked by it's dark fruit, structure and elegance. The core of their vintage port is of course the Madalena and it's no surprise that the single quinta would resemble the style.

I didn't realize the Madalena was that rare but now that you mention it the 1996 was the last and only vintage of it that I have seen. A few years ago both this Madalena and the 2007 Smith Woodhouse VP were on the shelf at a discount but I opted for the Madalena primarily because it was older and the fact that I already had the 2000 VP. However, looking at what the 2007 now costs over here I do feel a tinge of regret.

Cheers ................................. Mahmoud.

1974 Quevedo Colheita, wonderfull glass of port, very delicate, and a very nice truly (though a bit on the light side) colour

1980 Ferreira VP

An ancient Lacrima from Ramos Pinto.
Sweet and soft. But still alive.
Just the Way I like my Ports!

1963 Sandeman VP in magnum. Incredibly good showing.

Allan Engelsted Laurents wrote:An ancient Lacrima from Ramos Pinto.
Sweet and soft. But still alive.
Just the Way I like my Ports!

That is an amazing looking bottle Allan, thank you for posting a picture and please don't discard it. Out of curiosity where did you find it?

Mahmoud.

Port Club Meeting tomorrow---first one with port in a long time--No theme, just a mix of VPs

1960 Ferreira
1975 Taylor
1978 Croft Quinta da Roeda
1991 Smith Woodhouse
1995 Souza
And an old basic ruby, Harvey's Gold Cap, I'm guessing its pre-1970 (so in case its bad, I have a 2 back up bottles--both LBVs)

John M. wrote:Port Club Meeting tomorrow---first one with port in a long time--No theme, just a mix of VPs

1960 Ferreira
1975 Taylor
1978 Croft Quinta da Roeda
1991 Smith Woodhouse
1995 Souza
And an old basic ruby, Harvey's Gold Cap, I'm guessing its pre-1970 (so in case its bad, I have a 2 back up bottles--both LBVs)

A backup to the backup, I like it!

John,

I especially look forward to how the 1960 Ferreira and the 1995 Souza show for you and members of your Port club!

Roy Hersh wrote:John,

I especially look forward to how the 1960 Ferreira and the 1995 Souza show for you and members of your Port club!

I'll post TNs in the next few days. An odd collection, I know, these are just odd bottles mostly I've picked up at auctions. I decanted them all this morning--my first floor is full of Port aromas! The VPs all seem fine, lucky as two were leakers and another had a very saturated cork. The Harvey's seems quite oxidized--hoping the air will help it out.

And Andy, with the Harvey's having dubious storage, the fact there were some leakers and a previous SW was cooked (same acquisition lot), two stood up to back up seemed wise.

40 year S. Leonardo Tawny
1992 Taylor Vintage, half bottle

Both very nice. The Taylor was a PNP and definitely needs a few hours in the decanter to open up a bit.

This is what I open when my wife says, "I am bringing the book club girls over. I need you to open a Vintage and a Tawny." As she commands ....

1985 Dow is in decanter. I am doing my best to allow this time in decanter, but it smells so incredible ... I can't guarantee that!

John M. wrote:Port Club Meeting tomorrow---first one with port in a long time--No theme, just a mix of VPs

1960 Ferreira
1975 Taylor
1978 Croft Quinta da Roeda
1991 Smith Woodhouse
1995 Souza
And an old basic ruby, Harvey's Gold Cap, I'm guessing its pre-1970 (so in case its bad, I have a 2 back up bottles--both LBVs)

Long story but essentially I got a 24 hour bug and missed the meeting (haven't been sick since 2010 and it happens on a tasting night!)...I did save a measure for me of each which I tasted on Sunday instead of Friday. The WOTN was the 1975 Taylor. The 1991 SW and the 1978 Croft d. Roeda came in 2nd--although the other VPs got their votes. Other than #1, it was a split decision. I am shocked....my personal results were different (Ferreira #1) and my glass of Souza was ruined (lots of soap residue in the glass). I'll post TNs later.