For The Love Of Port

Taylor 20 year old tawny

1970 Presidential VP (opened for tonight's Stanley Cup Finals finale, game 7). Smells great, but early on, light and aged in color. Of course the cork was branded C. da Silva.

Fonseca LBV 2005. Really good. Surprised me with it being an unfiltered LBV but with a T-cap...
Day one was nice, day two was better... Unfortunately there was no day three, it was used to celebrate the Stanley Cup game seven (and unfortunately the madness that followed.)

Dow's 2003 VP. It was great. Tons of fruit without any harsh alcohol bite. I loved it.

1991 Dona Matilde Colheita. Normally a 20-yr old Colheita would be a bit young for me, but I've had this one several times and it's smooth, creamy, and delicious!

1977 Gould Campbell VP is in the decanter...amazingly dark!

1966 Dow

A Fonseca 2005 LBV that was unfiltered and fantastic. My only regret with that bottle is that it was Wednesday night afte the Bruins won the Stanley Cup and I drained the bottle while watching Vancouver embarrass itself with riots... No notes were taken and I was drinking out of horror rather than enjoyment and studying the Port. I will buy more.

Tonight a Warres 1999 LBV. Nice and floral. A bit tannic on night one, it has developed into a nice soft and floral port on night two with chocolate, mocha and blackberries on night two. Feels like it could go a while yet... Sad because this was my last bottle... Not sure if there is much more in the local market. It was a cellar defender that fought valiantly yet fell to my insatiable cravings...

Krohn 2004 LBV

In the last week I've opened a Croft 1977 (delicious) and a Dow 1985 (more delicious).

Had a little party---we had seven ports (TNs posted)

2001 Niepoort Colheita--bottled 2010.
Pair of Taylor Fladgate LBVs: 2000 & 2005. 2000 was the consensus choice
Pair of Quinta do Noval LBVs: 2001 & 2003. 2001 was the unanimous choice
2005 Smith Woodhouse LBV
2004 Q. da Romaneira VP

All but the Romaneira showed very well and we tasted over the span of three hours interspersed with delicious food (smoked ribs, sweet wings, steamed little neck clams, etc.). WOTN was a toss up between the 2001 Noval and the Smith Woodhouse. Served the Niepoort slightly chilled--really showed nicely and a good way to kick off the evening. A guest brought the Romaneira, only 3 hours of decant time and shut down in my opinion.

Dow's Trademark Reserve - just to keep the decanter full; I've got my mother staying in a couple of weeks time and I've got a Warre's VP lined up for that.

John M. wrote:Had a little party---we had seven ports (TNs posted)

2001 Niepoort Colheita--bottled 2010.
Pair of Taylor Fladgate LBVs: 2000 & 2005. 2000 was the consensus choice
Pair of Quinta do Noval LBVs: 2001 & 2003. 2001 was the unanimous choice
2005 Smith Woodhouse LBV
2004 Q. da Romaneira VP

All but the Romaneira showed very well and we tasted over the span of three hours interspersed with delicious food (smoked ribs, sweet wings, steamed little neck clams, etc.). WOTN was a toss up between the 2001 Noval and the Smith Woodhouse. Served the Niepoort slightly chilled--really showed nicely and a good way to kick off the evening. A guest brought the Romaneira, only 3 hours of decant time and shut down in my opinion.

NICE and diverse tasting!

Yesterday at a wine bar I found a bottle of 2000 Quinta de Roriz VP on the wine list for $30....of course I had to get it at that price. Even without a long decant it showed well.

A friend of mine brought out a 2004 Beringer Port of Cabernet Knights Valley. I really liked it. It was very different from the limited Portuguese Ports I have tried from the same year. It didn't have the really big fruit flavors or the tannic feel, but it had a very nice flavor. Lots of grape and no bite. I will be adding this to my shopping list.

Opened a 1952 Delaforce Colheita to share with my neighbors mother, another Port lover.

-- Gary

2003 Taylor LBV: Wonderful to start, then just tasty.
1960 Kopke Colheita, bottled 1999: Wonderful through and through, but not quite as great as I remember Sandeman 40 being.

Noval 20 year. Very tasty.

1999 Smith Woodhouse LBV
1977 Gould Campbell - corked
30 year old Tawny by Ramos Pinto
2005 Dow's LBV
1980 Christian Brothers (vintage port-style)

A couple of old but non-premium Ramos Pinto ports:
- Quinta da Urtiga (very pleasant ruby)
- Quinta Sao Domingos (tawny with no indication of age).