For The Love Of Port

1997 Smith Woodhouse VP (375 mL)

1992 Vesuvio

Roy Hersh wrote: ↑Thu Nov 04, 2021 6:01 pm Al B. wrote:
I opened a bottle of Vargellas 1967, bottled (in Oporto) in 1970, this evening. It's a delicious bottle, drinking extremely well tonight.


A tale of two bottles. Some are spirity and overtly minty, as the fruit has faded leaving a weak impression. I've had several like this over the years. But the one's that were stored really well, are fantastic mature VPs with gorgeous fruit. I am glad you definitely had the latter. When they are on, they are really memorable. Like Vargellas 1987 and 1991 will be someday.

I drank this Port 2 times (in 2016 and this year) and it was good but not more. One time i pop and pour and the other time i decanted the Port for about 3 hours.
I have 2 more bottles and i was planning to open them in no more than 2 years... I should wait longer you think?

Had 1987 Kopke bottled 2016, nice but nothing special. Definitvely lacking the complexity and lenght from a Port of this age.

1997 Smith Woodhouse VP (375 mL) (11/17/21)

Kopke has its revenge tonight, 1980 Colheita bottled in 2011, just amazing. Layers and layers of complex flavours. The kind of Port you don't want to go to bed with... I have to work tomorrow...

2017 Niepoort VP (375 ml). Decanted 11 hours. As purple as Welch's Concord grape juice. So fresh. It smells like wine, not Port. It's delicious in its own way, but so young. It hasn't had a chance to develop into what it will be.

1997 Warre VP. We've been on a port tear recently and I am out of cellar defenders

The initial pop and pour was lovely; cannot recall ever drinking much of the vintage. Really lush port and look forward to really get into the bottle tonight.

We are picking up a case or two of '08 Warre LBV's to replenish cellar defenders this weekend.

We had a 1994 Horizontal in London last week - they are definitely coming out of their sulk. My contributions were the Graham and the Warre.

1964 Casa do Douro Colheita, bottled 2004.

This was probably a 92-93 point wine when freshly bottled, but after 17 years it's no longer that good. It was fun to try and I'm happy that I have more to drink over the years, but those who tasted it rated it in the 89-90 range now.

1980 Taylor VP (750 mL) (11/23/21)

Opened a 1963 Single Harvest by Graham’s for Thanksgiving. It is tremendous, almost honey-like. Very sweet and unlike any 30 or 40 year tawny I have ever had.

The night before Thanksgiving, Quevedo 40 yo Tawny.
For after Thanksgiving dinner, 1963 Sandeman VP. Leaking, soaked cork but the fill is into the neck.

1965 Taylors Single Harvest for Thanksgiving.

1989 Kopke Colheita
1985 Fonseca VP
Quevedo 40 TWIOA

1998 Quinta do Vesuvio VP. Excellent!

2003 Kopke White Colheita

Andy Velebil wrote:2003 Kopke White Colheita

As I recall, those are really good! How was yours?

Glenn E. wrote:

Andy Velebil wrote:2003 Kopke White Colheita

As I recall, those are really good! How was yours?

It was very nice. Next one I’ll write a note on (after a lovely 10 days on vacation wasn’t ready to sit and type a note) but I was around 90-91 points.

Quevedo Crusted bottled 2016, this is so good nowadays. I remember how last year it was still shut down. Starting its plateau at the moment

Quevedo 10 years Old Tawny: A new blend has been made 2 weeks ago. I prefere this one to the previous as it is more pure in flavours, but definitively feels younger and not so much tawny... In a way it is Quevedo's style.