For The Love Of Port

2009 Niepoort Colheita from a 375ml bottle. It was bottled in 2020, so 11 years in cask. Young, red, fresh, some coconut lingers. It's nice.

1999 Ferreira VP. Lovely and elegant. Doesn’t have the same depth of the 1994 I had recently.

1994 Quinta do Crasto LBV. Just decanted so will report back.

1970 Ramos Pinto Vintage Port - while there was slight seepage, a really fine showing. Sipped through lots of the bottle.

Sorry, forgot to mention, as there were four of us with a bunch of outstanding table wines over the course of four hours at dinner, not only did we have the aforementioned RP, but the remarkable bottle of 1963 Constantino Vintage Port. It was brought to dinner by my close friend Stefano Marello. A fantastic bottle that was a brilliant way to close out just a great night. His wife and my gal got along famously and the wines were up to the challenge of Michelin cuisine. A night to remember.

1988 Churchill Crusted Port. 6 hour decant. It's a delicious Port. One that you wouldn't expect, but makes you smile.

1995 Quinta do Vesuvio.

This was the Port that turned me onto Vesuvio. I didn't have the 1994 until later, and I do think the 1994 is better, but it's a lot closer than you might guess. This bottle was an easy 94 points for me, and I was very tempted to give it 95 but didn't since it was the bottle that I brought to the tasting. But I probably should have... it was spectacular.

I had one in 2024 on one of our tours, (the 1995 Vesuvio) and it was fresh and youthful as can be, in a great place and I did give it 95. I think it is super close to the 1994 in terms of quality, but I have always thought that of the 1997 Vesuvio as well. 1994/1997.1995 are my three favorites of the decade. But I do have a soft spot for 2006 for sentimental reasons, (foot treading in lagar for the first time ... and it was Vesuvio with Stewart, Andy, David, Alex, Derek, and Mario amongst a couple of others you'd know.

DR 20 and Quevedo 20.

I had to miss the High Bridge Port Club meeting last Friday due to getting a terrible cold. But the host saved me 1/4 of each bottle of these two Tawnies. The DR is so lush--love it. The Quevedo has such a dryer, distinctive style. Love them both, but DR is preferred.

The other Ports that night (done in 3 sets of pairs, each a contrast). I did not taste any of these, but got the low down from the host

Flight 1: 1985 Crasto VP versus 1985 Ferreira. Both showed well, Crasto more evolved/aged--looked tawnyish. Split vote. Although overall the 85 Ferreira was the WOTN.

Flight 2: 2007 Crasto VP versus 2007 Crasto LBV: Both reported as still looking primary, but the VP was more complex. Both were good.

Flight 3: DR 20 versus Quevedo 20. DR was the clear winner. This flight was regarded as the weakest by the crew.

I really liked how the host made match-ups; quite thoughtful. Everything was served blind.

1999 Ferreira VP.

1995 Quinta Do Crasto VP. 7 hour decant. It's a nice cellar defender. It probably needs another 2 or 3 years to fully integrate, but it's a nice, solid Port. We'll see how it is on Day 2.

Day 2 it's much smoother. Better integrated and the rough spots have been sanded down.

2011 Andresen VP - only could do a 3-hour decant yesterday before heading out for dinner. This could've used significantly more air time, but it sat open, (cork removed when we got to the restaurant. By the time we got to dessert three hours later, it showed extremely well. I had this last May and it was really delicious, and so I purchased a six-pack. When finding a VP with so much talent and the price so advantageous, I can't say no. I should have stopped at 3, but I have plenty of chances to drink them. Such a beautiful youngster with LOADS of promise for decades to come.

Vesuvio 1997, decanted 4 hours. Fabulous, but still so tannic!

Porto dos Santos White Reserve. Very pleasant, as good as most 10YO white blends. A really nice equilibrium between sweetness and drier style but with plenty of lychee and yellow fruit.

2000 Broadbent LBV. Bottled in 2006 by Quinta do Crasto for Broadbent. Unfiltered and yet not one iota of sediment. This is a really delicious LBV. It tastes a lot younger than it's 25 years. I'm glad that I have 4 more bottles of this.

Mike J. W. wrote: ↑Sun Jan 26, 2025 8:36 pm 2000 Broadbent LBV. Bottled in 2006 by Quinta do Crasto for Broadbent. Unfiltered and yet not one iota of sediment. This is a really delicious LBV. It tastes a lot younger than it's 25 years. I'm glad that I have 4 more bottles of this.

What a nice under then radar Port this is. Think I have one left, every single one was lovely.

1966 Kopke Colheita, bottled 2019

Paired with a 1963 Fonseca VP for dessert at The Herbfarm... both Ports were spectacular!

DR 20 year old.

Well, I opened my Kopke Superb Old Tawny this evening — and it’s f*****g corked!!’

I suppose at least that tells me it was probably bottled in the period 1977-1985.

Al B. wrote: ↑Thu Jan 30, 2025 3:59 pm Well, I opened my Kopke Superb Old Tawny this evening — and it’s f*****g corked!!’

I suppose at least that tells me it was probably bottled in the period 1977-1985.

That is a shame... It reminds me of a Dalva 1952 Golden White bottled in 1978 I found a few years ago. I had so much expectation and boom!! The "C" word we should call it ahah

Al B. wrote: ↑Thu Jan 30, 2025 3:59 pm Well, I opened my Kopke Superb Old Tawny this evening — and it’s f*****g corked!!’

I suppose at least that tells me it was probably bottled in the period 1977-1985.

That's a real shame, Alex. I'm upset whenever I open a corked bottle, but those special, rare bottles that you open with great anticipation and then find they're corked are especially frustrating.

1991 Warre VP.