For The Love Of Port

We seem to mention a lot about Ruby's and Reserve Ruby's such as Six Grapes, Bin 27, Cockburn's Special reserve, etc. but we don't seem to talk much about basic tawny's. So what are your favorite non-vintage tawny Ports?

The above is an elliptical way of saying Warre's Nimrod to those new members of FTLOP.

While I don't drink many of these, I think I'll go with Sandeman, I have good memories of this.

Peter W. Meek wrote:

Lol!

Andy Velebil wrote:We seem to mention a lot about Ruby's and Reserve Ruby's such as Six Grapes, Bin 27, Cockburn's Special reserve, etc. but we don't seem to talk much about basic tawny's. So what are your favorite non-vintage tawny Ports?

That loophole is a mile wide!

Quinta da Romaneira 40 Year Old Tawny Port.

Okay, okay... Ramos Pinto 20 Year Old Tawny Port.

I really don't drink tawnies any younger than that.

10's
Ferreira
Kirkland/Costco
Delaforce
Ramos Pinto

20's
Ferreira
Ramos Pinto
Taylor
Sandeman
Andresen
Warre

I know there's a ton I am missing. Sorry if I forgot to mention your brand. Samples are welcome

I'm guessing he means Non-vintage + without age declaration, correct me if I'm wrong. In that category I haven't found one yet, partially because I save the $10-20 for an age declared variety and haven't wanted to experiment in a pool of wines I'm most likely not going to like.

I would be interested in seeing if there are any hidden gems, though, as a budget minded tawny would be nice to find.

This is of course ignoring tawny styles from other countries.

The hidden gem was Nimrod. Taste equivalent to somewhere between a 10 and a 20, but priced at about $30. I've drunk several dozen cases of this Tawny. (I've seen claims for anywhere from 3 to 6 and up for an age on this, but I am convinced that it was older. Taste will tell.)

Unfortunately, Warre quit making this in mid-2008, so any bottles you find today will have been in the bottle for 3+ years. Not the recommended drinking schedule for a tawny.

BTW, the running joke on FTLOP is that anytime someone mentions the word 'tawny", I jump in with Nimrod. This is why the 'beating a dead horse' icon is the equivalent of 'Nimrod'.

Nothing comes to mind in the basic tawny and even reserve tawny category here. I did buy a few of the Quevedo Reserve, and it was fine; but the similarly or only slightly higher priced colheita was just so much more interesting.

I'd say Rocha Three Centuries.

Portal's Tawny Reserve

I haven't tried many basic tawnies because the ones that I have tried have been mostly uninteresting. It's been years since I've had it but I remember really enjoying the Delaforce "His Eminence's Choice" back when I first started drinking port.

Peter,
I found a few pristine bottles of Nimrod on sale for $27. Seems like a very good price!

Kurt Wieneke wrote:Peter,
I found a few pristine bottles of Nimrod on sale for $27. Seems like a very good price!

They cannot be pristine. The last bottle of Nimrod was bottled in mid-2008. That is just too long for tawny port to sit in the bottle.

The price is good, and if they have been kept cool and moist for the past four or more years, they may very well be still good.

Myself; I would not buy a lot of them until tasting a sample first. If they taste right to you - jump on it. Great price.

Take note: my bottles which have been kept in good conditions are fading - in my estimation.

Sandeman & Andresen

Moses Botbol wrote:10's
Ferreira
Kirkland/Costco
Delaforce
Ramos Pinto

I'd like to add Smith Woodhouse to my list of 10's. Had for the first time this week and it's just as lovely as their colheitas. A little expensive, but

Burmester 30 years

Taylor's 40 years

Port's 10 years old don't appeal to me...