Multi: A pair of California ports

[Andy Velebil]

I was visitng a friend at his work (a restaurant/bar) and saw they had two california ports. Since I've never had them, and since my doctor still says I'm not to drink (shhh), I had a small sample of each. One was quite nice and the other was, well, not so nice.

#1: Guenoc Estate 2000 Vintage Port (Guenoc Valley, Calif.)
It was very dark color (Sorry the room was a little dim so I can't give more than that), with a wonderful nose. It had flavors of Blueberry and Blackberry with just a hint of vanilla. The viscosity reminded me of a 15-20 year old VP. My overall impression was this is a pretty nice California port. I must say a good everyday port that I would have again.

#2: Falkner Winery Port NV (Temecula, Calif.):
This was looking a little thin when it was poured into the glass. Not near as dark as the Guenoc but darker than most Tawneys. The nose was more of a Zinfandel / something else that I didn't pick up on until I tasted it. First taste was "Is this port or a Zinfandel/Cabernet Savignon blended wine." It had little resemblance to port. I asked to see the bottle and sure enough, it was a blend of Zin/Cab Sav. This was the worst tasting "port" I have ever had. I would not recommend this one unless you really want a wine that is a slightly thicker blend of Zin and Cab Sav.