For The Love Of Port

I had been looking for a birth year wine for myself a while ago. '61 is a Bordeaux year but I saw some good notes on the Krohn colheitas so I bought two '61's. This week was my 47th birthday and I figured one prime number deserved another so I opened the first Krohn & took out the Reidel Porto glass. 20%/vol. Matured in wood. Bottled in 2006. Bought early 2007 and consumed Jan 20 to 24, 2008.
Appearance: a nearly clear, yellowish rim surrounding a Dr. Pepper / cola body. A bit of citrus on the nose; a touch clove and spirit, but not objectionable; slightly sherry like. Smooth, sweet entry. Body: Viscous texture, some caramel; subdued cinnamon. a bit of maderia-like tang on the finish. Not great, but a very nice wine: 90 pts. (but my wife likes it more - probably a 94 pointer for Sherry.)
I haven't had many older tawny's so I don't have much of a judging base, generally preferring the more robust VP's. This was a very pleasant birthday treat. I think I'll have another. It has made turning an ugly number feel pretty good.

BC

... think I'll have another. It has made turning an ugly number feel pretty good.

Bill,

First of all, a belated Happy Birthday!

I must say that your style of creating a TN had me right there next to you drinking the '61. Hopefully you had the good fortune to have a birth year Latour or Haut Brion to wash down your BD dinner with?

From what you've described, I would have to go with your wife's score. I look forward to your next TN on this wine. Once you get to enjoy the Ports in this category more often, I think you'll come to agree with Mrs. Crann.

I look forward to sharing a fine bottle of VP or Colheita with you both someday!

Roy,
I may have been a little stingy with the score. But, I honestly think I don't have the tasting aptitude to do justice to more nuanced ports, or table wine for that matter. I can describe it if the nuance makes it to my flavor receptors, but I must have a taste bud deficiency. This port frustrated me - I felt I was on the cusp of picking up more nuances many times, but no matter how long I pondered & swirled and retasted, I just couldn't coax any more out. I guess it's why I've always enjoyed the in-your-face wines more than the older, mellower quaffs.

Hey - one day we'll get together over dinner & a bottle (or two). Keep up the passionate work - you have a great website.

BC

I'm another 61er, and my notes on the 61 Krohn are similar, although my score 2-3 points higher.

Ted,
I was stingy with my rating of just 90 points. If I hadn't been bothered by thoughts of my mortality I would have been more objective. It kind of bugged me that I was 47 and not 27. Does that ever happen to you? Anyway, my wife is smarter than me and it was 94 for her, so hey - 92 or 93 sounds good to me.

BC