1981 KWV Diaz reserve ruby port
Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 11:30 am
This is also a request for any help in finding out more about this wine.
The wine is a South African "port" and was bought in Cape Town last summer. The front label of the wine describes itself as "KWV 1981 Diaz Reserve Vintage Port, Boberg wine of origin, Produce of South Africa." So far, so good. Clearly its wine that was produced by the KWV cooperative from grapes grown in the Boberg region and from the 1981 harvest.
However, if I read the back, I start to wonder. Amongst all the other waffle are the words "The KWV Diaz Reserve Vintage Port is the result
of fine blending of selected fortified wines and ageing in small wood for many years." This starts to make me think that the style will be more akin to a colheita than a VP - so my key question becomes "When was this wine bottled?" No where on the wine can I see a bottling date. The only clue might be on the Wine & Spirit Board certificate stuck onto the neck of the capsule. This contains a number 374651 above the number 3336.
The only other clue to the bottling date might come from the very plain cork - which has stamped on it only the numbers 04 K 97.
Now to the wine itself. This decanted very easily. There was very little sediment in the wine and what there was, was small and fine. The last drops came out very cloudy, even through muslin, but were kept separate from the rest of the wine.
Considering I was expecting a colheita, I was very surprised at how dark red this wine was. Opaque in the centre, distinctly red but with a brown edge. A very strong small of VA (volatile acidity) from the decanter - very much reminded me of a madeira rather than a port.
After three hours in the decanter I approached it for a taste. A lot of the VA had gone but the wine still had a nose like a very old madeira. I wonder if the wine has been baked in the sun? Nose is very closed and very dull, just a hint of strawberries with a buttery tone. The last of the VA gives a burnt rubber edge.
First sip brings a lot of sweetness, very thick wine in the mouth. Not much fruit at first but after the initial impression of sweetness the wine brought a wave of acidity and then sort of unpeeled - bringing different flavours, one after the other. There was a combination of strawberry syrup, burnt sugar, caramel, chocolate and then a surge of heat.
The aftertaste was surprising. Short to start with - some chocolate and strawberry which faded quite quickly. But then it suddenly came back with some extra tones.
Overall, I would say that this was an interesting experiment, one which I enjoyed but wouldn't necessarily repeat. I suspect that this wine has been spoiled through heat, thus giving the odd madeirised tones. The acidity has supported the wine though. I'll come back to this tomorrow and see if it improves with a little more time in the decanter. As tasted here, I give this 85/100.
I did come back to this the next day after 24 hours in the decanter. The wine has darkened considerably in colour and is much more intense. The darker centre has taken away the browning that was seen yesterday on the edge. The VA on the nose has completely gone and has been replaced by a beautifully balanced, although subdued, smell of delicate cherries.
Not as thick going into the mouth as it was yesterday. Still sweet and then a rush of acidity. The wine is much more integrated than it was yesterday and is much better balanced. Held in the mouth without slurping was just holding a mouthful of fruit juice - slurping released chocolately tones and a hint of the strong madeira character from yesterday. Long, long length of dark chocolate.
A much better wine than it was yesterday - I find it hard to believe that its all the same bottle! Points today - 90/100. This I would repeat...but I don't go back there until March
Alex
The wine is a South African "port" and was bought in Cape Town last summer. The front label of the wine describes itself as "KWV 1981 Diaz Reserve Vintage Port, Boberg wine of origin, Produce of South Africa." So far, so good. Clearly its wine that was produced by the KWV cooperative from grapes grown in the Boberg region and from the 1981 harvest.
However, if I read the back, I start to wonder. Amongst all the other waffle are the words "The KWV Diaz Reserve Vintage Port is the result
of fine blending of selected fortified wines and ageing in small wood for many years." This starts to make me think that the style will be more akin to a colheita than a VP - so my key question becomes "When was this wine bottled?" No where on the wine can I see a bottling date. The only clue might be on the Wine & Spirit Board certificate stuck onto the neck of the capsule. This contains a number 374651 above the number 3336.
The only other clue to the bottling date might come from the very plain cork - which has stamped on it only the numbers 04 K 97.
Now to the wine itself. This decanted very easily. There was very little sediment in the wine and what there was, was small and fine. The last drops came out very cloudy, even through muslin, but were kept separate from the rest of the wine.
Considering I was expecting a colheita, I was very surprised at how dark red this wine was. Opaque in the centre, distinctly red but with a brown edge. A very strong small of VA (volatile acidity) from the decanter - very much reminded me of a madeira rather than a port.
After three hours in the decanter I approached it for a taste. A lot of the VA had gone but the wine still had a nose like a very old madeira. I wonder if the wine has been baked in the sun? Nose is very closed and very dull, just a hint of strawberries with a buttery tone. The last of the VA gives a burnt rubber edge.
First sip brings a lot of sweetness, very thick wine in the mouth. Not much fruit at first but after the initial impression of sweetness the wine brought a wave of acidity and then sort of unpeeled - bringing different flavours, one after the other. There was a combination of strawberry syrup, burnt sugar, caramel, chocolate and then a surge of heat.
The aftertaste was surprising. Short to start with - some chocolate and strawberry which faded quite quickly. But then it suddenly came back with some extra tones.
Overall, I would say that this was an interesting experiment, one which I enjoyed but wouldn't necessarily repeat. I suspect that this wine has been spoiled through heat, thus giving the odd madeirised tones. The acidity has supported the wine though. I'll come back to this tomorrow and see if it improves with a little more time in the decanter. As tasted here, I give this 85/100.
I did come back to this the next day after 24 hours in the decanter. The wine has darkened considerably in colour and is much more intense. The darker centre has taken away the browning that was seen yesterday on the edge. The VA on the nose has completely gone and has been replaced by a beautifully balanced, although subdued, smell of delicate cherries.
Not as thick going into the mouth as it was yesterday. Still sweet and then a rush of acidity. The wine is much more integrated than it was yesterday and is much better balanced. Held in the mouth without slurping was just holding a mouthful of fruit juice - slurping released chocolately tones and a hint of the strong madeira character from yesterday. Long, long length of dark chocolate.
A much better wine than it was yesterday - I find it hard to believe that its all the same bottle! Points today - 90/100. This I would repeat...but I don't go back there until March
Alex