For The Love Of Port

Quinta de Ventozelo LBV 1998 - before visiting the Quinta in 2003, I had the opportunity to taste a couple of Ventozelo Ports at an IVDP tasting a year earlier. I was impressed with this undiscovered producer and looked forward to trying more.

The LBV from 1998 is a very dark magenta color and delivers light and lovely scents of violets, cassis and dark berry fruit followed by a touch of alcohol. The Ventozelo has a medium body, smooth mouthfeel and offers ripe flavors of chewy blackberry fruit that is followed by a bit too much spirit on the finish. I waited until the day after the bottle was opened to see if this would "blow off" to give it a second chance, but it did not. Otherwise, it is a perfectly user-friendly LBV. 86 points.

Roy,

I've not heard about this quinta before. Care to provide any additional information?

Cheers,
Jason

I'd like some info on this quinta as well. The LCBO (Liqour Control Board of Ontario) has this 98 LBV as well as 2000 VP in 375ml and 750ml though a little pricey at 37cdn and 70cdn respectively.

Mwaters, I've tasted the 2000 and 2001 VP so far from this Quinta and I can't say I was impress. Both lacking depth a VP should have and showing too much spirity alchool in its youth. The jammy fruit is nice though but again without intensity... This is not a Quinta I would recommend buying at these prices, Gould Campbell and Smith Woodhouse are way better.

Thanks Fred!

I have had their 10 year old tawny and it was one of the best I have had, only eclipsed by Niepoort's, but barely so. On the other hand, I have also had their Ruby Reserve which was only average.

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Kevin B. Kelly
A Port Enthusiast

I bought the 20 y old tawny Ventozelo the other day. I hadn't heard of this house before. I found it in a wineshop in Antwerp (Belgium). Not to expensive, € 24. I will report back when I've tried it.

Monique.

Monique: Henri Bloem imports it into the Netherlands. All shops have a pretty complete range of their products.