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HOME
> TASTING
NOTES > "VINTAGE
PORT"
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"VINTAGE
PORT"
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January
11, 2001 Massachussets Mutual Conference
Room
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Port, with its high
levels of complexity, sugar, and alcohol can be a very
contemplative and relaxing wine, usually enjoyed
following a meal or as night cap. Blind tasting nine
different examples is certainly challenging. (How DO
those port makers do it, day after day?) Our panel
included Michael Blaylock, winemaker at Quady since 1985,
as our guest. The members provided a varied assortment of
Portuguese and port-style wines. The evening was quite
enjoyable and the surprising results certainly validated
both our local dessert-wine-growing neighborhood and our
guest's abilities. (Although the Portuguese, upon seeing
this, might declare our palates completely
Californicated!)
Brand
Vintage
&
Varietal/Type
Appellation
-$ price
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Consensus
Tasting Notes
Notes
in bold type indicate three
or more comments in agreement.
(enclosed ?) = comment on a possible
flaw
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#Rank
Buying
Advice
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Quady
1992 Starboard
"Lot
B"
California -
$20. (winery only)
20% alcohol
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Dark
garnet-coffee, brick edge; mild, pleasant
complex scent mixes raspberries, dried
fruit, figs, prunes, toasted sesame, cocoa,
pot-still brandy, alcohol, slight oxidation; big,
complex and mellow flavors of dark
fruit, chocolate, licorice;
full-bodied, rich, soft, forward and
very well balanced, with good acidity and
tannic "grip", yet very easy to drink.
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#1
Very
Highly
Recommended
BEST
BUY
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Ficklin
1983 Special Bottling
#6
Madera -
($25. at release)
19.6% alcohol
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Very dark
(cloudy) tawny with a mature amber-brown edge; deep
stewed fruit aroma, slightly vegetal, complex with
hints of coffee, caramel, and cocoa
powder; burnt sugar, soy sauce and somewhat
sweet, chocolatey flavors; full body, very
rich; good balance, slightly low acid;
nearly no heat in short, smooth
finish.
(bottled in
1987)
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#2
Very
Highly
Recommended
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Guenoc
1992 "Vintage
Port"
California -
($18. rel.)
19.5% alcohol
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Dark ruby,
slightly tawny-garnet edge; berries, cherries,
raisins, vanilla, brambles, dill, rosemary, oak
(fusel / bourbon barrel?) in complex, youthful
aroma; sweet, smooth, young and fruity,
cassis, raspberry, slight alcohol in
easy-to-drink flavors; smooth, integrated,
well-balanced; full-bodied, rich; long,
youthfully astringent finish.
(Old Vines Zinfandel - Petite Sirah
blend)
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#3
Very
Highly
Recommended
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Quady
1982 Port
"Frank's
Vineyard"
Amador County
- ($24. rel.)
20% alcohol
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Dark plum
with a brickish edge; low-fruit aroma mixes
brown sugar, maple, spice, violets,
alcohol, rubber, oak, faint
perfume; sweet chocolate, cherry,
tobacco in the dry flavors, slightly
medicinal; very well balanced;
full body, fleshy; fairly tannic, long finish with
some heat. Seems young.
(made from true "Port" varieties)
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#4
Highly
Recommended
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Dow
1997 Vintage
Port
Oporto - $38.
to $90. (current)
20% alcohol
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Very dark
ruby-plum purple, young and bright; nose mixes
young, very ripe fruit, fruitcake,
mince meat, flowers, chocolate, butter and a hint
of yeast; clean, sweet, young,
smooth, grapey, blueberry, raspberry,
chocolate, cassis and orange rind flavors;
full bodied, rich, round with good
integration and excellent balance; long,
smooth aftertaste shows neither too much
tannin nor heat, nor sticky sweetness. Not quite
the fruit intensity and "grip" of some others here,
but probably a good cellar
candidate.
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#5
(tie)
Highly
Recommended
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Croft
1975 Vintage
Port
Oporto - $38.
to $50. (cur.)
20.5% alcohol
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Light tawny,
amber-brick, slight haze (should be decanted);
raisins, orange rind, butterscotch, bacon,
celery, alcohol, oak, hint of oxidation in
nose; complex, pleasant, burnt sugar,
coffee, dried fruit, spicy, slightly musty,
somewhat Angelica-like, smooth flavors; good
balance, slightly acidic; some heat in long,
slightly harsh finish.
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#6
Highly
Recommended
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Graham
1963 Vintage
Port
Oporto -
$130. to $395. (cur.)
20% alcohol
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Light to medium
amber-garnet color, slight sediment; clean,
complex, aged, faintly tarry aromas, with
hints of dried fruit, grass and cinnamon,
noticable alcohol, terpenes; hot entry,
sweet, tawny-woody, mature and
pleasing flavors; well-balanced, somewhat
thin; a little heat and faintly acidic or
bitter in the finish.
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#7
Highly
Recommended
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Niepoort
1987 Vintage
Port
Oporto - $35.
to $40. (cur.)
20.7% alcohol
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Deep, dark ruby
red-purple; tight fruit, spice, cinnamon,
floral, old wood, musty (possibly
corked?); fruity, tastes slightly of
currants, pepper, mustiness, earth, overall
impression is simply sweet and hot, somewhat
disjointed; long, slightly tannic,
hot finish.
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#8
Recommended
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St.
Amant
1983
"Port"
Amador County
- ($16. rel.)
19% alcohol
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Light ruby
red to garnet edge; attractive light,
fruity, spicy, clean, candied,
cassis, raisiny aroma with noticeable
alcohol and hints of terpine or chocolate and
filter pad; clean, woody, slightly raisiny
flavors are a little low on fruit; light body;
balanced with good acidity, not too sweet;
low tannins; finish fades rapidly.
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#9
Recommended
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This
Panel
included Regulars Kevin, Glenn, Deanna,
Jon, Ray, Jim, Ron, James, and Guests
Tammy, Peter, and Mike
About
Port
OportoWines.com
is a specialty e-merchant of Port, albeit with
very good and thorough information about the
Douro region, history, vineyards, varietals,
wine making techniques, types, storing and
drinking recommendations, etc., including many
photos and charts.
The
Port
Wine Institute
site also has very informative and detailed
articles on history, geography, viticulture,
enology, commerce, classifications, tourism,
statistics, and legalities of Port.
Bar
do Binho,
a brick-and-click port merchant in the
Portuguese town of Sintra also has much
information on their web site, which has a
clever user interface and very good descriptions
of individual Port "houses" and vintages, but is
slightly hampered by navigational glitches and
less-than-thorough text editing.
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