Fonseca Vintage 1963

Fonseca Vintage 1963

Clear ruby red with a slight amber tinge having a rich plummy and  fruity nose. Two to three hours after decanting it had opened out into a harmonious experience of plummy richness in a full body with just the right amount of hinting at oily aldehydes. After fifty years the depth of its youth has been replaced with complete integration of the component flavours.

Vista Alegre White 20 Years Old (Bottled 2013)

Vista Alegre White 20 Years Old (Bottled 2013)

The appearance of this port was not like any I had seen before being a bright copper coloured brown. This colour was lighter than a tawny port but significantly darker than your average wood aged white port. The nose was rich and almost tary yet it had a honey sweetness at the same time. There was substantial oaky body on tasting with the sweetness of the grapes almost overcome by the bitter astringency of the wood. This port had complexity and depth but was very different from a tawny of the same age having noticeable less fruit flavours coming through. This made for a fairly unique port wine experience as the contribution from the oak barrel was very much to the fore but pleasantly matched with a gentle sweet component from the grapes.

Sainsbury's Quinta da Eira Velha Vintage 2000

Sainsbury's Quinta da Eira Velha Vintage 2000

This was bought from Sainsbury's under their "taste the difference" label about five years ago. It was obviously a bit young then but it was a silly price. By the time we had used up all our vouchers and Nectar points and had five for the price of six it was about £15 a bottle. The wine had a really deep ruby colour and a strikingly fruity nose. It still tasted quite young with lots of fresh grape flavour and noticeable tannins. Not a lot of depth so this may end up being one of those pleasantly easy drinking ports in another five years or so.

It is interesting to note that this must have been one of the last vintages made at the quinta before it was bought by the Taylor Fladgate group. I doubt that they kept the vinification equipment at the quinta as the grapes may now be shipped off to their established adegas. Historically and uniquely the ports from this quinta used to be shipped to Newfoundland for aging prior to being sold on the Canadian market.

We opened another bottle on 11th September 2015. The wine was still strikingly dark with lots of fresh grape and tannin flavours. On the basis of this tasting I think I will revise my prediction of five years to ten years for this port to reach its best.

Royal Oporto Colheita 1999 (Bottled 2013)

Royal Oporto Colheita 1999 (Bottled 2013)

Clear bright amber colour with a strong barley sugar nose. This was a lovely smooth port which was moderately complex with the sweetness of dried fruits balanced by an oaky dryness.

Ramos Pinto Quinta do Bom Retiro Tawny 20 yo

Ramos Pinto Quinta do Bom Retiro Tawny 20 Years Old

Deep amber colour. Rich nose of dried fruits and old wood. Smooth combination of butterscotch, dried fruit and a good chew of wood. Satisfying body in an excellent port.

Quinta de Marrocos Tawny 20 Year Old

Quinta de Marrocos Tawny 20 Year Old

Deep amber and clear. Nose of dried fruits and nuts. Sweet yet quite astringent giving a good balance of dried fruits, butterscotch and oak. Good body in an excellent example of this style of port.

Barros Tawny

Barros Tawny

Deep amber colour. Unrefined sugary nose. Rich, sweet and smooth tasting of spicey dried fruits.