Quinta de la Rosa Vale do Inferno Vintage 1999

Quinta de la Rosa Vale do Inferno Vintage 1999

Good deep ruby colour with a nose of sweet fruit. There was a satisfying rich and full mouthful having good fruit flavours matched with depth. A little bit of residual harshness so it will be interesting to see what it is like in another 4 or 5 years time.

Quinta de la Rosa LBV 2006 (Bottled 2010)

Quinta de la Rosa LBV 2006 (Bottled 2010)

Deep purplish ruby colour with a slight grapey nose. This was grapey and sweet but also somewhat harsh and tannic. Perhaps it would have benefitted from a bit longer ageing.

Caves Santa Marta Vintage 2000

Caves Santa Marta Vintage 2000

Strong ruby red colour with a soft nose carrying a hint of rich fruitiness. There was a rich and full fruity taste, which was not particularly grapey though. Overall the impression was of a smooth and well balanced port.

Kopke Colheita 1983

Kopke Colheita 1983

Strong rich brown colour with a sweet woody nose. Sweetness, wood and dried fruit flavours combined with a hint of orange. The astringency of the wood competed nicely with the sweetness of the fruits.

Cockburn's Tawny 10 Year Old

Cockburn's Tawny 10 Year Old

Good brown colour with a reddish tinge. The nose was reminiscent of fruit puddings. It was nutty and sweet with hints of dried fruits.

Taylor's LBV 2004

Taylor's LBV 2004

Deep ruby red with a good fruity nose. This was grapey with a bit of depth but with a slight harshness to it.

Dalva White 10 Year Old Meia-Sec

Dalva White 10 Year Old Meia-Sec

Deep golden colour with honey on the nose. This was quite dry so not a lot of the grape flavours came through. However if you like a dry white port this is a good example as the extra wood age gave an interesting hint of spiciness.

Dalva LBV 2005

Dalva LBV 2005

Deep ruby colour with purple hints and a good fruity nose. The fruit in this port came across as very fresh reminding one of the taste of the berries in the vineyard at harvest time.

Quinta de Noval Tawny 40 Year Old

Quinta de Noval Tawny 40 Year Old

Mid brown colour with a rich oily nose of old wood and fruits. There was a powerful mouthful of bitter wood, sweetness, old sultanas and treacle. The complexity was fulfilling with the bitter elements from the prolonged ageing balanced by the residual sweetness from the fruits.

Quinta do Noval Fine White

Quinta do Noval Fine White

Pale yellowish colour with the usual honeyish nose. This was a typical but nevertheless good example of a white port in which the sweetness allowed the fresh grapey flavours to exhibit themselves.

Quinta do Noval Black

Quinta do Noval Black

This reserve port had a deep ruby colour with a hint of purple. The nose was substantial and fruity. On tasting it was found to be well balanced with good fruit flavours and a bit of depth. A softness on the palate was complemented with a satisfyingly full after taste.

Dalva Rose

Dalva Rose

Pink colour with a soft floral nose. This was sweet and light yet quite fruity. An excellent and enjoyable example of this style.

Warre's Otima Tawny 20 Year Old

Warre's Otima Tawny 20 Year Old

Clear caramel brown colour with an intense nose combining old fruits and nuts. This was sweet, woody and quite delicious. A good complex and satisfying mouthful.

Rozés Rose

Rozés Rose

Clear pink colour with a smell like a rose wine. This port was very sweet but lacking in fruit flavours.

Rozés Ruby Reserve

Rozés Ruby Reserve

Good rich ruby colour with a fruity nose. This port was well crafted having a satisfyingly grapey taste with underlying hints of depth.

Rozés White Reserve

Rozés White Reserve

Golden light brown colour with a honeyish nose. This port had a good grapey flavour with a woody bite and a hint of toffee.

Vista Alegre Colheita 2000

Vista Alegre Colheita 2000

Deep reddish brown with a light nutty nose. This was very smooth and velvety combining old wood with a honey sweetness.

Vista Alegre Tawny 20 Year Old

Vista Alegre Tawny 20 Year Old

Clear crispy brown colour with a good nutty nose. The overiding tastes were of a honey sweetness combined with wood flavours. Only a hint of the usual dried fruit flavours was present making this an interesting take on an age tawny.

Vista Alegre Tawny 10 Year Old

Vista Alegre Tawny 10 Year Old

Clear reddish brown with a nutty nose. This port was rich and fruity providing a mellow combination of old dried fruits and nuts.

Quinta de Val da Figueira White

Quinta de Val da Figueira White

Golden white colour with a hint of honey on the nose. Pleasantly warming and grapey whilst having quite a dry character.

Quinta da Casa Amarela Ruby Reserve

Quinta da Casa Amarela Ruby Reserve

It always amazes me when I drink this port that such a small producer is able to consistently produce such a distinctive product. It has a rich ruby colour with a fruity nose. On tasting the sweet blackberry flavour sets this apart from other ports of this class. If you haven't tried this yourself I suggest you track down a bottle or two as it well warrants the effort due to its uniqueness.

Quinta do Tedo Savedra Vintage 2007

Quinta do Tedo Savedra Vintage 2007

Intensely purple ruby colour with a good strong fruity nose. There was a soft fruitiness behind an overlayer of tannins. This wasn't as full bodied as I had expected but sured mature into something that is certainly pleasant enough.

Quinta do Tedo LBV 2003

Quinta do Tedo LBV 2003

Good plummy rich ruby colour with a fruity nose. A soft fruitiness was combined with some depth giving a good balance of fresh fruit with complexity in a truly excellent LBV.

Quinta da Pacheca Vintage 2003

Quinta da Pacheca Vintage 2003

Lovely deep rich ruby colour with a good grapey nose. The soft grapey fruitiness was a delightful surprise considering the youth of this wine. There was little trace of tannin in this quite delicious and approachable offering.

Quinta do Tedo Finest Reserve

Quinta do Tedo Finest Reserve

Bright ruby red colour with a fruity nose. This port is grapey and fresh with a marked soft fruitiness. Body is provided by robust but harmonious tannins. These various elements combine in a drink which is both interesting and enjoyable.

Quinta do Tedo Fine Tawny

Quinta do Tedo Fine Tawny

Well oxidised reddish brown colour with a nutty nose. This was both pleasant and interesting to experience. The dried fruit and oakey flavours carried hints of honey and barley.

Quinta do Castelinho Reserve Tawny

Quinta do Castelinho Reserve Tawny

Deep brown colour with a light nose. This port was a very approachable example of its class combining the oak and fruit contributions to give a wine that was both rich and warming.

Quinta da Pacheca Tawny

Quinta da Pacheca Tawny

There was a well oxidised rich brown colour with a light nose. This was a well crafted port having a good nutty edge combined with the fruity sweetness. Whilst not obviously marketed as such, I would place this firmly in the reserve category as it comes close to some ten year olds in its quality.

Quinta do Crasto LBV 2005

Quinta do Crasto LBV 2005

Good deep ruby colour with hints of fruit on the nose. There was a lovely well rounded mouthful which was fruity, soft and rich. The combination was well balanced with no one quality predominating over the others.

Fonseca Crusted (Bottled 2001)

Fonseca Crusted (Bottled 2001)

When the cork was removed it was very dry suggesting that the bottle had been stored upright for a long time. This was an ominous sign.

The wine had a dark ruby colour and a rich fruity nose. There was a good sweet body but overall it was somewhat on the harsh side. A hint of softness was all but overwhelmed by the tannic bitterness.

Osborne Tawny 10 Year Old

Osborne Tawny 10 Year Old

Clear red colour with a hint of brown and old fruits on the nose. This had a lovely sweet taste from the fruits with a good woody bite.

Ramos Pinto Vinho Quinado

Ramos Pinto Vinho Quinado

I had wanted to try this having seen the empty bottles on display at the Ramos Pinto caves in Vila Nova de Gaia so I was pleased to see a bottle on sale. Judging by the deposit it had thrown it had been in the shop for quite a while so probably it wasn't in the condition that Ramos Pinto intended.

It's appearance was a deep but slightly cloudy red. There wasn't a lot on the nose. Drinking it reminded me of other medicated fortified wines like dubonnet and red martini. It was drinkable but not distinctly port like to my taste and there was a whole litre of the stuff to get through.

Taylor's Quinta de Vargellas Vintage 1984

Taylor's Quinta de Vargellas Vintage 1984

There was a rich ruby colour with just a hint of oxidation. The nose was rich with plummy fruit scents. This port was impressive delivering a huge and rich fruity mouthful. After 26 years in the bottle it combined a soft edge with fresh berry flavours and had no harshness at all.

When you chance across a bottle like this it quite restores your faith in what vintage can deliver. It was right at its peak and therefore thoroughly enjoyable.

Dow's Tawny 10 Year Old

Dow's Tawny 10 Year Old

The clear reddish brown colour was matched with old dried fruit and wood on the nose. The overall impression was of a competent mixture combining sweetness from the fruit with oak contributions. There was a bit of a harsh bite and not much depth.

Quinta do Noval Fine Ruby

Quinta do Noval Fine Ruby

Deep crimson red colour with just a slight nose. This gave a rich fruity mouthful of plummy fruits with just a little rough edge to it.

Fonseca Guimaraens Vintage 1986

Fonseca Guimaraens Vintage 1986

There was some oxidation apparent in the clear red colour. The nose was quite light. At first the flavour was locked up and musty. However after breathing for two to three hours it developed into a rich sweet warming and mellow port, which was nicely balanced if not strikingly distinct.

Royal Oporto Colheita 1997 (Bottled 2009)

Royal Oporto Colheita 1997 (Bottled 2009)

This slightly turbid reddish brown liquid had a rich nose combining nuts and dried fruits. The promise of the nose was carried through into the mouth. The combination of sweetness and woody elements was a harmonious combination of old dried fruits with a harsh oakey edge.

Rozés Infanta Isabel Tawny 10 Year Old

Rozés Infanta Isabel Tawny 10 Year Old

Deep reddish brown colour with fruity nutty nose reminiscent of Christmas pudding. On tasting there was a lovely rich mixture of dried fruits and old wood. There wasn't as much depth as some ten year olds but nevertheless this was a very pleasant port.

Graham's the Tawny

Graham's the Tawny

Well oxidised clear brown colour with nuttiness on the nose. The taste was satisfyingly complex combining sweet dried fruits with dry woody textures.

This has to be one of the best tawny reserves around. It easily stands up well against a number of ten year olds. For once the distinctive marketing in its dumpy bottle is borne out by the quality of the product contained therein.

Quinta do Portal Vintage 2003

Quinta do Portal Vintage 2003

Intense deep purple colour with a plummy fruity nose. There was a deep rich fruity flavour which was smooth with a hint of softness.

Taylor's Vintage 2007

Taylor's Vintage 2007

Intensely deep plummy purple overiding the ruby colour with a strong fruity nose. This port gave a big satisfying mouthful of fruity flavours and was surprisingly soft and smooth considering its youth.

There are a few bottles of this ageing gently in the cellar. I'll have to give you an update in 10 or so years time.

Taylor's Quinta de Vargellas Vintage 1988

Taylor's Quinta de Vargellas Vintage 1988

Slightly oxidised red colour with a fruity flavoured nose. This had a very mellow but full soft fruit flavour making it both enjoyable and quaffable.

Cálem Colheita 1983

Cálem Colheita 1983

Palish mid brown colour with a deliciously nutty nose. On tasting a lovely rich mixture of old fruits, vanilla and oak balanced with the sweetness of the fruits was revealed.

I don't think you often get given this one when visiting the caves in Vila Nova de Gaia. However after ordering a quantity for shipment and having a good chat we were invited back for this sample. Muito obrigado Sergio Laranja.

Cálem Tawny 10 Year Old

Cálem Tawny 10 Year Old

Mid brown colour with a nutty dried fruit nose. This was sweet and caramelly combined with old fruits and a dry woodiness. An excellent winter warmer.

Cálem Old Friends Ruby Reserve

Cálem Old Friends Ruby Reserve

Deep rich plummy ruby with an equally plummy nose. This was a pleasant straightfoward ruby with a good balance of sweetness, fruit flavours and tannins.

This one must have had the English label on it as the "Old Friends" brand is found in Portugal as "Velhotes". I liked this so much I had a few bottles shipped home.

Offley White

Offley White

Pale yellow with a honey nose. This was a particularly sweet white port with honey flavours predominating over the fruit ones.

Royal Oporto White

Royal Oporto White

Pale yellow colour with a honey nose. This one was quite sweet having a fresh fruity flavour.

Porto Messias Tawny 10 Year Old

Porto Messias Tawny 10 Year Old

Rich brown colour with a nose of fruits and nuts. This was a full bodied rich port giving a satisfying experience of well balanced sweet dried fruits and oak.

Quinta do Noval LBV 2003

Quinta do Noval LBV 2003

Good deep ruby colour with a fruity nose. This port was of the rich and soft type allowing the sweet berry flavours to predominate. This was an excellent example of this type of port.

Rozés LBV 1997

Rozés LBV 1997

Deep ruby colour with fruit on the nose. There was a good well balanced grapey flavour.

Dalva Tawny 10 Year Old

Dalva Tawny 10 Year Old

Mid brown colour with a typical nose of old oak and dried fruits. This carried through to the flavour of this port, which was a competent example of its type.

Gilbert's Tawny 10 Year Old

Gilbert's Tawny 10 Year Old

Deep brown colour with a rich nose of old fruits. This was typical of its type being sweet and warming however it didn't have a lot of complexity. Whereas its balance of dried fruits and oak was pleasant enough it wasn't particularly outstanding.

Croft Tawny 10 Year Old

Croft Tawny 10 Year Old

Mid brown colour with a nutty and fruity nose. This port was of acceptable quality combining oak nuttiness with the sweetness of dried fruits.

Croft Ruby

Croft Ruby

Good plummy ruby colour with a youthful fruity nose. This port was an acceptable example of its type without being outstanding with sweet young berry flavours predmoninating.

Kopke Rose Port

Kopke Rose Port

Bright pink colour with a slightly grapey nose. This port was refreshingly on the dry side of sweet coming across like rose wine on steroids. The main impression was of fresh summer berries especially strawberries.

In fact we took a bottle of this home with us and my good wife used some in a strawberry and port ice cream that was scrumptious.

Lopes Tawny 10 Year Old

Lopes Tawny 10 Year Old

This had a deep brown colour but little nose. However this could have been due to the bottle having been open in the restaurant for a while. On tasting it was remarkably sweet with lots of vanilla and oaky notes to the dried fruit flavours.

Ferreira Ruby

Ferreira Ruby

Deep ruby colour with a fruity nose. This was not a bad example of basic ruby that was characterised by a good rich and fresh fruitiness.

Quinta do Noval Tawny 10 Year Old

Quinta do Noval Tawny 10 Year Old

There was a deep brown colour with a good nutty nose. On tasting this proved to be a smooth deep rich port combining the sweetness of dried fruits with a nutty oakiness.

Valriz Porto Tawny 10 Year Old

Valriz Porto Tawny 10 Year Old

Rich amber colour with a woody fruity nose. The taste was disappointing lacking in both depth and fruitiness. This would be one for someone who prefers their ports lighter than I do.

Quinta do Portal Tawny 10 Year Old

Quinta do Portal Tawny 10 Year Old

The deep reddish amber colour was married with a nose that was distinctively reminiscent of Christmas fruits. The taste was smooth and fruity. As well as being grapey there was complexity derived from the wood flavours.

Quinta do Vallado Tawny 10 Year Old

Quinta do Vallado Tawny 10 Year Old

Pale amber colour with a suggestion of burnt wood in the fruity nose. This was lovely being sweet and smooth with good depth. Along with the dried fruit flavours there were hints of wood smoke.

Cálem Fine White

Cálem Fine White

Pale yellow with a honeyish nose. This port was pleasantly grapey and fresh.

You used to be able to buy this in Safeways/Morrisons but sadly no more at it was a good example of a straightfoward white port.