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.