Ramos Pinto LBV 2005

Ramos Pinto LBV 2005

Dark intense ruby colour with a big plummy nose. This was sweet and fruity with a touch of tannin in the follow through. It had satisfying depth and body.

St Bart's Tawny 10 Year Old

St Bart's Tawny 10 Year Old

This was bought in a supermarket for €8.49. It was a clear reddish brown with a nose of sweet old fruits. The taste was sweet and rich combining dried fruits and oak with a touch of caramel.

Graham's Vintage 2003

Graham's Vintage 2003

Deep ruby colour with a purple tinge to the rim. There was a fresh grapey nose. This port was already quite approachable being grapey and fresh but with a substantial body making one think of an LBV on steroids. However there was a slight tannic bitterness as it slipped down.

Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage 1994

Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage 1994

Deep ruby colour with a straightforward plummy nose. This was smooth and grapey with a long aftertaste and a hint of blackcurrant flavours. It left a satisfyingly rich and full feeling in the mouth. Drinking well but could go a bit longer yet.

Dow's Vintage 1985

Dow's Vintage 1985

Deep ruby colour with a plummy nose with a hint of cured meats. As suggested by the nose this had a full rich plummy taste with subtle hints of presunto. In addition it was slightly medicinal and leathery. These were combinations I hadn't come across in a port before so it just goes to show that your port journey never end.

Graham's Tawny 30 Year Old

Graham's Tawny 30 Year Old

Clear brown colour with a strong nose of caramelised sugar. This was sweet with a complex after taste. It came across as distinctly tarry and medicinal, which is fine it that is what you are looking for an aged tawny. I certainly enjoyed this one.

Quinta Dona Matilde 10 Year Old

Quinta Dona Matilde 10 Year Old

Clear mid brown colour with a smell of sweet old stew. The taste combined sweetness with flavours of molasses, christmas pudding, dried fruits and old oak. There was also an oaky depth to it.

Quinta São Leonardo Tawny 10 Year Old

Quinta São Leonardo Tawny 10 Year Old

Clear brown colour with a light nose. This was sweet and rich with bags of old dried fruits but not a lot of complexity.

Taylor's Scion 1855

Taylor's Scion 1855

This €95 half glass of port was my retirement present so thanks to everyone for their contributions. Rather than having this in the caves we opted for the veranda at the Yeatman Hotel. It is such a lovely setting looking out across the Douro to old Porto on the other side. 

The port was a deep murky brown having a rich nose of old molasses. It is very difficult to describe the taste as the various elements had fused together in great harmony. The overall impression was of sweet rich molasses but this description belies the complexity and harmony that was present. Added to this was a serious depth which meant the experience lingered on in the mouth and gullet long after taking a sip.

Ferreira LBV 2006

Ferreira LBV 2006

Intense ruby colour with a rich nose. This was rich, sweet smooth and grapey.

Quinta Santa Eufémia White 10 Year Old

Quinta Santa Eufémia White 10 Year Old

The colour was mid brown with a nose of aged wood resembling a port cellar. The taste was rich and redolent with sultana flavours.

Kopke White 40 Year Old

Kopke White 40 Year Old

Light brown colour with a rich nose of old fruits. This was very rich combining sweet molasses with a light element of dried fruits and a comlex oakey depth.

Kopke White 10 Year Old

Kopke White 10 Year Old

Deep amber colour and a floral nose having hints of old oak. This was sweet rich and grapey. Overall it had a clean taste but with a contribution of typical tawny flavours such as dried fruits and oak making for an interesting and enjoyable experience.

Quinta Seara d'Ordens Fine Tawny

Quinta Seara d'Ordens Fine Tawny

This had a well oxidised brown colour with a nose reminiscent of treacle pudding. The taste was sweet with a little grapiness but molasses and oak astringency were predominant.

Quinta Seara d'Ordens Vintage 2004

Quinta Seara d'Ordens Vintage 2004

It was interesting to try the vintage from the same year as the LBV but the vintage was in a completely different league for quality. The colour was an inky purply deep ruby, which was coupled with a very rich and fruity nose. On tasting it was smooth and grapey and, therefore, surprisingly drinkable at this young age. It had great body giving an impression of richness and majesty.

Quinta Seara d'Ordens LBV 2004

Quinta Seara d'Ordens LBV 2004

Rich purplish red colour with an intense grapey nose. This was smooth, sweet, and rich with good berry flavours. Just a hint of grape skin tannins remained to keep it interesting.

Quinta Seara d'Ordens Fine Ruby

Quinta Seara d'Ordens Fine Ruby

Good plummy purple and ruby colour and a fruity nose. This had an enjoyably fresh grapey taste but with tannins betraying its youth.

Quinta Seara d'Ordens Light Dry White

Quinta Seara d'Ordens Light Dry White

The colour was a very pale yellow and the nose was quite sharp. However, despite how dry it was, the taste was still quite grapey.

Croft Tawny

Croft Tawny

Brownish red colour with a slight floral nose. The taste was dense with hints of dark treacle. The overiding impression was of a comination of molasses, oak, and dried fruits.

Porto Cedro Tawny

Porto Cedro Tawny

This was on special offer in the shop of the wine cooperative in Peso da Regua so we just had to try it. It had a turbid reddish brown appearance with a sweet but harshly alcoholic nose. The taste was sweet and carramelly with hints of fruit and wood.

At €5 for a litre we couldn't resist buying a couple of bottles. We drank one before leaving Portugal which made us realise how rough it was. The other one we took home where it made an excellent port for cooking with.

Restaurante Ponte Romanica House Port

Restaurante Ponte Romanica House Port

The waiter told us their adega was underneath the restaurant. This port was a deep rich brown colour and had a rich tawny style nose. The taste was deliciously thick and tary almost like cough mixture, being a sweet combination of fruit, wood and phenolics.

Quinta de la Rosa Vintage 2009

Quinta de la Rosa Vintage 2009

Deep purple and red colour with an intensely fruity nose. This was rich and fruity with lots of fresh tannins to the fore.

Vista Alegre Colheita 1995

Vista Alegre Colheita 1995

This had a deep brown colour whilst the nose was reminiscent of the smells that eminate from the kitchen whilst a rich fruit cake is cooking. This port was rich, sweet and complex. The old fruits flavours were there but so was a clear woody component whose astringency balanced out the sweetness of the sugars. All in all this was a smooth and enjoyable product.

Vista Alegre Colheita 1996

Vista Alegre Colheita 1996

Deep brown colour with rich dried fruits on the nose. This was sweet and rich with striking oak flavours combining with the sweetness of the dried fruits.

Vista Alegre Colheita 1997

Vista Alegre Colheita 1997

Rich brown colour with a pleasant butterscotch nose. This was sweet and rich combining dried fruits with a good oak background.

Vista Alegre Colheita 1998

Vista Alegre Colheita 1998

Well oxidised brown colour with butterscotch on the nose. There was good combination of sweet dried fruits and oak.

Vista Alegre Fine Ruby

Vista Alegre Fine Ruby

Rich ruby colour with a fruity nose. This was a good quality and approachable ruby holding rich fruit flavours and softness in harmonious combination.

Vista Alegre LBV 2003

Vista Alegre LBV 2003

Good plummy red colour with a sweet grapey nose. This had a well balanced combination of sweet fruit grape flavours and rich depth.

Vista Alegre Dry White

Vista Alegre Dry White

Pale yellow colour with a light floral nose. This was a good example of a dry white. Like most "dry" white ports is was more off dry with a noticeable level of residual sweetness. However it was dry enough to prevent the fruit flavours from being over predominant.

Mixed with two parts tonic, ice and a slice of lemon it makes a great refreshing summer cocktail.

Vista Alegre Fine White

Vista Alegre Fine White

Pale yellow with a sweet honey nose. The taste was fresh and grapey without being overly sweet.

Quinta Nova de Nosa Senhora do Carno LBV 2004

Quinta Nova de Nosa Senhora do Carno LBV 2004

Rich red colour with a fruity nose. This was a full bodied and fruity port combining a satisfying depth with a sweet fruitiness.

Quinta de la Rosa Lagare Port

Quinta de la Rosa Lagare Port

This was provided whilst we were working hard in the lagare. Perhaps it was straight from the barrel. It was a cloud reddish brown with old fruits in a plummy nose. Perhaps it was the environment but it came across as quite delicious sucessfully balancing rich dried fruit flavours with a substantial oak astringency.

Barros White

Barros White

Pale yellow colour with a light honey nose. This was a typical medium sweet white port with a sweet honey lightness complementing fresh grape flavours.

São Pedro das Águias Tawny 10 Year Old

São Pedro das Águias Tawny 10 Year Old

There was a well oxidised brown colour with a hint of redness. The nose was rich and redolent with old dried fruits. The flavour was a rich, warming and intense marriage of sweet dried fruits tempered with a complex oakey astringency.

São Pedro das Águias White

São Pedro das Águias White

This was served well chilled. It had a bright golden colour with a grapey honey nose. The taste was rich, smooth and grapey. The style was medium sweet allowing the berry flavours to come through. There was noticeable depth as well.

Dom Pablo Ruby

Dom Pablo Ruby

I had this as a digestive in a restaurant so there are no guarantees as to its authenticity. It had a deep rich ruby colour with a light nose. It was very acceptable being rich and warming. The impression was more of a young tawny than a ruby as the sweet fruit flavours were leaning towards dried fruits rather than young berries. In addition there was a hint of oakiness.

Cockburn's Tawny 20 Year Old

Cockburn's Tawny 20 Year Old

Deep clear brown colour with a hint of redness. The nose was warm and nutty like a freshly baked christmas cake. The flavour was intense being sweet with a prominant woodiness. Rich old fruits underneath the strong oak flavours provided balance.

Kopke Colheita 1978

Kopke Colheita 1978

Slightly cloudy mid brown colour with a slightly medicinal nose reminiscent fo childhood cough linctus. The flavour was satisfyingly complex balancing the dried fruits sweetness with nuts, caramel, and burnt sugar elements which reminded me of Christmas puddings.

Kopke Tawny 40 Year Old

Kopke Tawny 40 Year Old

Clear deep brown colour with an intense oakey nose. There was a rich taste of old dried fruits with a good contribution from the oak. This port was strikingly smooth as the harshness from the wood was well balanced within the overall palate.

Dalva Colheita 1967

Dalva Colheita 1967

Dark brown colour with rich molasses on the nose. The sweetness came through as reminiscent of burnt sugars married to a huge chewy mouthful of oak.

Dalva Colheita Ruila Paula 1967

Dalva Colheita Ruila Paula 1967

Clear brown colour with a rich toffee-like nose. This was a complex experience of which the predominant features were rich chewy toffee combined with oak.

Dalva Ruby Reserve

Dalva Ruby Reserve

Bright ruby colour with a light fruity nose. This was a good example of its type having a fresh and bright fruity taste in a well balanced presentation.

Quinta das Lamelas White 40 Year Old

Quinta das Lamelas White 40 Year Old

Clear mid brown colour with a nutty nose. Very clean but complex tawny taste with a big contribution from the oak balanced by the residual sweetness from the berries.

Andresen Colheita 1980

Andresen Colheita 1980

Rich deep treacley brown colour with an intense caramel nose. The taste was an arousing combination of rich old fruits, caramel and lots of complex oak flavours.

Graham's Reserve Tawny

Graham's Reserve Tawny

Moderately oxidised reddish brown with butterscotch on the nose. This was an excellent example of a youngish tawny having a warming flavour of old fruits with underlying oaky elements.

Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage 2008

Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage 2008

Very intense purply red colour with a really fresh fruity nose. This gave a rich grapey mouthful which was reminiscent of blackcurrant cordial. A lot of ageing time would be needed to let this mellow into something not quite so sickly. However it illustrates the skill of the winemaker who can recognise the potential for such a young wine.

Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage 2007

Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage 2007

Intense purple and red colour with a fresh fruity nose. This had a fresh fruity taste within a good body. However grape skin tannins were quite pronounced as the needed quite a lot of ageing time to work out.

Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage 1998

Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage 1998

Deep rich ruby colour with a moderate amount of oxidation. Strangely vegetable nose, possibly cabage. Nevertheless it had a good fruity taste combining a soft grapiness with a majestic depth.

Quinta do Castelinho Licoroso White

Quinta do Castelinho Licoroso White

Pale yellow colour with a heavily sweet nose. This was a very sweet white port with the grape flavours almost overwhelmed by the sugar.

Quinta do Tedo Vintage 1999

Quinta do Tedo Vintage 1999

Slightly oxidised deep red colour with a fruity nose. This was smooth and fruity like drinking wine gums with a moderate amount of body.

Quinta do Tedo Vintage 2007

Quinta do Tedo Vintage 2007

Deep purple colour with a rich fruity nose. On tasting one experienced a rich, full and satisfyingly fruity mouthful. This was quite drinkable but needs ageing to work out the youthful tannins.

Quinta do Tedo Tawny 10 Year Old

Quinta do Tedo Tawny 10 Year Old

Clear brown colour with old fruits on the nose. The taste was a combination of butterscotch with dried fruits and a good bite of wood.

Vista Alegre Fine Tawny

Vista Alegre Fine Tawny

Well oxidised brown colour with a hint of redness. The nose was sweet and fruity. This was very easy drinking having a good balance between the fruit sugars and the wood contribution. There was a distinct butterscotch component in the warming taste.

Quinta Seara d'Ordens Tawny Reserve

Quinta Seara d'Ordens Tawny Reserve

Deep toffee brown colour with just a hint of redness. Old dried fruits and leather on the nose. Lovely complex mouthful of dried fruits and substantial amounts of old oak. Exceptional quality for a reserve as I have tasted ten year olds that don't come up to the level of this port.

Quinta do Crasto LBV 1996 (Bottled 2001)

Quinta do Crasto LBV 1996 (Bottled 2001)

We had the pleasure of enjoying this port during the course of a wonderful day spent at the quinta as the guests of the very hospitable Roquette family. It had a lightly oxidised ruby colour with a light fruity nose. There was a lovely rounded taste being full bodied and fruity whilst edging towards a tawny with hints of dried fruits contributing.

Burmester Tawny?

Burmester Tawny?

I put in the question mark as we had this in a restaurant and, as I have found out before, you can't always be sure what comes out of the bottle is what it says on the label. I had the impression that this may have been an uncontrolled wine rather than anything put out under the Burmester label. It had a deep brown colour and a sweet nutty nose. The taste was rich, sweet, woody and warming and therefore very reminiscent of previous restaurant ports I had experienced.

Quinta de Romaneira Tawny 10 Year Old

Quinta de Romaneira Tawny 10 Year Old

Clear reddish brown with an intense nutty nose. This port was markedly fruity adding a pluminess to the usual rich dried fruit flavours. There was also a moderate contribution from the wood ageing.