Casa dos Varais Vintage 2005
Deep ruby colour with a slight purple tinge. The nose was clear and fruity. This had great body and a rich fruity flavour. It gave a deeply satisfying experience as it was well crafted ensuring that its components acted in harmony.
Sunday, 30 September 2012
Saturday, 29 September 2012
Quinta do Portal 27 Grapes
Quinta do Portal 27 Grapes
Deep ruby colour with a plummy nose. This port was rich, fruity and full bodied with a touch of tawny style wood flavour in the background.
Deep ruby colour with a plummy nose. This port was rich, fruity and full bodied with a touch of tawny style wood flavour in the background.
Thursday, 27 September 2012
Restaurante Cais da Foz Tawny
Restaurante Cais da Foz Tawny
Murky brownish red colour with a fruity nose. This really was a lovely port despite its appearance. The were young fruit flavours mingled with old dried fruits and oak in a smooth harmony.
Murky brownish red colour with a fruity nose. This really was a lovely port despite its appearance. The were young fruit flavours mingled with old dried fruits and oak in a smooth harmony.
Restaurante Cais da Foz White
Restaurante Cais da Foz White
Deep amberish yellow with a fruity nose. This was quite a sweet white port with ample grape flavours coming through.
Deep amberish yellow with a fruity nose. This was quite a sweet white port with ample grape flavours coming through.
Quinta do Portal Tawny 40 Year Old
Quinta do Portal Tawny 40 Year Old
This had a rich amber colour with a fruity burnt wood nose. The predominant impression was of sweet butterscotch with a very long oakey and complex after taste.
This had a rich amber colour with a fruity burnt wood nose. The predominant impression was of sweet butterscotch with a very long oakey and complex after taste.
Quinta do Portal Tawny 20 Year Old
Quinta do Portal Tawny 20 Year Old
Well oxidised deep amber colour with an interesting musty back of the wardrobe sort of smell. This port was deliciously rich and sweet combining barley with dried fruits, nutty oak and butterscotch.
Well oxidised deep amber colour with an interesting musty back of the wardrobe sort of smell. This port was deliciously rich and sweet combining barley with dried fruits, nutty oak and butterscotch.
Quinta do Portal Fine White
Quinta do Portal Fine White
Slightly amber pale yellow colour with a fresh fruity nose. This was fresh and grapey with a little wood flavour. There was not too much sweetness making for a drink that was quite acceptable.
Slightly amber pale yellow colour with a fresh fruity nose. This was fresh and grapey with a little wood flavour. There was not too much sweetness making for a drink that was quite acceptable.
Quinta do Portal Pink
Quinta do Portal Pink
Bright pink in colour with a fresh and grapey nose. This had a fresh grapey taste with a surprising amount of tannic structure. The flavour was fuller than most pinks, even edging towards a ruby.
Bright pink in colour with a fresh and grapey nose. This had a fresh grapey taste with a surprising amount of tannic structure. The flavour was fuller than most pinks, even edging towards a ruby.
Quinta do Portal Six Barrels Tawny
Quinta do Portal Six Barrels Tawny
Clear oxidised reddish brown colour with a rich grapey nose having a hint of sultanas. This was rich and sweet tasting. A grapey freshness was overlaid with hints of dried figs.
Clear oxidised reddish brown colour with a rich grapey nose having a hint of sultanas. This was rich and sweet tasting. A grapey freshness was overlaid with hints of dried figs.
Quinta do Portal Fine Ruby
Quinta do Portal Fine Ruby
Bright ruby colour with a fresh plummy nose. This was fresh and grapey being well balanced and having a bit of body too.
Bright ruby colour with a fresh plummy nose. This was fresh and grapey being well balanced and having a bit of body too.
Wednesday, 26 September 2012
Restaurante Segredos do Douro Tawny 45 Year Old
Restaurante Segredos do Douro Tawny 45 Year Old
Having tried the others it seemed a good idea to try this restaurant's oldest port. This one had a deep brown colour with a nose of rich molasses. On tasting the predominant impression was of rich burnt sugars and intense sweetness. There was a lot of oaky complexity and a satisfyingly full body. All in all it was quite an experience.
Having tried the others it seemed a good idea to try this restaurant's oldest port. This one had a deep brown colour with a nose of rich molasses. On tasting the predominant impression was of rich burnt sugars and intense sweetness. There was a lot of oaky complexity and a satisfyingly full body. All in all it was quite an experience.
Restaurante Segredos do Douro Tawny 15 Year Old
Restaurante Segredos do Douro Tawny 15 Year Old
Another aged tawny from this restaurant. This one had a deep red colour with a brown tinge of oxidation, which was more like a 7 year old tawny reserve than the amber colours of an aged tawny. The nose was plummy whilst the flavour was rich and fruity with moderate tawny characteristics of dried fruits and oak. Again this was resembling more a tawny reserve.
Another aged tawny from this restaurant. This one had a deep red colour with a brown tinge of oxidation, which was more like a 7 year old tawny reserve than the amber colours of an aged tawny. The nose was plummy whilst the flavour was rich and fruity with moderate tawny characteristics of dried fruits and oak. Again this was resembling more a tawny reserve.
Quinta do Infantado Colheita 2001
Quinta do Infantado Colheita 2001
I am never failed to be impressed by the generosity of the Portuguese people. Before we tried this port we were invited to stay for lunch with the workers. It is a tradition in the quintas for the workers to be provided with their midday meal and we were honoured to be asked to eat with them.
This port had a deep brown colour with a just a touch of redness. The nose consisted of both plummy fruits and burnt sugars. It was full bodied and fruity with a combination of fresh grape and dried fruit flavours. The smooth plumminess of the fruit mingled with dried fruit and nutty oak elements. It was explained that this combination of vintage and tawny characterstics had been obtained by deliberately bottling the wine young and allowing further development to take place in the cellar. In this case the judgement had been a good one as the two elements worked harmoniously together.
I am never failed to be impressed by the generosity of the Portuguese people. Before we tried this port we were invited to stay for lunch with the workers. It is a tradition in the quintas for the workers to be provided with their midday meal and we were honoured to be asked to eat with them.
This port had a deep brown colour with a just a touch of redness. The nose consisted of both plummy fruits and burnt sugars. It was full bodied and fruity with a combination of fresh grape and dried fruit flavours. The smooth plumminess of the fruit mingled with dried fruit and nutty oak elements. It was explained that this combination of vintage and tawny characterstics had been obtained by deliberately bottling the wine young and allowing further development to take place in the cellar. In this case the judgement had been a good one as the two elements worked harmoniously together.
Quinta do Infantado Tawny 10 Year Old
Quinta do Infantado Tawny 10 Year Old
Clear mid brown colour with a strong nose of burnt sugars. This had a full favour with old sugar and dried fruits predominant.
Clear mid brown colour with a strong nose of burnt sugars. This had a full favour with old sugar and dried fruits predominant.
Quinta do Infantado Reserva Dona Margareta
Quinta do Infantado Reserva Dona Margareta
This tawny was a well oxidised orangey brown colour. The nose was lovely consisting largely of dried fruits. It was relatively dry and with good body. The complex flavour combined dried fruits, nuts and burnt sugars.
This tawny was a well oxidised orangey brown colour. The nose was lovely consisting largely of dried fruits. It was relatively dry and with good body. The complex flavour combined dried fruits, nuts and burnt sugars.
Quinta do Infantado Vintage 2004
Quinta do Infantado Vintage 2004
Deep ruby and purple colour matched with a good full plummy nose. The drinking experience was rich, smooth, full and grapey. Noticeable tannins were present.
Deep ruby and purple colour matched with a good full plummy nose. The drinking experience was rich, smooth, full and grapey. Noticeable tannins were present.
Quinta do Infantado LBV 2007
Quinta do Infantado LBV 2007
This had a deep ruby colour with a plummy and fruity nose. It was fully flavoured with grape tastes being smooth and fresh.Thus it was a good example of this time or port.
This had a deep ruby colour with a plummy and fruity nose. It was fully flavoured with grape tastes being smooth and fresh.Thus it was a good example of this time or port.
Quinta do Infantado Ruby Reserve
Quinta do Infantado Ruby Reserve
This organic wine had a bright ruby colour with a fruity plummy nose. The overall impression was of a rich smooth grapiness in a well crafted and balanced product.
This organic wine had a bright ruby colour with a fruity plummy nose. The overall impression was of a rich smooth grapiness in a well crafted and balanced product.
Quinta do Infantado Dry White
Quinta do Infantado Dry White
Bright pale yellow with a crispy fresh nose. This was quite dry, as suggested by the name, but grapey nevertheless.
Bright pale yellow with a crispy fresh nose. This was quite dry, as suggested by the name, but grapey nevertheless.
Tuesday, 25 September 2012
Restaurante Segredos do Douro Tawny 30 Year Old
Restaurante Segredos do Douro Tawny 30 Year Old
This was a house port and probably shouldn't really be called port as I doubt that the Instituto dos Vinhos do Porto e Porto had any control over its production. It's appearance was a deep murky brown with a hint of ruby. It had a complex nose like the smell of a Christmas pudding being cooked. There was a rich, warming, complex, and full bodied taste dried fruit flavours predominating over any oak.
This was a house port and probably shouldn't really be called port as I doubt that the Instituto dos Vinhos do Porto e Porto had any control over its production. It's appearance was a deep murky brown with a hint of ruby. It had a complex nose like the smell of a Christmas pudding being cooked. There was a rich, warming, complex, and full bodied taste dried fruit flavours predominating over any oak.
Fonseca White
Fonseca White
Rich yellow in colour with a nose of fruit and honey. There was a full moderately sweet grapey taste with a rich depth.
Rich yellow in colour with a nose of fruit and honey. There was a full moderately sweet grapey taste with a rich depth.
Quinta de la Rosa LBV 1999 (Bottled 2004)
Quinta de la Rosa LBV 1999 (Bottled 2004)
This was interesting to try as it is not often I have come across an unfiltered LBV that has had so long under cork after the bottling. It had a ruby colour with some fruit on the nose. It was rich, smooth and fruity and therefore quite approachable. I think my judgement was clouded by the rather good colheita I tasted just before this one. However I did get the impression that the prolonged bottle ageing had removed any remaining harsh elements from the taste therefore leaving a drink that was without faults if not having the depth of a good vintage. This suggests that a really full unfiltered LBV could become close to vintage in character with a modicum of cellaring.
This was interesting to try as it is not often I have come across an unfiltered LBV that has had so long under cork after the bottling. It had a ruby colour with some fruit on the nose. It was rich, smooth and fruity and therefore quite approachable. I think my judgement was clouded by the rather good colheita I tasted just before this one. However I did get the impression that the prolonged bottle ageing had removed any remaining harsh elements from the taste therefore leaving a drink that was without faults if not having the depth of a good vintage. This suggests that a really full unfiltered LBV could become close to vintage in character with a modicum of cellaring.
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