We learned earlier this year that Tim Bergqvist passed away recently so we will enjoy this rare bottle in his honour as he would have played a big part in its production. We last had a bottle of this port four years ago when it was in great condition. Now we have reached the twenty year mark it is time to see how our last bottle has done.
The port was clear having a very deep ruby colour and an amber tinge. The nose was quite light while hinting at a rich fruitiness. On tasting the first impression was of a rich sweet plum flavours backed with a subtle spiciness. The body was adequate but not as striking as some vintages; this is not surprising for a vintage made from grapes from such a compact location. It was beginning to taste old and did not have the freshness that was experienced a four years ago. If you are lucky enough to have a bottle you should probably enjoy it soon.
When I came to rinse the bottle out there was a considerable deposit. The colour and texture of it in the sink took me back to a time when we were treading in the lagar at La Rosa. Tim and his caseiro were taking samples from the adjacent lagar and plotting the results on a graph. Just as we were finishing about 11 pm they decided that it was time to add the aguadente to the port and to run it off for ageing. It was quite an experience to be able to watch the spirit being added to the must as it was run off. Then spirit was sprayed over the residue in the lagar filling the air with the strong alcoholic fumes. At the end of the process at around midnight a couple of guys had the hard job of emptying the gubbins from the lagar so that it would be ready for the next batch of grapes.
