I had the opportunity to taste a number of newly released 2018 Vintage Ports that had been opened four days earlier for another tasting. My scores vary from the scores another reviewer gave them from days 1-3, so mine should be taken as a snapshot of how the wine evolved over the course of several days after opening.
1983 Niepoort Porto Garrafeira Port – Decanted 4 days ago. Amber-orange in color. Semi-opaque. Light red fruit on the nose with sage and herbal notes. Medium, smooth body with strawberry, red fruits, cinnamon, and a touch of spirit. Rich palate and good acidity on the long finish. 92 pts. 2020-12-26
2018 Barros Vintage Port – Decanted 4 days ago. Dark, opaque purple with magenta on the edges. Primary fruit with blackberry jam, black currant, and some chocolate on the nose. Intense primary fruit on the palate, with very well-structured, granular tannins on the long finish. 90 points. 2020-12-26
2018 Burmester Quinta de Arnozelo Vintage Port – Decanted 4 days ago. Dark opaque purple with vibrant purple on the edges. It has a subtle nose of primary dark fruit and a touch of minerality. There is primary fruit on the palate. This wine still needs some time to integrate but has great tannins and a very long finish. 92 points. 2020-12-26
2018 Cálem Vintage Port – Decanted 4 days ago. Dark opaque purple with light purple on the rim. Wet slate and subtle blue fruits on the nose. Red fruit including cranberry and pomegranate on the palate. Full-bodied with rich mid-palate and long finish. 91 points. 2020-12-26
2018 Kopke Quinta São Luiz Vintage Port – Decanted 4 days ago. Dark purple in color. Floral notes, milk chocolate, and freshly crushed blueberries on the nose. A well-structured wine with fine-grained tannins and a luscious palate. The great structure flows from the mid-palate to the very end of the long finish. 92 points. 2020-12-26
2018 Quinta da Devesa Vintage Port – Decanted 4 days ago. Very dark purple with almost no color variation on the edges. Vanilla bean and floral notes on the nose. Pronounced tannins on the approach but they balance out by the mid-palate, which is marked by blue fruit, chocolate, and vanilla. Long finish. 93 points. 2020-12-26
2018 Quinta do Noval Vintage Port – Decanted 4 days ago. Very dark purple in color. Completely opaque. Earthy notes with some chocolate and cinnamon on the nose. Wonderful blackberry and blueberry on the approach. An extremely balanced wine, with a long finish that exudes rich dark fruits 94 points. 2020-12-26
2018 Dow Quinta do Bomfim Vintage Port – Decanted 4 days ago. Extremely dark in color. Cranberry and red fruits on the nose. A drier style of Port, it shows red fruit with a light touch of red currants on the palate. Elegant profile but with some powerful tannins lurking underneath. 93 points. 2020-12-26
2018 Cockburn Quinta dos Canais Vintage Port – Decanted 4 days ago. Over the first few days after opening the bottle, there was apparently an unpleasant floor cleaning solution note on the nose, but by the time I tasted this, this had evolved into a pleasant wine. Granite on the nose with some chocolate notes underneath. Rich mouthfeel with raspberry and dark cherry on the palate. Great balance and very long, rich finish. 92 points. 2020-12-26
2018 Warre Quinta da Cavadinha Vintage Port – Decanted 4 days ago. Black plum and cassis on the nose. Intense mouthfeel with chocolate and blackberry on the palate. Noticeable tannins that will need some time to integrate. It has a nice long finish. This wine shows promise and a structure that bodes well for its aging potential. 91 points. 2020-12-26
