I am always happy when I receive an email from one of my Port wine friends proposing a weekend Port tasting event. This time it arrived from fellow Port-lover (and accomplished brewer and excellent chef) Eric Menchen, who lives in Colorado. He proposed to host a gathering of Port friends over Memorial Day Weekend to taste (among other wines) several 1994 Vintage Ports. While we normally would have a tasting of 1994s in a “4” year (i.e. 2024), I was very excited at the prospect of getting a look at this legendary vintage with almost 30 years of aging.
After the final few weeks of planning flights and coordinating which wines everyone would be bringing, we converged at Eric’s place in Longmont to begin a memorable weekend of great wines, great food, and great company.
Several of my close Port wine friends were in attendance, including David Spriggs and several members of our Pacific Northwest-based Sammamish Port Club: Glenn Elliott, Lisa Stevens, Vic Wertz, and Amy Yip. In addition to Eric, we were also joined by Carmen Cortez, Phil Roach, and Kathleen Roach.
We started on Friday evening with just a small gathering, getting caught up with each other and sharing a few bottles of Port.
Friday, May 26, 2023
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2008 DR White Port – Bottled in 2021. Amber-golden color. Beautiful nose of honey and caramel. On the palate, there is honey, grilled pineapple, and dried nuts. The acidity is superb in this wine, making it refreshing while retaining fantastic structure and richness. It has a very long, balanced finish. 94 points.
1960 Fonseca Vintage Port – Light amber in color. Notes of plum, ripe red fruits, and a touch of spice on the nose. Extremely rich flavor profile with Christmas spices and great acidity. Very long finish with just a touch of spirit. 93 points.
2009 Quinta do Crasto Old Vines Reserva Douro Red. N/R
Saturday, May 27, 2023
The main tasting with the full group was held on Saturday. The weekend would be an extraordinary journey through the history of the remarkable 1994 vintage, bookended with other outstanding, old wines that provided a tapestry of flavors and textures that we all eagerly embraced. It would be a celebration of camaraderie and winemaking craftsmanship, and an opportunity for us to share, learn, and laugh together.
All of the Ports were served blind, and I collected everyone’s scores, which are located in a table after the tasting notes. Not everyone used the 100-point scale for their scores, so I left those out to allow averaging of the rest of the scores.
Flight 1
1994 Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port – Dark Ruby in color with some bricking. Black current and some light herbal notes on the nose. Rich entry with cranberry and good acidity. There are some nice, fresh-crushed blueberries on the mid-palate, and a lush, long finish. 93 points.
1994 Smith Woodhouse Vintage Port – Dark amber in color with light magenta on the edge. Christmas spice with just a touch of alcohol on the nose. Bing cherry on the entry with a nice balance. Good sweetness with good structure through the nice, long finish. 94 points.
1994 Churchill’s Vintage Port – Light amber with a medium ruby edge. Shy nose. I was able to coax out some subtle spice and dried red fruits. The palate has an underlying richness that is pleasant, although there is noticeable tartness and some pronounced tannins on the end of the palate. The tannins carry through the long finish. 91 points.
1994 Taylor Fladgate Quinta de Vargellas Vintage Port – Dark ruby color with light garnet on the edge. A little mustiness on the nose with dusty red fruit and a touch of cocoa powder. Medium-bodied with a touch of tannins on the medium-long finish. This is a smooth wine with just a touch of heat on the finish. 90 points
Scores:
Note: Some individuals at the event used rating scales other than the 100-point scale, so I have omitted those scores to allow for averaging.
| Name | 1994 Vesuvio | 1994 Smith Woodhouse | 1994 Churchills | 1994 Taylor Vargellas |
| Eric | 95 | 92 | 91 | 92 |
| Amy | 95 | 96 | 94 | |
| Glenn | 97 | 97 | 93 | 95 |
| Carmen | – | – | – | – |
| Vic | 92 | 93 | 88 | 89 |
| Lisa | 93 | 93 | 90 | 89 |
| Stewart | 93 | 94 | 91 | 90 |
| David | 94 | 91 | 82 | 89 |
| Phil | 95 | 94 | – | – |
| Average | 94.25 | 93.75 | 89.16 | 91.14 |
Flight 2
1994 Dow Vintage Port – Ruby in color. Chocolate and some wonderful dried fruit notes on the nose. Interesting rich profile on the palate with ripe blackberry and blueberry. Great structure and balanced tannins. Good acidity on the finish. The tannins need to settle down a little bit on this wine, but otherwise, this is a fantastic wine. 95 points.
1994 Smith Woodhouse Late Bottled Vintage Port – Dark Ruby in color with light magenta on the edge. Dark fruits on the nose, with some light herbal notes. Freshly crushed blackberries and blueberries on the palate. Well-balanced and super young. Long finish. 93 points.
1994 Heitz Cellars Napa Valley Port – Dark Ruby in color. Boysenberry and cranberry on the nose. On the palate, there isn’t a lot of complexity – mostly monolithic dark fruit and some unusual fruit notes. This is being tasted blind, but I immediately wondered if it was even Portuguese. While not unpleasant to drink, there is something missing here. 88 points.
1994 Quinta do Crasto Vintage Port – Dark Ruby in color. There are some slight hints of pool chlorine on the nose with some subtle dark fruit. Tart cranberry on the palate with some chocolate and some coarse, unrefined tannins. Medium-long finish. 90 points.
Scores:
| Name | 1994 Dow | 1994 Smith Woodhouse LBV | 1994 Heitz | 1994 Crasto |
| Eric | 94 | 94 | 90 | 93 |
| Amy | 94 | 95 | 92 | 93 |
| Glenn | 94 | 92 | 89 | 91 |
| Carmen | – | – | – | – |
| Vic | 94 | 93 | 90 | TCA |
| Lisa | 94 | 95 | 90 | 91 |
| Stewart | 95 | 93 | 88 | 90 |
| David | 94 | 95 | 91 | 93 |
| Phil | – | – | – | – |
| Average | 94.14 | 93.86 | 90 | 91.83 |
Flight 3
1994 Martinez Vintage Port – Medium purple in color. Floral notes, cassis, and red fruits on the nose. Nice entry with some primary blackberry and black plum on the palate. Great structure, with well-balanced tannins and acidity. Long finish with some dark fruits and chocolate notes arriving late. 94 points.
1994 Romariz Vintage Port – Medium purple-amber in color. Light woody and herbal notes on the nose, backed by a nice red fruit profile and some light spirit. On the palate, there are lemon and tart red fruits. It is full-bodied with a touch of bitterness on the finish. 91 points.
1994 Burmester Vintage Port – Spectacular nose on this wine – vanilla, oak, cranberry, and black cherry. The palate is well-structured, with the tannins, acidity, and sweetness all playing nicely together. Pomegranate, black currant, and dried fig on the palate. Nice long finish. There’s a little bit of bitterness on the tail end of the palate. 93 points.
1994 Fonseca Vintage Port – Dark ruby in color. Rich nose of dark fruit with boysenberry, blackberry, and dried herbs. There are intense tannins on the entry, with boysenberry, black cherry, and just a hint of spice. The concentration is impressive, although this particular bottle could have used more decant time or more time in the bottle. There is still a significant aging upside. 94 points.
1994 Warre Vintage Port – Dark, extracted purple-ruby in color. Anise, black licorice, plum, and some light herbal notes on the nose. Rich palate with lush boysenberry, cocoa powder, and plum. Elegant and approachable wine with smooth tannins on the long finish. 93 points.
1994 Graham’s Vintage Port – Purple-magenta in color. Expressive nose of violets, spices, lush dark fruits, and fennel. The palate is well-balanced with mocha, raspberry, and spices. Spices and cassis arrive late on the very long finish. Well-balanced with good acidity. 93 Points.
1994 Delaforce Vintage Port – Medium-dark ruby in color. Pleasant cocoa powder, red fruits, pomegranate, and light spirit on the nose. The spirit also shows up on the palate, along with raspberry jam and cassis. The finish has noticeable acidity and there is still that touch of spirit. 91 points.
1994 Quint do Noval Vintage Port – Medium garnet in color with some bricking. Aromas of red currant, mocha, huckleberry, and black licorice. Full-bodied, with boysenberry, lingonberry, and some chalky tannins. The first sips come across as an easy-to-drink Port, but the acidity seems just slightly out of balance. With more air, this is showing more and more like an off bottle. N/R
Scores:
| Name | 1994 Martinez | 1994 Romariz | 1994 Burmester | 1994 Fonseca | 1994 Warre | 1994 Graham’s | 1994 Delaforce | 1994 Noval |
| Eric | 90 | 93 | 88 | 92 | 91 | 93 | 90 | – |
| Amy | 94 | 92 | – | 94 | 92 | 92 | – | – |
| Glenn | 93 | 91 | 91 | 90 | 92 | 88 | 85 | – |
| Carmen | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Vic | 95 | 92 | – | 92 | 91 | 91 | 91 | – |
| Lisa | 92 | 94 | 93 | 92 | 91 | 91 | 92 | – |
| Stewart | 94 | 91 | 93 | 94 | 92 | 92 | 91 | – |
| David | 93 | 94 | 83 | 93 | 92 | 89 | 88 | – |
| Phil | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Average | 93 | 92.43 | 89.6 | 92.43 | 91.57 | 90.86 | 89.5 | – |
Flight 4
1974 Quevedo Colheita Port – Bottled in 2020. Orange-amber in color with pale yellow on the edges. Dried fruit, nuts, and salted caramel on the nose. Intense entry with noticeable acidity. Lime, saline, caramel, and orange spices on the palate. There is just a bit of bitterness on the end of the mid-palate. Long finish with noticeable acidity. 93 points.
Casa de Ste. Eufemia 40 Year Old Tawny Port – Bottled in 2019. Dark amber with a tinge of brown and yellow-green on the edge. Lime, vinagrinho, and sweet toffee on the nose. Massive rich flavor profile with lime, crème brulee, and cocoa powder. The mid-palate and long finish show off a ton of citrus, good acidity, and nice complexity. Extremely long finish. 93 points.
Quinta de Brunheda 40 Year Old Tawny Port – Bottled in 2021. Amber-brown in color with a hint of yellow on the edge. Some light woody notes with vanilla, caramel, and smokey notes on the nose. There are molasses, dried figs, chocolate, and dates on the palate. Smooth flavor profile with a very long finish. 94 points.
1957 Kopke Colheita Port – Bottled in 2017. Clear amber-orange in color. Cocoa powder, espresso, caramel, and dried fruit on the nose. Noticeable acidity on the palate with vanilla, caramel, and baking spices. It has a very long finish, with bright acidity. 93 points.
Scores
| Name | 1974 Quevedo Colheita | Eufemia 40 YO | Brunheda 40 YO | 1957 Kopke Colheita |
| Eric | 93 | 92 | 97 | 97 |
| Amy | 93 | 89 | 96 | 94 |
| Glenn | 91 | 88 | 95 | 94 |
| Carmen | – | – | – | – |
| Vic | 93 | 94 | 94 | 94 |
| Lisa | 93 | 93 | 90 | 89 |
| Stewart | 93 | 93 | 94 | 93 |
| David | 92 | 94 | 93 | 94 |
| Phil | – | – | ||
| Average | 94.43 | 91.71 | 95 | 94.43 |
Flight 5
1969 Vista Allegre Colheita Port – Bottled in 2022. Brown-amber in the center with orange-yellow on the edges. There are some light woody notes on this with maybe a touch of VA. It has a very rich mouthfeel, although there is some bitterness and acidity on the palate. Even though I have had better showings of this wine, it is still a remarkable, beautiful Port. 94 points.
DR L70 Very Old Tawny Port – Bottled in 2018. Sweet nose of confectioner sugar, caramel, and some light woody notes. Incredible rich flavor profile with beautiful sweetness, complexity, and balance. Waves of flavor crash through the mid-palate with salted caramel, molasses, toffee, espresso, and butterscotch. Rich caramel and honey on the long finish. 97 points.
1964 V.J.H. Boal Madeira N/R
Scores
| Name | 1969 Vista Colheita | DR L70 |
| Eric | 96 | 93 |
| Amy | 96 | 94 |
| Glenn | 96 | 95 |
| Carmen | – | – |
| Vic | 96 | 95 |
| Lisa | 98 | 96 |
| Stewart | 96 | 94 |
| David | 97 | 95 |
| Phil | 96 | 95 |
| Average | 96.38 | 94.62 |
Sunday, May 27, 2023
Champagne
• 1996 Renaudin L’Espiégle Champagne
• Ruinart Blanc de Blanc Champagne
• Billecart-Salmon Champagne Brut Rosé
• Bollinger Special Cuveé (Magnum)
Dry Reds
• 1985 BV Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Magnum)
• 1994 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único
• 1994 Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon
• 2018 Quinta do Pinto Grande Escolha Vinho Regional Lisboa
• 1969 Viuva José Gomes da Silva & Filhos Colares Reserva Tinto
• 1998 Château La Nerthe Cuvée des Cadettes Châteauneuf-du-Pape
• 1954 Marqués de Murrieta Ygay Reserva Rioja
• 1922 Martinez Lacuesta Reserva Especial Rioja
Sauternes
• 1944 Château Climens Barsac
• 1990 Château d’Yquem Sauternes
Wines of the Weekend
In averaging out our scores for the Ports, we clearly favored the Tawny Ports, as they took the first five spots score-wise. I have consumed a lot of Ports with many of the people in this group, and I think it is safe to say that while we all love Ruby and White Ports, we tend to gravitate to old, wood-aged Tawnies.
Because of those personal preferences, I have separated the Tawnies from the Rubys and summarized the top five Port from each category, followed by the full, ranked list.
Tawny Ports of the Weekend
| Name | Average |
| 1. 1969 Vista Alegre Colheita Port | 96.38 |
| 2. Brunheda 40 Year Old Tawny Port | 95 |
| 3. DR L70 Very Old Tawny Port | 94.62 |
| 4. 1974 Quevedo Colheita Port | 94.43 |
| 5. 1957 Kopke Colheita Port | 94.43 |
Ruby Ports of the Weekend
| Name | Average |
| 1. 1994 Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port | 94.25 |
| 2. 1994 Dow Vintage Port | 94.14 |
| 3. 1994 Smith Woodhouse LBV Port | 93.86 |
| 4. 1994 Smith Woodhouse Vintage Port | 93.75 |
| 5. 1994 Martinez Vintage Port | 93 |
Full Ranking of All Ports
| Name | Average |
| 1. 1969 Vista Alegre Colheita Port | 96.38 |
| 2. Brunheda 40 Year Old Tawny Port | 95 |
| 3. DR L70 Very Old Tawny Port | 94.62 |
| 4. 1974 Quevedo Colheita Port | 94.43 |
| 5. 1957 Kopke Colheita Port | 94.43 |
| 6. 1994 Qunita do Vesuvio Vintage Port | 94.25 |
| 7. 1994 Dow Vintage Port | 94.14 |
| 8. 2008 DR White Port | 94* |
| 9. 1994 Smith Woodhouse LBV Port | 93.86 |
| 10. 1994 Smith Woodhouse Vintage Port | 93.75 |
| 11. 1994 Martinez Vintage Port | 93 |
| 12. 1960 Fonseca Vintage Port | 93* |
| 13. 1994 Romariz Vintage Port | 92.43 |
| 14. 1994 Fonseca Vintage Port | 92.43 |
| 15. 1994 Quinta do Crasto Vintage Port | 91.83 |
| 16. Casa Ste. Eufemia 40 Year Old Tawny Port | 91.71 |
| 17. 1994 Warre Vintage Port | 91.57 |
| 18. 1994 Taylor Fladgate Quinta de Vargellas Vintage Port | 91.14 |
| 19. 1994 Graham’s Vintage Port | 90.86 |
| 20. 1994 Heitz Cellars Port | 90 |
| 21. 1994 Burmester Vintage Port | 89.6 |
| 22. 1994 Delaforce Vintage Port | 89.5 |
| 23. 1994 Churchills Vintage Port | 89.16 |
| 24. 1994 Quinta do Noval Vintage Port | N/R |
*These two wines were tasted casually on the first evening, and reflect only my score, not the average of everyone.
As we toasted our host and savored the last drops of these exquisite Port wines, I couldn’t help but reflect on the rich tapestry of flavors and intertwined memories. Each glass brought me back to some past visit to a vineyard in the rugged Douro Valley, dinner with a winemaker, or a memory of a wine that stopped me in my tracks. We cherish these moments of friendship, knowing that the echoes of this weekend will linger, reminding us of the joy found in the simple pleasure of good company and exceptional wine.
