Every July, we conduct a For The Love Of Port Anniversary Tasting to celebrate the original launch of For The Love Of Port. For our 12th Anniversary in 2017, we conducted a series of events over the weekend of July 21st featuring Port wines whose vintage year ended in “7.”
Friday Evening
The weekend began with a gathering of some familiar faces in Sammamish, Washington for a tasting that highlighted a range of Vintage and Colheita Ports, starting with a 1937 Vintage Port followed by a lineup that mostly kept to the “Vintage year ending in a 7” theme.
1937 Hooper’s Porto Vintage Port – Medium- amber in color. Clear with just a touch of sediment. Cedar with a touch of vanilla bean and herbs on the nose. Intense mouthfeel with some light tangerine and honey notes. Bright acidity on the long finish. 89 points. 7/21/2017
1937 Porto Rocha Colheita Port – Bottled in 2007. Dark amber-brown in color. Smells like old Port barrels deep in a cellar in Vila Nova de Gaia. Chocolate notes on the nose. Unctuous mouthfeel with some astringency. Cola and a touch of bitterness on the long, unctuous finish. 92 points. 7/21/2017
1937 Kopke Colheita Port – Bottled in 2007. Dark amber in color. Subtle mahogany on the nose with an underlying brown sugar note. Intense mouthfeel with some salted caramel and bitterness (walnut skins) on the unctuous midpalate and long finish. 93 points. 7/21/2017
1937 Quinta do Noval Colheita Port – Bottled in 2008. Dark, almost cola color. Semi-opaque with fine sediment. Intense nose of chocolate and fig. Incredible, intense mouthfeel with touches of citrus peel, vanilla extract, and caramel on the palate. 94 points. 7/21/2017
1947 Kopke Colheita Port – Bottled in 2014. Amber-brown and color. Subdued woody notes on the nose. Burnt sugar and honey on the full palate. Balanced acidity on the mid-palate and long finish. Well-integrated wine. 96 points. 7/21/2017
1957 Kopke Colheita Port – Bottled in 2015. Dark amber-brown in color. Subtle woody and marzipan notes. Unctuous crème Brulee and orange peel notes on the palate. Subtle Grand Marnier notes on the finish. 94 points. 7/21/2017
1957 Porto Rocha Colheita Port – Bottled in 2006. Brown-amber in color. Cocoa powder notes on the nose. Balanced and well-integrated palate with a smooth finish. Touches of cinnamon and orange spice on the finish. 93 points. 7/21/2017
1967 Barros Colheita Port – Bottled in 2007. Brown-amber in color with some cloudiness. Subtle woody notes with a touch of molasses and espresso bean on the palate. Some slight herbal notes on the finish. 90 points. 7/21/2017
1967 Kopke Colheita Port – Bottled in 2013. Clear amber in color. Subtle nose with hints of baking spice. Full-bodied palate with pomegranate notes and some light caramel. 92 points. 7/21/2017
1967 Porto Rocha Colheita Port – Some herbal and woody notes on the nose. Herbal notes on the palate with some light mint. Some red fruit present on the finish. 92 points. 7/21/2017
1967 Krohn Colheita Port – Cola on the nose. Eucalyptus note on the palette and some cocoa powder on the finish. 94 points. 7/21/2017
1967 Taylor Fladgate Single Harvest Tawny Port – Mahogany and hints of tobacco on the nose. Honey and caramel on the unctuous palate. 93 points. 7/21/2017
S. Leonardo Porto Very Old White Port – Dusty, woody notes on the nose. Tropical notes and honey on the unctuous finish. 95 points. 7/21/2017
S. Leonardo Porto Old Tawny Port “60” – Orange peel and burnt sugar on the nose. Caramel and orange spice on the unctuous mid-palate. Very long finish. 96 points. 7/21/2017
Ficklin Port – Bottled in 1957. This wine is a blend of wines from 1948 – 1957. Dark Brown in color. Cloudy. Herbs, some floral notes, cola and chocolate on the nose. Intense mouthfeel with some espresso bean on the palate. Medium-long finish. N/R 7/21/2017
Saturday
The second day of tasting was really the main event – a Horizontal of 25 producers of 1997 Vintage Port. The tasting was held at Daniel’s Broiler in South Lake Union (Seattle), a place where we have conducted many of our larger tastings before.
This tasting was especially meaningful for me, as we would be tasting the Ports of my son, Alex’s birth year. I started collecting 1997 Vintage Ports for Alex’s birth year, and I have many of the producers we were about to try aging in my cellar. I was excited to try some of these wines and see how they were evolving 20 years after they were produced. Alex joined us at Daniel’s and helped me pour the wines as we were preparing for the event.
1997 Smith Woodhouse Vintage Port – Almost opaque ruby-purple in color. Subtle nose of red fruit with a touch of cinnamon and a touch of spirit. Intense sour cherry on the palate with pronounced tannins on the mid-palate. Long warm finish. 89 points. 7/22/2017
1997 Caves Messias Vintage Port – Medium opacity. Amber-red in color with lightning on the edges. Some vegetative/herbal notes on the nose with a touch of cherry underneath. Cranberry and a touch of bitterness on the long balanced finish. 87 points. 7/22/2017
1997 Quinta das Heredias Vintage Port – Almost completely opaque black cherry in color. Mocha powder on the nose. Licorice some red fruit and structured, dusty tannins on the mid-palate. Long finish with some structured tannins present. 92 points. 7/22/2017
1997 Delaforce Quinta da Corte Vintage Port – Purple-amber in color with light purple on the edges. Mostly opaque, except for the edges. The first sniff revealed log cabin candy. Swirling brought up red currant on the nose. Eucalyptus and some red fruit on the palate. 88 points. 7/22/2017
1997 Porto Souza Vintage Port – Medium opacity, purplish-red in color. Floral notes on the nose with some red fruit. Some strawberry and cassis on the palate. A touch of bitterness on the long finish. 90 points. 7/22/2017
1997 Osborne Vintage Port – Dusty purple in color. Semi-opaque. Dark plum on the nose with a touch of spirit. Chocolate notes with some espresso bean. Good acidity and balance on the long finish. 90 points. 7/22/2017
1997 Quinta do Portal Vintage Port – Mostly opaque. Cloudy reddish-purple. Slight musty note on the nose, with red fruit underneath. Some sour cherry notes, with a touch of bitterness on the finish. 91 points. 7/22/2017
1997 Gould Campbell Vintage Port – Mostly opaque. Dark purple with lightning at the edges. Subdued nose with some violets and some purple fruits on the nose. Red fruits on the palate. Sweetness on the mid-palate with a nice long finish. 90 points. 7/22/2017
1997 Churchill Vintage Port – Almost completely opaque. Dark plum in color with lightning on the edges. Blueberries with a touch of menthol on the nose. Tart cranberry on the palate. Lively red fruit on the finish. Good complexity. 92 points. 7/22/2017
1997 Martinez Gassiot & Co. Vintage Port – Semi-opaque. Dark purple center with lightning at the edges. A nose of Welch grape juice. Bing cherry on the pallet, with some bitterness on the finish. This is a nice drinker. 91 points. 7/22/2017
1997 Sandeman Vau Vintage Port – Mostly opaque with a dark purple center. Blueberry and dark fruit on the nose. Intense mouthfeel with strawberry and red fruits. A touch of spirit on the long finish. 91 points. 7/22/2017
1997 Quinta do Vale D. Maria Vintage Port – Mostly opaque with a dark center and lightning on the edges. The nose is not right. Reminds me of PAAS vinegar egg dying kits. Vegetative, herbal notes on the palate. Flawed bottle. NR 7/22/2017
1997 Quinta da Roêda Vintage Port – Almost completely opaque with a very dark purple center. Blueberry cobbler on the nose with a touch of spirit. Firm tannins on the mid-palate, with boysenberry, baking spices and some black tea on the long finish. 90 points. 7/22/2017
1997 Fonseca Vintage Port – Semi-opaque with purple-red and color. Dusty dark fruit nose on the nose. Bright red fruits on the palate with a touch of spirit on the rich, long, and unctuous finish. 93 points. 7/22/2017
1997 Quinta da Eira Velha Vintage Port – Light opaque with reddish-purple color. Black currant and some slight spirit notes. Cola and chocolate notes on the palate. Nice firm tannins on the finish. 92 points. 7/22/2017
1997 Warre Vintage Port – Dark purple center with lightning on the edges. Spirity currants and red fruits on the nose. Rich dark fruit on the palate. Dark plum blueberry and black currant. 90 points. 7/22/2017
1997 Rocha Vintage Port – Mostly opaque with purplish-red on the edges. Rich blueberry on the nose. Rich textured blueberries with balance on the mid-palate and a nice long finish. 91 points. 7/22/2017
1997 Quarles Harris Vintage Port – Mostly opaque with a dark purple center. Dark fruits with a hint of spirit. Dark fruit notes and some slight fig on the pallet. Unctuous mid-palate and long finish. 92 points. 7/22/2017
1997 Quinta do Infantado Vintage Port – Intense violet and dark fruit on the nose. Noticeable tannins on the mid-palate, resolving into hints of strawberry and red fruit on the finish. 93 points. 7/22/2017
1997 Rozès Porto Vintage – Cassis and floral notes on the nose. Luscious dark fruit with noticeable tannins and a touch of bitterness on the finish. 91 points. 7/22/2017
1997 Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port – Purple-red in color with lightning on the edges. Blueberry on the nose with some floral notes. Rich unctuous notes of strawberry on the palate. Bright acidity on the palate and well-structured tannins on the long finish. 91 points. 7/22/2017
1997 Quinta do Noval Vintage Port – Dark purple, semi-opaque. Freshly crushed berries with some off notes on the nose. Chocolate notes hiding underneath the dark fruit on the palate. A touch of spirit on the mid-palate and noticeable tannins on the long finish. 92 points. 7/22/2017
1997 Graham’s Vintage Port – Mostly opaque, with a dark purple center. Dark fruits on the nose with some underlying cocoa powder. Milk chocolate with baking spice and some licorice on the palate. Long finish. 93 points. 7/22/2017
1997 Cálem Vintage Port – Mostly opaque, dark purple center with lightning on the edges. Violets and boysenberry on the nose. Expansive flavor profile on the mid-palate. 96 points. 7/22/2017
1997 Dow Vintage Port – Floral notes and some pomegranate underneath. Bing cherry and red fruit on the palate. Medium-bodied and elegant. Long finish. 94 points. 7/22/2017
1997 Ramos Pinto Vintage Port – Slightly subdued nose with some subtle herbal notes under some spirit. Intense blueberry on the palate with well-balanced but pronounced tannins on the nice long finish. Very full body. 91 points. 7/22/2017
1997 Niepoort Vintage Port – Possibly some VA on the nose. Celery root and some medicinal notes on the nose. Green olives an herbal notes on the palate. NR
1997 Cockburn Vintage Port – Possible TCA. The bottle is flawed. Wet Cardboard. After a few minutes the TCA blew off and notes of red fruit and still some primary fruits were detectable. NR
1997 Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port – Cinnamon and some red fruit on the nose. Bright red fruit on the palate with strawberries and some boysenberry. Nice balance finish. 92 points. 7/22/2017
1997 Quinta do Noval Silval Vintage Port – Strawberry and anise notes on the nose. Nice balance. Very long finished. 93 points. 7/22/2017
Sunday
On Sunday, a small group of our regulars gathered at the Holiday Inn in Issaquah, Washington for the final tasting of the Anniversary weekend. We’ve used the banquet room at the hotel numerous times for tastings, and it was the perfect size for our gathering.
Where Day 2 was on focused on the 1997 Vintage, this tasting would go another 20 years back to 1977 to see how this collection of 40-year-old Vintage Ports were aging and maturing.
1977 Grahams Vintage Port – Purple-amber in color. Mostly transparent in clarity. Cinnamon with some red fruit and a touch of cedar on the nose. Rich mouthfeel with ripe raspberry and cinnamon stick on the palate. Firm tannins on the mid-palate resolving to a long, warm finish. 93 points. 7/23/2017
1977 Niepoort Vintage Port – Amber-brown in color. Transparent with fine-grained sediment. A touch of clove and raspberry on the nose with some Woody notes underneath. Cola – all that’s missing is the carbonation! Full-bodied, unctuous mid-palette with Cola and A touch of chocolate. Medium-long finish. 91 points. 7/23/2017
1977 Warre’s Vintage Port – Light ruby-amber in color. Mostly transparent with fine-grained sediment. Subdued nose with some slight hints of Christmas spice. Perhaps some slight TCA. Bing cherry notes with some baking spice on the mid-palate. Medium-long finish. 87 points. 7/23/2017
1977 Quarles Harris Vintage Port – Amber-orange in color. Transparent with fine sediment. Vanilla nougat and red fruit with some subtle woody notes. Intense approach with light cinnamon fading away on the mid-palate where it picks up red fruit and some bitterness. Long finish. 88 points. 7/23/2017
1977 Cockburn Vintage Port – Rich, dark amber in color. Transparent with no sediment. Christmas spice and cinnamon on the nose. Some cherry on the palate with a touch of clove. Good acidity in the mid-pallet with a slight bitterness on the long finish. 93 points. 7/23/2017
1977 Smith Woodhouse Vintage Port – Semi-transparent. Dark purple in color. Slight musty nose with some light cherry notes underneath. Some Cola and light red fruit on the palate. Unctuous mid-palate with red fruit and a touch of spice on the finish. 93 points. 7/23/2017
1977 Ferreira Vintage Port – Amber-range in color with wisps of fine sediment. Milk chocolate on the nose. Intense, luscious mouthfeel with strawberry and raspberry. Great structure and balance on the mid-palate. A touch of cinnamon on the long finish. 95 points. 7/23/2017
1977 Croft Vintage Port – Mostly cloudy, opaque amber-brick in color. Mocha with some espresso beans on the nose. Cola and cocoa powder on the palate. Full body, with some subtle orange notes like orange chocolate. Long finish. 92 points. 7/23/2017
1977 Sandeman Vintage Port – Transparent amber-brown in color. Some slightly musty and medicinal notes on the nose. An intense mouthfeel. A touch of TCA on the nose and palate. Bing cherry and some light spearmint on the palate. Full-bodied and unctuous through the long finish. Could use a little more acidity. 91 points. 7/23/2017
1977 Fonseca Vintage Port – Transparent with a dark amber-brown center and orange lightning at the edges. Subtle nose with cedar and some red fruits peeking through. Milk chocolate and some red fruit on the elegant mid-palate. Well-balanced, long finish. 93 points. 7/23/2017
1977 Gould Campbell Vintage Port – Completely opaque in color with a dark purple center. Deep blue fruit including blueberry compote. Cool and luscious. Intense dark fruits – blackberry, cassis, and blueberry. Firm tannins on the mid-palate and long finish luscious. It probably needs more time. 95 points. 7/23/2017
1977 Dow Vintage Port – Transparent dark center. Amber-brown in color. A touch of rubbing alcohol or aguardiente on the nose. Red fruit – strawberries and pomegranate – with some noticeable alcohol on the long finish. 93 points. 7/23/2017
1977 Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port – Dark amber-purple in color. Dark cherry and some subtle mocha on the nose. Dark, brooding chocolate and dark fruit notes on the palate – black currant dark plum. Good tannins and acidity on the long finish. 94 points. 7/23/2017
We have had a lot of Anniversary Tasting weekends since FTLOP was launched, but this particular weekend was one of my favorites. Tasting the 1997 Vintage with my son was very special, and the wines showed up very well. Then as we moved to the 1977 Vintage Ports – a vintage that I think sometimes gets overlooked because of the quality of the 1970 Vintage – all of those wines likewise showed very well and highlighted how good Vintage Ports can be as they turn 40.
