Since 2004, we have organized a weekend tasting in July to celebrate the anniversary of For The Love Of Port. Normally, these are events where 15-20 loyal FTLOP’ers fly in from all around the country to partake in the festivities, wine and friendship. However, COVID put a crimp in our plans to do anything large-scale, but we wanted to keep the tradition alive by hosting a small anniversary weekend for FTLOP staff and a few regulars to our tastings.
This tasting took place on the weekend of July 23, 2021.
Day 1
The attendees for the weekend events were FTLOP Staffers Roy Hersh, Andy Velebil, Glenn Elliot and David Spriggs. We were joined by regular FTLOP Tour Participants Lisa Stevens, Vic Wertz, and Eic Ifune. Since all of the out-of-town guests were staying with me, I volunteered to host the first day’s events. Lisa and Vic volunteered to host the second day’s event.
I normally don’t write tasting notes for the dry / table wines we consume during these tastings. Occasionally I will provide just a score, as I’ve done with the three wines below.
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1977 Gould Campbell Porto Vintage – Dark amber-brown in color. Dark center. Dark fruit and some complexity and depth. Great palate of spicy mint and allspice. Great long finish with cherry and chocolate on the finish. 93 Points. (7/23/2021)
1980 Graham Porto Vintage – Dense, dark amber in color. Shy nose at first with seam light red fruit. Chocolate notes on the palate with great balance. Really nice balance as well on the nice, long finish. Seems a little bit dryer than the typical 1980 Grahams. 94 Points. (7/23/2021)
1983 Graham Porto Vintage – Dark plum in color. Some mint and light herbal notes on the nose. A little dryer flavor profile, but still great richness on the mouthfeel. Mid-palate shows bright red fruit and some hints of cinnamon. The red fruit notes continue into the long, balanced finish. Extremely well balanced and the richness of the palate really carries this wine a long way. 94 Points. (7/23/2021)
1985 Smith Woodhouse Porto Vintage – Amber-orange in color. Odd teriyaki and soy sauce on the notes on the nose. The flavors are subdued on the palate, but there are some earthy notes discernable. This bottle is definitely off. It’s drinkable, but nowhere near the quality that I am used to from this wine. 89 Points. (7/23/2021)
1985 Dow Porto Vintage – Dark amber-orange in color. Great red fruit, strawberry, and cassis on the nose. Some nice cherry and a pleasant richness on the palate. Smooth and elegant finish. This is the kind of wine that you could sit and drink for a long time. 93 Points. (7/23/2021)
1991 Taylor Fladgate Porto Vintage Quinta de Vargellas – Extremely dark amber-purple in color. Cola and brown sugar notes on the nose, as well as some of the classic mint notes that Vargellas is known for. The palate shows some light red fruit but the excellent balance and complexity turn the mid-palate into waves of flavor that are well integrated and so very enjoyable. The long finish shows more of the great balance. 94 Points. (7/23/2021)
Vinhos Oscar Quevedo Porto 40 Year Old Tawny – Wonderful hazelnut and caramel on the nose. There is a touch of vanilla bean and plenty of toffee and caramel on the rich palate. The acidity is spot-on and the very long finish shows just enough acidity to balance out the sweetness. Really great wine. 94 Points. (7/23/2021)
Brunheda Porto 40 Year Old Tawny – What a way to end an evening of great Ports! This Brunheda’s complexity seems to give off some new interesting aroma every time I smell it – vanilla, toffee, mahogany, cigar box. There are waves of caramel and orange spice on the palate that are absolutely fantastic. The rich finish ties a bow on the whole package with creme Brulé and amazing acidity. 96 Points. (7/23/2021)
Day 2
1960 Croft Porto Vintage – Amber-pink in color with a touch of cloudiness. Dusty cherry, cinnamon, and some light spirit on the nose. Incredibly rich palate with cinnamon, spirit, and wonderful red fruits. Mid-palate has waves of complexity, giving way to a very long, rich finish. The wine was not decanted, which was probably the right call for where this wine is in its evolution. 93 Points. (7/24/2021)
1960 Sandeman Porto Vintage – Surprisingly dark amber in color. Cola, chocolate, and mahogany on the nose. Medium-bodied with rich red fruit. Some spirit shows up on the mid-palate. Long, mouth-coating finish. 92 Points. (7/24/2021)
1970 Dow Porto Vintage – Cloudy in appearance with brown tones. Shy nose of chocolate and old wood. Very balanced, pleasant mouthfeel. A rich palate of red fruit and just a touch of spice. Nice, long, and balanced finish. 94 Points. (7/24/2021)
1970 Vinhos Borges Porto Vintage – Amber-brown in color. Perhaps a touch of bottle stink on the nose initially. Some cocoa powder, dates, and dried fruits on the nose. Balanced, refreshing palate with molasses and cola. Rich, long finish with impressive elegance. 91 Points. (7/24/2021)
1970 Graham Porto Vintage – Amber-red in color. Spice and red fruits on the nose. So incredibly balanced and elegant with touches of cola, chocolate, and espresso. Very long, elegant finish. 95 Points. (7/24/2021)
1970 Sandeman Porto Vintage – Very clear, amber-orange in color. Red fruit and a touch of cinnamon on the nose. Great balance with macerated raspberry and some hints of spirit. Great acidity on the very long finish. 95 Points. (7/24/2021)
1970 Taylor Fladgate Porto Vintage – Clear, with amber and dark brick colors. Violets, spices, and a mix of red and dark fruit on the nose. So incredibly balanced! A touch of the Vargellas spirit on the palate, with great red fruit and outstanding structure and tannins. The complexity of flavors and texture made this a fantastic showing of this wine. 96 Points. (7/24/2021)
1973 Casa de Sta. Eufemia Porto Special Reserve White – Bottled in 2006. Amber-orange in color with straw yellow on the edges. Fresh tropical fruit notes of pineapple and banana on the nose. Great acidity on the palate with refreshing caramel, maple syrup, and white peach. Nice long finish with a touch of lime. 92 Points. (7/24/2021)
Casa de Sta. Eufemia Porto 40 Years Old – Dark brown-orange in color. Clean nose with vanilla, a touch of varnish, and some orange spice. Rich mouthfeel with bright acidity and sweetness. Tannins are well-balanced on the very long finish. 94 Points. (7/24/2021)
Brunheda Porto Codecais Lodge Tonel 2 – Bottled 2018. Clear amber-orange in color. Vanilla, cream caramel, nougat, and grilled pineapple on the nose. Last topped off approximately 1990. The wine is believed to be over 40 years old. Incredible expression of white peach and tropical fruit on the palate. Great acidity and a tremendously long finish. 93 Points. (7/24/2021)
1967 Feist Porto Colheita – Bottled in 2002. Dark brown-amber in color. Antique wood and vanilla cream on the nose. Molasses and orange spice on the palate. Great acidity. Well-balanced finish, with just a touch of bitterness appearing on the end. 92 Points. (7/24/2021)
1952 Taylor Fladgate Porto Colheita – Bottled 1977. Funky nose. NR. (7/24/2021)
Brunheda Douro Codecais Lodge Tonel 3 – Vanilla, mahogany, and a touch of VA on the nose. Intense orange spice and caramel notes with pronounced acidity on the palate. The finish shows notes of Creme Brule and orange spice and well-balanced acidity. Very long finish. 94 Points. (7/24/2021)
Agri-Roncão Porto DR – 70 Year Old Tawny – Bottled in 2014. Orange spice and Creamsicle on the nose. Well balanced with a super smooth mouthfeel. Rich flavor profile with caramel, light orange notes, and vanilla throughout the mid-palate. A fantastically balanced wine with a very long, luscious finish. Love this wine. 95 Points. (7/24/2021)
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