portugal

Impressions – 2010 Sauternes (in half bottles) plus an amazing VP

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2010 Ch Guiraud 13.5%
generally 65% semillon, 35% sauvignon blanc; lots of new oak

Half-bottle (a different half-bottle was fatally oxidised). Deep gold colour; marmalade and citrus, apricots and spices, vanilla bean; texture, and persistence, user-friendly, authentic, straightforward, and looks ready.

Drink to 2033; 91 points

2010 Ch Rieussec 14%
92% Sémillon 5% Sauvignon Blanc 3% Muscadelle, 160 g/l rs

Tropical fruits, dark vanilla, spices, texture, some VA/floor polish, and just lacks the class of the wine below – it seems a bit clumsy.
Drink to 2032

2010 Ch Suduiraut 14%
90 semillon, 10% Sauvignon blanc , 145 g/l rs

Greater citrus drive and impact; brighter, supple and superbly poised.
Drink to 2040, 95 points

2017 Taylors Vintage Port 20%
Portugal

Served blind and looked very youthful; vivid, bright and deep purple – I was guessing 2011. And from a terrific producer. It’s no sin to put on a youngster that can continue merrily for decades; the mix of coloured fruits instantly led me to Portugal – dark cherry, blueberry, red plum and violets, plus a melange of assorted spices; the palate is densely, powerfully fruited, but fine tannins, and immaculately judged spirit are present; the wine is superbly fresh but has the stuffing to keep for decades. This is a “wow” wine, and I am lucky to have two bottles tucked away for future pleasure.

Drink to 2046, 96 points

Catching up -Portuguese fortifieds served (blind) recently

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NV Warres Otima 10 Tawny 20%
Portugal

A bright clear light amber colour, it showed marzipan, citrus peel, some vanilla, caramel and spices. Absolutely typical tawny style, but very fresh and stylish with terrific spirit integration. I think it has some older material embedded and has been beautifully blended. Usually 10 year old Portuguese Tawny ports don’t rock me – this one overdelivered. There is a 20y/o Optima that I will trial at some stage!

Drink now, 93 points

2007 Croft Vintage Port 20%
Portugal

Medium deep ruby – 2000s? Cherry and blueberry, spices, and approachable. Too dry and tannic to be from Oz. Medium weight, cherries and other red fruits, elegant but not the world’s most complex. Maybe an LBVP or a single quinta? Then came the reveal- Crofts is not in the “first 11” of Portuguese producers, but a very reliable maker, and a surprisingly accessible wine.

Drink to 2036, 91 points

2000 Delaforce Vintage Port 21%
Portugal

Decent ruby colour, mocha, blueberry, violets, cinnamon. Good sustain on the palate with dark fruits driving along. Delaforce is another “2nd eleven” producer, but this was a nice little effort that will continue merrily, but perhaps won’t change much

Drink to 2036, 93 points

Two countries, and less familiar fortifieds

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2013 Clonakilla Vintage (fortified) 18%
Canberra district, Shiraz

One of the curio Clonakilla small batch releases – I never knew this one existed, until I found it at auction recently. No surprise that it quality all through; good fruit and very well made.

Blackberry, very clean spirit and designed for balance not brute force; seductive chalky/ talcy tannins; palate has red fruits veering into black; not a blockbusting tannic monster; yet with the authority and gravitas of super-ripe shiraz with clever skilful spirit.

So its relatively soft but a delight; but maybe more in an LBVP style. I see a long holding pattern but no real improvement.

Drink to 2032, 91 points.

2001 Taylors quinta Vargellas Vintage Port 20.5%
A vintage port from a single site in Portugal, from a (generally) undeclared year. These can be terrific bargains.

Very crumbly cork (alas) and plentiful sediment when filtered (albeit no drama). Deep ruby colour, with some bricking. There’s the appropriate complex Portuguese mix of red, dark and more here, especially blueberry plus some dried green herbs too. Spirit is mellow, integrated and the wine is approachable. Palate is relatively soft, savoury and simpler than expected; dark cherries and blueberry (some of my weaknesses) with sweet spices. Easy, pleasurable drinking, and no need to wait – its on a holding pattern and I cannot see improvement ahead. But VFM and fun even though I purchased it many years ago.

Drink to 2030, 91 points

Three countries…

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2007 Taylors Vintage port
Portugal
Masked. Youthful deep ruby colour; but showing floral mixed red, blue and dark fruits, quality spirit, pepper? And violets; palate is savoury, so this is clearly a Portuguese VP. Lovely powdery tannins, and terrific fruit power, exquisitely balanced. I settled on 2007, no clue on the house. And very happy when Taylor’s revealed (as I have a few bottles).

Drink to 2040 or later, 95 points

1971 Morris Vintage port
Rutherglen, Victoria
Masked again; very deep colour with some age evident; blueberry, dark fruit and spices; palate is intense with liquorice and dark fruits again on display. Sweet, and my guess was early 1980s. 100% Shiraz. This wine is in remarkable condition for its age, and there are no signs of decay.

Drink to 2040, 94 points

1962 Seppeltsfield Vintage Port DP3
Barossa Valley, South Australia
masked, and a very sweet palate, with dark fruits and mocha. The palate is soft and mellow – clearly an old Australian VP – but my guess was mid-1970s, so this is a charming wine that is still enjoyable and surprising. 8 silver and 9 bronze medals!

Drink now (it will hold), 90 points

1926 Etko Grand Commandaria
Cyprus

Not masked. Mavro (red) & Xynisteri (white). Ripe grapes left to dry in the sun, then fermented. The style is typically 390 to 450g/L residual sugar and between 15-20% ABV (This one likely to be at the lower end, and not fortified). Don’t be tricked by the 1926 age; it’s a solera, so there is a small portion of grapes of that age, and the majority from later. But’s still a magic number! And even a smidge of old material makes a big difference to the taste, and with evaporation and careless record-keeping, calculating average age is irrelevant. Plus this was believed to have been bottled in the 1970s.

Deep colour, and it looks like a PX (Pedro Ximinez). Cyprus would not come to mind, but such is life. Mocha, orange peel and dried fruits; very muscat-like, with the fruit just a bit light for the degree of sweetness.

Drink now, 96 for history, but 90 for quality.

A surprise from Portugal

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2001 Quinta do vale meao vintage port 19.5%
Portugal

The cork crumbled away, and my records didn’t tell me where or how much I paid (long ago, and probably not much) for this lone bottle. But it’s impressive. Very dense red/black colour; there’s a wonderful mix of violets, blueberries, red cherry, and some darker fruit notes. The palate has intensity, persistence and complexity. Red liquorice, cherry, blueberry, very fine chalky tannins – stylish and authentic. A producer to watch for the more widely declared years, as this one was a ripper. Likely to be terrific value too as it follows my rule of “hard to pronounce = better value”.

Drink to 2035, 93 points

Impressive Europeans from one dinner (all served blind)

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2010 Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Riesling Spatlese AP#8 7.5%
Mosel, Germany
Gold colour, still a touch of reduction, apple, cinnamon, and the palate is lush, delicate and balanced. This is an absolute delight, with poised sweetness (sweet for spätlese too) and acidity. A very high-acid year in Germany, and Zilliken achieved marvellous high sweetness levels.

Drink to 2035 (but irresistible now) and 95 points

2014 Ch Rayne Vigneau Sauternes 13.5%
Medium gold colour, then all sorts of tropical fruits – pineapple rind, dried paw-paw, crème brulee, almond; palate is stylish, with marzipan, citrus, pear, freshness and balance. Some other tasters thought this was fully mature and ready, but I see no need for haste. Serious wine!

Drink to 2033, 93 points

2015 ch Bastor-Lamontagne Sauternes 13.5%
Lighter gold colour; light apricots, and mealiness. Straightforward, easy (and ready) to drink,

Drink to 2028, 90 points

2017 Taylor’s Vintage Port 20%
Portugal

Vivid, astonishingly youthful black/purple colour – ultra fragrant – camphor, blueberry, cocoa, mulberry. Palate is supple, with drive, enormous concentration, strong defined tannins that the fruit power defies. Portuguese varieties for sure, and the savouriness is definitively Portugal. Then the liqueur cherry flavours meld with the blueberry and mulberry; the spirit is supportive. Drive and persistence. What a wine! And yet with a long, long way to go, this is insanely good.

Drink to 2045 (or more), 97 points – and will deserve more in time.

Three blind beauties

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2011 sauternes pair

2011 Chateau Suduiraut 13.5%
2011 Chateau Raymond-Lafon 13.5%

This pair was served blind; and I was called on to describe and assess (towards the end of a terrific EOY dinner). Both were a healthy bright gold colour, and the apricot and vanilla notes instantly took me to Sauternes.

The first wine (Suduiraut) displayed just-ripe apricot, quince, dusty botrytis with terrific presence and drama; and a touch of floor polish. Lots of vanilla on the palate, honey, ginger, and abundant fruit power from a ripe year. Very sweet (138 g/l), but balanced. (93% semillon,  7% sav blanc).
Drink to 2035, 93 points.

The second wine (Raymond-lafon) had a slightly less developed colour, with greater tropical and pineapple notes. This wine had the magic combo of florals, citrus and balance (149 g/l rs); delightfully fresh and authentic. Pressed, I went for Barsac on this one – likely Ch Coutet – I was wrong but what a nice surprise!
Drink to 2038, 94 points

2007 quinta do vale meao

2007 Quinta do Vale meao 19.5%
Portugal. Also served blind, this was a vivid deep color. Blueberry, violets, dark cherry, elegant and with vivacity. Plus a producer I don’t recall trying. Portuguese for sure, early 2000s. But hard to concentrate at the end of a long night! Quality with aplomb.
Drink to 2034 . 92 points.

Two from Portugal

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1975 Cockburn VP

1975 Cockburn Vintage Port

Served blind. Amber tawny colour, and clearly old (early 80s?). Roses, light mocha, sugared almond; palate less fragile than expected; spirit is holding this wine together. Unveiled – a modest VP year, a modest producer, but a triumph to have survived damn near 50 years. Certainly its been better in the past, but no shame, and no problems drinking my share!

Drink up, 91 points

2000 fonseca

2000 Fonseca Vintage Port 20.5%
Medium ruby colour; very floral with blueberry, roses and violets, spice notes too; palate is bright and crisp, very supple and civilized, dark red fruits, almond sugar, refined tannins and beautifully judged spirit. Enormous drinkability too. (This was a much better result than the bottles tasted in October 2023!)

Drink to 2035, 95 points

Four fortifieds

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2005 S&K vp

2005 Stanton and Killeen Fortified 18.5%
Rutherglen, VP style; 32% Shiraz, 32% Durif, 16 % tinta cao, 10% touriga, 10% tinta roriz
Vintage rated 9/10. 1 trophy and 12 gold medals on the label.

I drank this youngster, as a recent bottle from a dinner looked a bit burned/baked. Youthful colour- morello cherry, rhubarb, violets, plus juniper. Palate is raspberry, blackcurrant lavender, camphor, red liquorice. Supple, with super spirit selection and integration. Look at the range of descriptors – always a sign of quality!

Drink to 2035; an easy 95 points.

1985 morris vp

1985 Morris Vintage Port
Rutherglen, 54% Durif, 46% Cab sav

Good colour for age, dense and intensely flavoured; dark berries. Sweet, chalk, coffee, mocha and just thrilling spirit integration. Balanced and delicious.

Drink to 2035, 93 points

1980 sevenhill vp

1980 Sevenhill Vintage Port 19.4%
Clare Valley, Shiraz
I seldom see this style from the area; and I was wary despite a cheap price at a recent auction. The cork was adequate; the colour is a quite developed ruby/tawny – plus plentiful sediment; there is sweet brandy spirit overlaying mocha and some dark fruit and chewy sweet spices; but really the spirit leads the charge here. The label quaintly claims “should be bottle aged for at least eight years” and forty-four years certainly exceeded the winemaker’s intentions. Regardless, it’s alert, and while it should have been consumed many years ago it does not fall into the curio category where excuses are easy to find. It’s still a solid, drinkable wine.

Drink now (sooner if you can), 85 points

NV Kopke Ten years old Tawny 20%
Served blind; Pale colour, roses, fruitcake, spices and some rancio. Sweeter on the palate than expected; with cinnamon, light and expressive, gentle and civilized. Citrus and toffee; light on its feet. Not enough acid for Madeira, not enough aldehydes for sherry, not the sweetness for muscat or topaque, I settled on a tawny style, but without the richness for Australia. I settled on 20 y/o Portuguese. Close enough!

Kopke is not in the first rank, but this was a super example, where the blend over-delivered on the reputation.

Drink now, 93 points (and I hope pricing is reasonable)

One terrific recent dinner

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2011 jj prum ws spatlese

2011 JJ Prum Wehelener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese 8.5%
Mosel, AP#28

Unmistakably German. Some reduction, but still shimmering with stonefruit, tropical notes, nettles, lime and flint with residual sugar seamlessly folded into a lightweight and delicious frame, that enfolds the palate. Great maker, and a great site, displayed to advantage.

Drink to 2030, 93 points

1994 Seppelt Show Sparkling Shiraz 13.5%
Great Western, Victoria. St Peters vineyard, (late) disgorged in October 2008, 28g/l residual sugar. Crown seal, and all the better! Notes below are not from tasting “blind’.

Mature but respectable colour, plenty of bubbles; mulberry, blackcurrant, dark cherry earthiness, light mushroom, and brimming with vitality. Its hard to believe there are better examples of this indestructible style around. As a bonus, my notes and score were consistent with my 2019 tasting note.

Drink to 2035, 95 points

2004 dow bomfim

2004 Dows Quinta do Bonfim (VP) 20%
Portugal – and technically a “single quinta”.

Usually, but not always from non-declared years (a decision of the producer- with Quinta do Noval an iconoclast now declaring every year).  Some single quintas are absolutely top wines, such as Grahams Stone Terraces. Usually, the single quinta makes up a large proportion of the declared vintages.

Decent colour for its assumed 20ish-year age; with blueberry, redcurrant, red liquorice, plentiful fruit here, and plentiful chalky tannin. The alcohol and spirit suggest Portugal, but the accessibility of the fruit suggests Oz origins (and I wrongly selected this option). In any event, the single quintas represent compelling VFM with monster enjoyment at an earlier age than the declared VPs can deliver. If only these single quinta were easier to find in Australia!

Drink to 2034, and 92 points