vintage port

2003 Quinta do Noval Vintage Port 19.5%

~ Richard ~ Leave a comment

The widely declared 2016 Portuguese Vintage ports have seen numerous positive reviews, many mentioning their fruit richness and surprising early approachability (albeit with maturation to come over the next few decades).  I took the opportunity to visit a heatwave 2003 wine,  another generally declared vintage year.

Quinta do Noval is well-known for its Nacional vintage port – which I have never tasted- and their earlier-drinking Silval, but the wine reviewed is their standard model. These wines are imported into Australia by Bibendum, and are widely available. Noval  follow the beat of their own drum, with recent vintage ports released from 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016; whereas most other houses only declared 2011, 2015 and 2016.

2003 qdn

The cork has done its duty, the colour of the wine is a very solid dense red, with some bricking on the rim. The bouquet is ultra-complex; mulberry, liqueur cherry, plumcake spices, green olive, almond, blueberry and cocoa. The palate is an elegant full-bodied style; flavours coat the mouth, there is the tension between blue, red and black fruits. Blackcurrant is in the mix now with red liquorice. The fortifying spirit has melded, the super-silky tannins are present within the swathe of rich ripe fruit.

At this age, the wine is generous, juicy, approachable and delicious, but has the stuffing to mature with grace for another 20 years.

An easy 94 points, and drink up to 2035.

1997 Campbells Vintage Port 18.5%

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Rutherglen, 100% Touriga, a terrific year in the district and a very pleasing result.

This a much better bottle than one tried a few months ago. The cork broke, but it was in terrific shape with hardly any travel, and a quick filter did the trick.
1997 campbell's vp
Dark ruby with some amber/bricking on the meniscus, enticing aromas of blueberries, more red berry than dark, some cocoa, spice  and liquorice add to the thrill; the palate is simply lovely, not a sweet one-dimensional style, but (lovely brandy) spirit is integrated, some dense sweet fruit allied with savouriness, fruitcake, nutmeg and intense blue and dark- red fruits. Onto day 3 and there is plenty of life left in this wine, which reveals more with each sip . By no means a blockbuster, the wine has layers of complexity. An excellent result from this grape variety, used in so many of the Portuguese VPs.

Drink to 2030, and 94 points.

1997 Morris VP

~ Richard ~ 2 Comments

An excellent year for this style in Rutherglen- Stanton & Killeen and Pfeiffer made outstanding wines.
IMAG0797
But this is the VP from Morris (correct but clumsily Morris’s on the label). The cork on this 20 year-old has performed its task – the wine (87% Shiraz, 13% Cab Sav) is a vibrant but slightly murky crimson (very little sediment when decanted); camphor, cherries, cocoa and mixed spices; the palate shows more dark fruits, especially plum; powdery tannins; a sneaky, approachable wine that looked better each time around, and positively youthful. The spirit has integrated beautifully. Warm, cuddly and no rush to drink this wine.

This wine that looked absolutely better with each assessment; complexity building – and longevity – becoming more apparent.

Drink to 2032, and 94 points

1972 Gayfer’s (Chiltern) Durif Port

~ Richard ~ 6 Comments

I doubt that the Gayfer’s vineyard still exists; it made way for a highway upgrade. I have not found information on the internet, apart from a passing reference to the “Roscoe’s fortified; I’ll need some serious prowling through my old books unless readers can assist.

Durif makes some very long-living, inky-coloured, robust red table wines in North-east Victoria, and I have examples from All Saints, Anderson, Baileys, Campbells, Morris, and Stanton in & Killeen in my cellar. In recent years, I think there has been more sympathetic winemaking, providing more finesse and complexity in the wines. As well as a standalone varietal wine, its colour and tannins makes Durif a useful blending component in a table wines – usually with Shiraz, and can readily be crafted into a vintage fortified, or a sparkling red. Its use as a varietal fortified is less common now, as more winemakers are enthused by fortifieds incorporating Portuguese grape varieties.

Chiltern is an outlier of Rutherglen, only 20km away, and the wine is an excellent effort from the region. Cork was pretty good – after 45 years, and this bottle had thrown a very heavy tea-leaf-like deposit.

1972 Gayfer'svp

Ruby coloured, with an amber/khaki rim, the aromas are in the mocha plus caramel plus coffee spectrum; sweet spirit is present too. The fruit and spirit combination is quite sweet, and though this wine may seem old-fashioned now, its a charming example of a mature, vintage fortified. The palate smoothly melds the mocha with some vanilla bean, rum and raisin chocolate and sweet brandy spirit- altogether this wine was just the ticket for a winter afternoon with a few ROMEOs (Retired Old Men Eating Out)  – although not everyone fitted this category exactly.

The wine will endure on its plateau for many more years, and I have not added any points for historic interest – even though tempted.

Drink to 2030, 91 points

1985 Fonseca Vintage Port 20.5%

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Fonseca (or more correctly Fonseca Guimaraens) is a highly regarded Portuguese Vintage Port producer, and its excellent website, with notes covering this vintage is here.

I look forward to finding an occasion – and enough enthusiasts for the style- to warrant opening a vintage Port. The cork has fulfilled its task, and came out in very nearly one piece; decanted for several hours, the wine was tackled in several passes over several days, but always with delight.

1985 fonseca.jpgIts colour is still a robust dense ruby, with no bricking. An array of scents includes fig, cocoa, almond meal, chalk, and dried herbs. The palate is medium bodied, but voluptuous, with blueberry and liquorice adding to the picture. The finish is extensive, and fine, the spirit folded in seamlessly.

There is no need to rush this delicious 32 year-old wine; it will remain in thrilling form for many more years.

Drink to 2032, 94 points.

Humbling masked tasting of 2 Victorian fortified wines

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It’s never straightforward tasting masked wines, attempting to reach conclusions on characteristics, origins, quality, while at the same time attempting to appreciate their virtues – a clash of analysis and appreciation. This was another lunch, with two delicious (masked) fortifieds to finish.

The first wine showed some bricking in colour, and the aromatics showed cocoa, raspberry, and blackberry jam – a vintage port style. The spirit was integrated with a hint of perfumed, headsy character. The palate was quite sweet, almost too much, but the fruit was dense, vibrant, and juicy. Warm but not hot with its alcohol, this deliciously cuddly wine seemed an “old-fashioned”, typical Australian in style, and more in a North-eastern Victorian vein, likely Rutherglen. My guess was that the wine was from the early 1990’s. The surprise was that the wine was actually 1975 Bailey’s Vintage Port. Made by Harry Tinson,  its source in Glenrowan is “near enough” to Rutherglen to claim some minor credit. The wine looked so much younger – in a holding pattern -with plenty of time ahead of it (to 2035). I scored it at 92 points, and it turns out I previously tasted it and described here about one year ago. The score, and descriptors are quite similar, so I’m either consistent or adjectivally deprived.

The calibre and deliciousness of the first wine made me turn reluctantly to pay attention to the second wine, which was similar in style. It seemed older, based primarily on its colour, and its aromatics of dark chocolates and lavender immediately led my thinking- vintage Port; Australia; Rutherglen; mid- 1980’s. Some almond meal, and its lower degree of sweetness compared to its companion led to a fleeting flirtation with Portugal, but I stuck with my first impressions. Quite mellow, it suffered in the shadow of its brooding companion. And the wine was 1987 Bullers Vintage Port (magnum).  I scored it at 91 points, drink to 2030.

Both wines are likely to be predominantly Shiraz.

What an extraordinary privilege to drink a 40 y/o and and 30 y/o wine in one bracket. More please!

1985 Gould Campbell Vintage Port 20%

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Gould Campbell is a less-renowned part of the Symington group. I am alert to wines that outperform their putative status, which may be available for reasonable prices. Langtons auction site records recent sales of this Portuguese Vintage Port for a respectable $110 (plus buyers commission).

1985-gould-campbell-vp

No photo of this wine in a glass alas, as the lunch group merrily consumed the wine. The cork was wizened and soaked, but had performed its duty over 30 years. The white smear on the bottle is the chalk mark (or splash mark) showing the upper side of the bottle in its cellaring state. I let the bottle stand for several days, opened it (with an ah-so), and carefully decanted to the remove the sediment that had settled.

The colour was a dark ruby; the aromatics were blueberry and cream, with some complexing licorice, fig and almond. The wine was very approachable, lively and rich, with mocha and cocoa dust making an impression; clean acidity and a warm, and long mouthfeel completed the picture. The spirit was deliciously integrated with the fruit.   It seems to be at the sweeter end of the Portuguese drier-than-Australian vintage port styles, but no shame here.  It’s a wine in a delightful drinking window, with no danger signs of decrepitude. I was very happy with this wine’s generous flavours, and impressed with its delightful performance at the lunch.

Drink to 2030; 95 points.

1992 Gehrig Vintage port 18.1%

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Deep ruby colour; shiraz, plus brandy spirit from one of the Rutherglen eastern “outliers”;  rustic label, but from a wondrous year in the region. Red liquorice, mingled Christmas cake spices, milk chocolate, bursting with vitality, and fine, chalky tannins.

1992 gehrig vpA careful decant was necessary to remove some  of the heavy deposit, and its a slightly old-fashioned style, where the spirit is a bit prominent and the sweetness is slightly overdone. But we’re not all clairvoyant, and this 24 year old wine provided an overload of drinking pleasures, and another 10 years will not diminish its enjoyments.

Drink to 2025, 91 points

1985 Taylor’s Vintage Port 20.5%

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1985 was widely declared, but generally regarded as an “average” VP year, rather than one of the greats. After the expected heavy sediment was decanted (and with just over 2 hours breathing), the wine was clear and its colour still more ruby than garnet, presenting as much younger than its true age.

1985 taylors vp

Aromatically, pronounced rose petal and pomegranate co-existed, with some sweet spices and light mocha – a highly encouraging set of characters. The spirit had integrated beautifully with the fruit after its extended bottle maturation; the alcohol did not intrude and the texture was supple and lip-smacking. The mocha was more apparent on the long palate, but this balanced wine is on an extended and delicious drinking plateau.

Drink to 2030; 94 points.

Two young VP styles

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2009 Buller’s VP
Buller’s (Rutherglen) VPs have proven cellaring potential – I have tasted examples with more than 30 years bottle age. I opened this embryonic wine as I purchased several  bottles at a bargain price. Buller’s table wines never excited me, but when visiting we always spent time at the bird park- irresistible to my children, who usually found some feathers to collect.

The wine is spookily dense black crimson in colour, and both the fruit and sweet spirit are battling joyously. Flavours are more than just simple plum jam; there is red liquorice, tar, and other very dark fruits. Oak is properly transient. Its a supple textured wine, with a very lingering finish – difficult to resist. Everything is in place to provide pleasure over the next 3 decades, and a long decant is recommended if opening anytime over the next 10 years.

A terrific result, regardless of its bargain-basement price.

Drink 2023- 2030, score 90 points

1998 morris vp

1998 Morris Vintage Port 18.8 %

This wine from Rutherglen made by David Morris has won a few trophies and gold medals at Rutherglen and Melbourne, so it’s no slouch. Disappointingly, it has a puny 3.7cm cork, which nevertheless has done its duty.

Variety not known, likely Shiraz with some Durif (or vice-versa) but not really relevant, its a dense and weighty wine; colour is a deep blood plum; its shows floral red liquorice with headsy, well integrated spirit; flavours are all dark fruits, plum, milk chocolate with a touch of fine chalk and talc. It seems slightly old-school, and if a touch drier would have merited even more praise, but truly a style I enjoy and wholeheartedly support. It shows some real class- vibrant, smooth, and inviting with potential for improvement over the next 15 years.

Drink to 2030, score 93 points