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A private tasting
Restaurant Merkelbach, Amsterdam, NL
Tasted March 11, 2015 by Xavier Auerbach with 623 views
Introduction
An extensive tasting of Vintage Ports from 1983 and 1985 (mainly). All wines were double decanted on the afternoon before the tasting and were tasted blind.
Flight 1 - An introductory Douro Red (1 note)
Red
2012 Quinta Vale D. Maria Douro
87 points
Banana sweets, very lifted flavours, floral, highly strung, sweet fruit, drying edge to the tannins, bright acidity, decent length. A strange concoction, lacks harmony, but okay in its way.
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Flight 2 - Flight 1 (4 notes)
Red - Fortified
1983 Ramos Pinto Porto Vintage
89 points
Good depth on the nose, hint of volatility, plummy fruit, fully developed; powerful but quite hot on the palate, ripe fruit but a bit disjointed, still tannic, flavoursome and long.
Red - Fortified
1983 Cockburn Porto Vintage
87 points
Fully mature nose, a bit maderised, stalky and vegetal; the palate is quite all right, nutty but fresh, light but no lack of energy or tannic grip; nice floral Cognac flavours on the finish, hint of liquorice, lovage, good length. Falls away very quickly in the glass.
Red - Fortified
1983 Niepoort Porto Vintage
91 points
Floral, cedary, classic English style (tasting blind I thought this might be Dow), not sweet at all, gentle and balanced, medium weight, very together, hint of milk chocolate, still some red berry fruit, savoury quality, very good length.
Red - Fortified
1982 Niepoort Porto Vintage
92 points
Hint of caramel on the nose but fresh, classic, harmonious; nice weight of fruit, good backbone, classic style, velvety tannins, elegant, lovely balance and length.
Flight 3 - Flight 2 (4 notes)
Red - Fortified
1985 Smith Woodhouse Porto Vintage
91 points
Pristine bottle, directly from the cellars Vila Nova da Gaia. Good colour. Rich, classical, mature, good depth, spice, Chartreuse, good fruit; harmonious palate, quite powerful, nice citrussy lift in the flavours, youthful and lively, hint of coffee, very good structure and length.
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Red - Fortified
1985 Martinez Gassiot & Co. Porto Vintage
85 points
Light colour. Dusty, maderised nose, deathly; thin and acidic palate, drying tannins, light finish but good length. Over the hill.
Red - Fortified
1985 J.W. Burmester Porto Vintage
91 points
Mature but lively appearance. Nice and rounded style, good fruit, floral, attractive but a little one-dimensional, lively but mature, light touch, red berry fruit, hint of milk chocolate, kirsch, sweet finish. Nice wine, charming and complete.
Red - Fortified
1985 Gould Campbell Porto Vintage
87 points
Light and mature colour. Dry and stalky nose; palate like a youngish tawny, soft, nutty, bright acidity, not too hot, decent length.
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Flight 4 - Flight 3 (4 notes)
Red - Fortified
1985 Warre Porto Vintage
92 points
Pristine bottle, direct from the cellars at Vila Nova de Gaia. Mature but lively appearance. Good depth on the nose, closed; tightly knit, tannic, youthful, tannic, mint, sweet, a bit hot, mature but has power and length, seems to need more time.
Red - Fortified
1980 Warre Porto Vintage
91 points
Mature appearance. Evolved nose, lovage, good depth, develops its complexity, salmiac, spices; mature palate, a bit hot, nutty and evolved, rounded, dates, honey, cedar.
Red - Fortified
1985 Dow Porto Vintage
93 points
Pristine bottle, directly from the cellars at Vila Nova de Gaia. Very deep colour. Rich and deep, coffee, spices, seems completely unevolved; rich and powerful, young, doesn't seem older than a decade, closed, needs more time, has the balance and structure for a long life. Incredibly youthful.
Red - Fortified
1983 Warre Porto Vintage
94 points
Mature but lively appearance. Floral Cognac notes on the nose, deep, subtle, layered, earth; really powerful and hot palate, kirsch and chocolate, seductive and fresh, powerful minerality, but really impressive for its sheer power and energy, balancing acidity.
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Flight 5 - Flight 4 (3 notes)
Red - Fortified
1983 Fonseca Porto Vintage
86 points
Very mature colour; stalky nose, lovage, hollow; powdery palate, drying and a slightly sharp structure, medium sweet, mint, caramel, nice length.
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Red - Fortified
1983 Graham Porto Vintage
95 points
Very youthful appearance. Very rich and fragrant nose, flowers and spices, deep, layered; tannic but silky, fresh and ripe but not extremely rich, perfectly integrated tannins, strawberries and raspberries, lifted, ripe tannins, excellent length. Really singing tonight, fully mature.
Red - Fortified
1983 Taylor (Fladgate) Porto Vintage
93 points
Mature but lively appearance. Fragrant nose, mature, candied fruit, lovely depth, classic and warm; complete and well-structured, tannic but rich, apricot, good fruit, very good length.
Flight 6 - Flight 5 (4 notes)
Red - Fortified
1985 Taylor (Fladgate) Porto Vintage
89 points
Light colour, mature; light nose, little definition or depth; supple and sweet palate, completely mature, juicy and lively but not profound, nice length.
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Red - Fortified
1985 Graham Porto Vintage
93 points
Mature but lively appearance; attractive nose, rich fruit, deep and spicy; sweet and powerful palate, rich and lively, ripe berry fruit, lovely balance and length.
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Red - Fortified
1985 Fonseca Porto Vintage
95 points
Lovely nose, ripe, velvety, complex, deep; shapely, velvety, amazing finesse, complete, elegant, supremely stylish, excellent length.
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Red - Fortified
1985 Quinta do Noval Porto Vintage Nacional
89 points
Selected by Ellis Son & Vidler, London SW1. Light tawny colour. Stalky, raw, estery nose; rich and chocolaty palate, sweet but a bit raw: does have weight and length. A less than perfect bottle?