Guys Port Weekend - Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Tasted Friday, January 20, 2023 - Saturday, January 21, 2023 by theportguy with 111 views
Introduction
In early 2021, I connected with three of my Port-loving friends from Los Angeles, Santa Cruz and Las Vegas and we organized the first of what has been come a quarterly get-together to catch up with each other and drink a lot of Ports and wines together. Unlike many of the formal tastings that we attend where there are carefully curated lineups, formal tasting, intense discussion, and copious tasting notes, we decided that these gatherings would be low-key and focused on just enjoying the weekend, the wines and each other’s company. Tasting notes optional.
For the January 2023 iteration of The Guys’ Port Weekend, we traveled to Las Vegas, where Eric had rented out an Air BnB for the weekend. As we always do, we all brought “interesting bottles” and “bottles that would be fun to try.” Note: Due to the casual nature of the weekend, this recap is shorter on details and has fewer tasting notes than is normal for some of my other Port articles.
https://www.theportguy.com/guys-port-weekend-las-vegas/
NV Unknown Madeira 95 Points
Portugal, Madeira
(1/20/2023)
Unknown Madeira. This wine is believed to be from the mid-1800s. This Madeira came from a demijohn that was part of the Liberty Hall Museum discovery in 2015. Liberty Hall, located on the campus of Kean University in Union, New Jersey, was home to many prominent historical figures, including Alexander Hamilton. It began its conversion from a residence to a museum in 1949. As part of renovations in 2015, a wall was removed and a treasure trove was discovered – cases of Madeira from 1796, gin, whiskey, and other liquors. Forty demijohns of Madeira from the 1820s were also discovered in the attic. Some of the collection went up for auction at Christie’s, and my friend Eric managed to win a half-full, five-gallon demijohn of Madeira that simply had an attached label that read “Old Madeira.” All of the other bottles in the collection were from around the mid-1800s, so that is likely also the age of this wine. Eric provided a sample of this wine to a well-regarded Madeira producer, who thought it was likely a blend of Verdelho and Sercial grapes.
Aromas of dried nuts, saline, and dried orange slices. This is a medium-dry style with lively acidity and good complexity. The wine has a rich flavor profile, with toasted nuts, dried figs, orange spices, and a touch of almond skin bitterness. Great long finish. This wine is surprisingly smooth for a Madeira this old – not the concentrated, reductive characteristics that are common for Madeiras with this much age.
https://www.christies.com/features/One-of-the-largest-early-collections-of-Madeira-in-the-USA-9451-3.aspx
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2003 Quinta do Noval Porto Late Bottled Vintage 92 Points
Portugal, Douro, Porto
(1/20/2023)
Unfiltered. Dusty ruby in color. On the nose there are notes of peanut brittle, savory wood, “new” cardboard, and perhaps just a touch of VA. The odd nose, however, didn’t detract from the rich, full-bodied palate of luscious cranberry, red fruit, and blueberry. The approach has great structure and balance. It has a very long finish with dark fruits, chocolate, and subtle spice, but the sweetness fades on the tail end of the finish and resolves into a drier style of wine.
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2003 Fonseca Porto Late Bottled Vintage 93 Points
Portugal, Douro, Porto
(1/20/2023)
Aromas of blueberry and some bramble fruits. On the entry, there are smooth, rich notes of blueberry and a touch of cassis. The palate expands with more dark fruits, black cherry, and fennel. This wine has a very long, rich finish.
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2003 Warre Porto Late Bottled Vintage 94 Points
Portugal, Douro, Porto
(1/20/2023)
The nose is slightly closed, but I could coax out some touches of chocolate and a bit of black fruit on the nose. It has a rich palate filled with dark fruits and rich herbal notes. The tannins are firm but well-integrated, giving the wine a good structure and a long, smooth finish.
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1970 Royal Oporto (Real Companhia Velha) Porto Vintage 92 Points
Portugal, Douro, Porto
(1/20/2023)
The wine is a cloudy amber-brown in color. It has aromas of cinnamon, spices, red fruit, and umami notes. There are rich red fruit on the palate with strawberries, red currants, and some light herbal notes. It has wonderful complexity and balanced sweetness. The tannins are also well-balanced, and this is drinking like a rich but elegant wine right now. This might be the best bottle of Royal Oporto that I have had in some time.
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1977 Taylor (Fladgate) Porto Vintage Flawed
Portugal, Douro, Porto
(1/20/2023)
Sadly, this was corked.
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1992 Fonseca Porto Vintage 92 Points
Portugal, Douro, Porto
(1/20/2023)
Amber ruby in color. Aromas of dusty red fruits with strawberry and boysenberry. It is a full-bodied wine, with well-integrated red fruits on the palate. The tannins are noticeable on the mid-palate, but the wine retains a rich and complex flavor profile. Nice long finish.
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