July 3, 2022 - (cellardoor w ZM, DY) Rich dried fruits on the nose, dark berries, juicy nose. Herbal pastille. Fresh smelling still. Oily, chocolate, sweetly structured. Woodsy finish, raisins and prunes dried figs. Nutty walnut. Oily. Espresso. Hints butterscotch.
June 21, 2022 - Confraria Induction Trip; 6/19/2022-6/26/2022 (Porto, Portugal): Bottled in 2022. Amber-orange in color. Old wood, some spices, and a touch of oxidation on the nose. Rich, smooth flavor profile with a touch of heat and spirit, but very elegant and well-integrated. Still good complexity. Long finish.
June 10, 2022 - Dinner at Restaurant Guy Savoy (Las Vegas, NV): Ordered by the glass at an upscale restaurant, this medium amber colheita (bottled in 2021) flaunts an attractive aromatic array of dried fig and Mandarin orange fruit that is accented with scents of walnuts, pressed flowers, caramel and cocoa. Moderately sweet, softly tannic and with beautiful balancing acidity, it delivers flavors mirroring the aromas, retaining viscosity and depth on the mid-palate. Concluding with impressive length, this is a joy to drink, either on its own or (as in this case) paired with a chocolate-based dessert. Drink now-2035.
December 9, 2021 - Nose of raisin, sweet lemon, marzipan and oolong tea. Quite the delicious cocktail!
Nose brings sweet maraschino and chocolate. Rich mouthfeel but also fresh acidity. This goes down far too easily. Lovely stuff.
November 15, 2021 - Terrific wine. Actually one of the best Portos I've had. Soft and sweet, with plenty of lemony acidity and mellow wood. Just an incredible pairing with a Uganda chocolate. That little bottle disappeared very quickly with only two drinkers. More, please.
September 23, 2021 - Pre-Tour - 2021 FTLOP Harvest Tour; 9/20/2021-9/25/2021 (Porto, Portugal): Bottled in 2019. Orange-amber in color. Caramel, vanilla, dried fruits, and cedar on the nose. Warm, rich vanilla cream and hints of cinnamon on the full body. Rich notes of red fruit on the finish.
September 22, 2021 - Pre-Tour - 2021 FTLOP Harvest Tour; 9/20/2021-9/25/2021 (Porto, Portugal): Bottled in 2021. Light orange-amber in color. Light nose of pine resin, dried fruits, and vanilla. Very smooth, expressive palate with complex toffee sweetness and Christmas spice. Very balanced with great structure and acidity. Long, rich finish.
June 9, 2021 - Light but elegant. Nicely integrated wood. Low-keyed sweetness.
June 5, 2021 - Had with pastieis de nata, great pairing. Nicely aged colheita, not too hot.
October 16, 2020 - Friday Night Brown Bagger (J&J's): Standard bottle, enjoyed nonblind at the end of the evening. Brief note. Aromas of pecan, toffee, dried apricot and caramel. Nice weight on the palate.