Deep ruby color with a hint of brick on the rim. Some alcohol on the nose, but mainly marzipan, aged rum, turpentine and blackberries. Palate is red and black fruit, surprisingly fresh with some roasted hazelnut on the medium-long finish. Amazing that it is still so fresh and could cellar for another decade easily, except the T-cork is entirely soaked through. Drink now-2033.
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Bright red purple colour Dark spices, cardomom and clove, limes plus some dried fruit Perfumed and aromatic on the nose Aromatic on the palate like Turkish coffee , some tannin, lots of plum and dark chocolate This is really very good especially considering it probably cost less than £10 new. No hurry to drink though. Years left
Dégustation comparée d'une bouteille de LBV 2003 et d'une demi vintage de la même année ; c'est très intéressant : au nez, en bouche comme à l'oeil, la différence est celle à laquelle on s'attend, avec des notes fauves ou d'oxydation pour le LBV qui viennent en quelque sorte se surajouter au paysage offert par le vintage. Le LBV n'a pas toute la profondeur veloutée et violette du vintage, mais il offre quelque chose en plus, et le contraste entre les deux verres, dénué de violence, est très agréable, c'est une expérience que je recommande. A un moment, une seule fois, au passage du LBV vers le vintage, une explosion au nez, tout un champ de violettes pour moi tout seul !
Evolution sur plusieurs semaines (!) : le vintage résiste beaucoup mieux que le LBV, qui devient plus transparent au nez et en bouche, tout en gardant son charme.
Pour conclure : le LBV ne vaut pas le vintage, qui est remarquable, mais - on se demande ce que donnerait le LBV s'il était produit à partir d'une partie des cuvées qui sont réservées au vintage : ne serait-il pas alors aussi profond que celui-ci ? - j'aimerais aussi faire la comparaison sur d'autres années - en rapport qualité/prix, c'est le vintage qui ne vaut pas le LBV !
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Very good, rich LBV with sweet dark fruit. Quite enjoyable. A little too much alcohol on the nose on the first day, as is common with LBVs, but it eventually blew off.
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Color: Deep red with significant purple tones. Opaque in the center. Fades through ruby to pink at the rim. Nose: Dark fruits, somewhat stewed. Black cherry and plum, possibly some dates. Alcohol is present but not really obvious. Palate: Rich and luscious... lots of those same dark fruits from the nose, especially the black cherry. Very good tannins and acidity, but well balanced with just the right amount of heat. Medium full body. Smooth and very pleasant - goes great with soft/mild cheeses. Finish: Tannins, some pleasant warmth, and some nice fruits. Good length. Some tart apples at the end as it fades out.
These have been very consistent for me and have been improving slowly over time. If it were a VP I'd say it needs at least another 10 years to fully mature, but as an LBV that might happen more quickly.
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Color: Very deep red that looks purple at a glance. Opaque center. Nose: Dark fruits, plenty of grape. The usual low level of alcohol. There's something a little richer in the nose now... possibly some black cherry? Palate: Dark and brooding like a coming storm. There's something going on here that I haven't noticed in previous bottles, almost as if a transformation has been interrupted. I get the distinct impression that this bottle was caught in the middle of the maturation process. It is fruity and warm with lots of dark berries - black currant, plum (prune?), and semi-tart black cherry. There's also an impression of fermentation halted. The tannins are sound but not overt. The acidity is good but not in your face. Medium to medium full body. The mysterious nature of something halted adds a layer of complexity that I normally don't find in this LBV, which is very nice. An excellent drinking Port. Finish: A little bit of grip from the tannins, some pleasant warmth, and some nice fruits. There's a little bit of a chocolate impression as well. Reasonably long and very smooth.
With more time it seems like this might actually be getting ready to transform into something even nicer, but I doubt I'll be able to keep my hands off of the remaining bottles long enough to find out.
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I recently found a bottle at retail, which surprised me, as other vintages are coming into the retail pipeline. I wonder about storage conditions as this was a bit less giving. The fruit still had wonderful ripeness, but not as dense, with the alcohol being a bit too prominent. Not scored.
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Enjoyed over 1 week - vacuum pump and over night in the fridge - just got better and better. Have to score this a 90 now! Much more rounded and better integration of the alcohol, although the slightly hot finish is still there. Improved complexity with lots of prunes, raisins, coffee and dark chocolate/"Mon cheri". Good backbone and tannins. Excellent QPR and wish I had more than one bottle left.
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Color: Deep red with significant purple overtones. Opaque near the center. Nose: Darker fruits, though some are red and some are black. Very slight whiff of alcohol. Beautiful nose. A bit grapey. Palate: Fruity, warm, welcoming, and delicious. Good, firm tannins and good acidity. Medium full body. Silky smooth and luscious. Blackberry, black currant, and some ripe red raspberry or possibly some purple brambleberry. Not terribly complex, but also not simple. An excellent middle ground. Finish: A little bit of grip, a little bit of heat, and then echos of the palate with a little bit of chocolate added in. Long and smooth. Resolves nicely.
Possibly worthy of 93, but I didn't take detailed notes so I'll be conservative. This drank extremely well throughout the night and provided a perfect counterpoint to the Portal 20-yr Old Tawny that we were drinking with it.
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A good "not a special occasion" port. Lacks the depth and complexity of a good vintage port but it's enjoyable. Plum, chocolate, cherry, and a hint of licorice. A little raisiny. Seemed pretty much the same on day 2.
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Retailer tasting, quick notes. Lots of plum, currant, and some heat coming through on the nose. Heavy alcohol showing on the dense palate, with some nice notes of anise, blackberry, and blueberry. Long finish, with some tartness. This needs a lot of time to come together, and while enjoyable, did not compare to the '07 it was tasted beside.
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Dark and rich with toasted nut and dark fruit. Sweet molasses with chocolate and a thick silky mouth feel. Not the most complex but otherwise very tasty.
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Dark, opaque ruby color. Dense nose of dried fruits, dates and ripe blackberries. Loads of sweet, ripe and vibrant dark fruits, blackberries and blueberries on the palate completed with toasty notes and some mocha. Strong alcoholic content doesn't punch through the thick nose nor through the full-bodied mouthfeel, bar the slight warm sensation all over the mouth. Pretty nice acidic zip complemented by silky tannins. Excellent on its own or with heavy chocolate desserts. Will age effortlessly for some time. Excellent QPR at 11,99€ for a 0,375 bottle.
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Consistent with the TN from the masses on CT. There is decent fruit here, but I have had better LBV with more depth. Good Toasted nut, Black currant, some dark chocolate, and black tea notes on the nose. There is more of a toasted compnent on the palate, but the rich berry and dark chocolate dominate. Decent finish, but nothing spectacular. A good after dinner drink, or with some cheese for desert.
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I had this open over three months, so the mental notes slipped away. I will say this held up well for the duration. My last impression was big fruit and chocolate on a smooth palate without much complexity.
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Color: Very dark red with some purple overtones. Opaque in the center of the glass. Nose: Juicy red fruits, a bit grapey, and some floral/perfumed alcohol. Boysenberry and mellow raspberry. Palate: Medium to medium-light body with good tannins and good acidity. Hints of blackberries and/or black currants quickly overwhelmed by tart red flavors. Possibly some blueberry. Slight edge late. Finish: Some chocolate, good tannins, and some heat. Good length. Slight edge in the middle. Some grape skin as it tails off.
Excellent, as usual. I don't recall the slight edge in previous bottles, which pulled this bottle down a point or so.
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Taylor Fladgate 2003 Late Bottled Vintage Porto, 20 pabv, versus Dow's 2003 Late Bottled Vintage Porto, 19.5 pabv. Both have a T-cap finish. Neither have a label statement concerning filtering.
The color is blacker and carries to the edge of the Taylor, and there is a small meniscus with an impression of deep purple to within say 2 mm of the glass in the Dow. The former has a thick coating action with slow but narrow tears, while the latter has an even slower tearfall.
Quite forward blackcurrant, beef broth, and vivid sweet cherry for the Taylor nose, with an aura of high overtones; the other has plum-confectionary as the opening attack, undergirded with a definite edge of vanillin oak. I can detect the alcohol as a separate element in the Dow, and perhaps just a touch of heat on the palate; its approach is slower and shyer coming on but a bit more complex. On the second day the nose of the Dow's is much more forward and vivid, with intense sweet anise, thyme, and cherry. I probably would have decanted it if I did this tasting again. The palate:
T: Sweet with a good balancing of juicy acid, noticeably sweeter than the average Taylor early-bottled VP, a neat licorice-dusted blackcurrant fruit. Juicy is an appropriate word for this wine: vivid and attractive, with nice middle-weight and ripe tannin extract, which would help with most of the VP-directed food matches.
D: A bit more stylistically true to its heritage when considering both sweetness (more restrained) and tannins (somewhat forward and chalky, but quite acceptable). Though it's shy there's good length. The next day it has lots more fruity power in consonance with its more giving nose.
Both of these wines will exploit the usual decanter window of 3-4 weeks and give their all; there's little to be gained by extensive cellaring, but no hurry either. For their fresh fruitiness drink now-2012 or further if the intense fresh fruitiness is not the main concern. There is little to be chosen between the two as far as quality goes; they are both 88-89 pointers. I'd give the Dow's the edge for typicity, but the Taylor's has a nice intense fruitiness that is hard not to love. (89 pts.), or, on a good day, let's say (90 pts.)
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This time I let it sit for numerous hours in a glass before drinking. Smell is a bit more acidic and stingy, not so much alcohol anymore. Taste is very full and filled with quite a bit of tannins. Very different from before. No liquorice, just berries, lots of blackberries, a bit of plum. Much better this way.
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Dark ruby to crimson red color. Smell is fruity with grapes and alcohol with the latter dominating. Fruit, plums and liquorice in the head, blackberry jam on the palate. Fairly sweet, but very light on the tannins. Probably should wait longer for the wine to mature.
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Dark crimson red color. Intense nose: ripe dark cherries and liquorice. Big, dense, jammy palate: blackberries, raisins, and spice. Short hot finish. Overwhelming and unbalanced alcohol detracts from an otherwise excellent port – this definitely needs more time.
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The more I drink this, the more I like it. This seems to have more depth and structure than a typical LBV. Raisins, plums, prunes, but not stewed or overdone.
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I got some clove and licorice notes, but I had to look hard; otherwise, the wine is dominated by straightforward blackberry jam and raisin. There is also a good whiff of brandy on the nose, but not in a bad way. At this point, the finish is hot and shows some tannin; I'm wondering whether those might integrate better in two or three years, but maybe not. Moderately sweet for a port. A decent under-$20 dessert wine.
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Consumed over 2 nights. Ripe nose with plenty of heat. More balanced on the palate, with gobs of red and blue fruits, a fairly refreshing acid core and a medium finish, chewy tannins. Not bad for under $20. Still needs some time in the bottle. Showed slightly better on the second night. Approx $18, drink thru 2014.
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My first port wine since starting to write TNs, been a while since I last had port! Quite an expressive nose of raisins, spices and a bit of smoke, very heavy on the nose. Also heavy on the palate, sweet, raisiny, some tannins, a bit hot on the finish. Quite nice, would be fun to learn more about port.
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Filtered. T-cork. Bottled 2009 Deep rich ruby. Nose > Big fruity licorice, blueberry, boysenberry, black cherry, cassis. Deep blue-black-purple fruited lilac & violet. Palate > Big, rich, fruity, sappy/spicy. Black & blue fruit, hint of beet with big, big licorice that continues into a very long smooth, creamy extended finish infused with rich vivid purple fruit, violet, lilac, black cherry & dark chocolate. Some very smooth wood & skin tannins are blanketed by the length & extended rich fruit of this wine. Great length. Med+ concentration.
Neck & neck with the Dow '03 LBV for me. Taylor being slightly sweeter, richer & fuller; Dow having slightly more concentration.
I am Loving these '03 LBV Ports!
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Popped and poured. Quite intense a nose giving date, plum, cherry, raisin, clove, liquorice and chocolate. Some floral hints. Surprisingly light on the palate where the alcohol is stealing the show a bit. A nice gentle grip of tannin. Gets slightly hollow on the midpalate and stays that way to the briefish aftertaste. This feels young and unfocused but when paired with a cheese plate, everything seemed to be running smoothly. Enjoyable - but could definitely be more approachable.
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Dark. Slightly simple ripe plum with background licorice. Dense, medium/full with medium sweetness, good balance and a touch of tannin. Well done in a bigger style that trades sophistication for power - probably a reflection of the grapes rather than a conscious decision. Enjoyable. Edges rounded on day two. Give it air.
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Port Tasting (Schaumburg Binny's): Retail tasting of Ports. Jotted down some quick tasting notes. Right off the bat I got some good amount of heat and currant on the nose. Tons of dark fruits on the palate. Nice finish to this wine, still needs time to calm down a bit.
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375 ml bottle.The nose is beautiful with hints of candy,floral notes and vibrant fruit.On the palate full and sweet,quite balanced,showing red toned fruit and blueberries with synthetic candies on the finish.The nose is actually better than the palate.I do prefer more older tawny ports.
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Solid LBV. Nice concentration; quite firm. Not as lush as others, but this has a nice plummy, bitter chocolate flavor and a slight mineral streak. Nice tension on the palate.
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Dark, opaque crimson. Sweet, dense and jammy. Alcohol is out of balance but that's the biggest character holding this back.
Blueberry liquor, dried fruits, figs, cocoa, very full bodied. Some nuttiness emerged after breathing for a while. Wonderful dessert wine.
$19.99, 90 points. Almost as enjoyable as the much pricer 2001 Fladgate Quinta de Vargellas bottling if for no other reason than this bottle didn't take 3 days to really open up. Great QPR!
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As my previous note. Should not have opened this bottle, but because of the lack of another pleasantly priced port wine I had to. My personal lesson; have a few cheap LBV port wines always in store.
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Deep ruby/crimson; kirsch liquor, blueberries, dark chocolate; pruney, ripe berry, full body, a bit hot, noticeable tannins, nice finish. Ripe and rich with 20% alcohol very noticeable. Quite young. Very good with blue cheese on crackers.
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Sweet cherries and other dark ripe fruits. Leather. The tannin is firm. This is a LBV which will improve by ageing a few years. 3 – 5 years is probably a good guess. Quite full bodied for a LBV. A bit alcoholic at the moment. The alcohol will not disappear, but when al flavors will be better integrated this will be a great LBV.
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Decent LBV port and a very good QPR. Classic flavours of dark/dried fruits dominated by cherries and rasins, chocolate, vanilla and some floral notes. Good structure - a little hot on the finish which makes it a little unbalanced. hopefully the alcohol will integrate better over the next couple of years. Over all the great 03 vintage is definitely shining through. 89+
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10/19/2023 - nwinther wrote:
Deep ruby color with a hint of brick on the rim.
Some alcohol on the nose, but mainly marzipan, aged rum, turpentine and blackberries.
Palate is red and black fruit, surprisingly fresh with some roasted hazelnut on the medium-long finish.
Amazing that it is still so fresh and could cellar for another decade easily, except the T-cork is entirely soaked through.
Drink now-2033.
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12/12/2020 - Alberic13 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Extraordinary.
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6/19/2020 - Birdmountain wine wrote: 95 Points
Speachless at first sip! Great vintage. What’s not to like?
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4/1/2018 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:
Bright red purple colour
Dark spices, cardomom and clove, limes plus some dried fruit
Perfumed and aromatic on the nose
Aromatic on the palate like Turkish coffee , some tannin, lots of plum and dark chocolate
This is really very good especially considering it probably cost less than £10 new. No hurry to drink though. Years left
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3/7/2015 - roederer Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dégustation comparée d'une bouteille de LBV 2003 et d'une demi vintage de la même année ; c'est très intéressant :
au nez, en bouche comme à l'oeil, la différence est celle à laquelle on s'attend, avec des notes fauves ou d'oxydation pour le LBV qui viennent en quelque sorte se surajouter au paysage offert par le vintage.
Le LBV n'a pas toute la profondeur veloutée et violette du vintage, mais il offre quelque chose en plus, et le contraste entre les deux verres, dénué de violence, est très agréable, c'est une expérience que je recommande.
A un moment, une seule fois, au passage du LBV vers le vintage, une explosion au nez, tout un champ de violettes pour moi tout seul !
Evolution sur plusieurs semaines (!) : le vintage résiste beaucoup mieux que le LBV, qui devient plus transparent au nez et en bouche, tout en gardant son charme.
Pour conclure : le LBV ne vaut pas le vintage, qui est remarquable, mais
- on se demande ce que donnerait le LBV s'il était produit à partir d'une partie des cuvées qui sont réservées au vintage : ne serait-il pas alors aussi profond que celui-ci ?
- j'aimerais aussi faire la comparaison sur d'autres années
- en rapport qualité/prix, c'est le vintage qui ne vaut pas le LBV !
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1/25/2015 - Miceri Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nose somewhat unyielding; very pleasant round sweet taste; pure candy
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10/5/2013 - Miceri wrote: 86 Points
Agreeable, no complexity
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5/27/2013 - Colia wrote: 89 Points
Big and rich, but simple, with dark fruit and oak spice. Medium finish.
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12/21/2012 - Sijan Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very good, rich LBV with sweet dark fruit. Quite enjoyable. A little too much alcohol on the nose on the first day, as is common with LBVs, but it eventually blew off.
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7/30/2012 - danielbleier wrote: 83 Points
nuttiness, dark fruit, smooth. Not much of an impression.
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7/14/2012 - gelliott wrote: 93 Points
Color: Deep red with significant purple tones. Opaque in the center. Fades through ruby to pink at the rim.
Nose: Dark fruits, somewhat stewed. Black cherry and plum, possibly some dates. Alcohol is present but not really obvious.
Palate: Rich and luscious... lots of those same dark fruits from the nose, especially the black cherry. Very good tannins and acidity, but well balanced with just the right amount of heat. Medium full body. Smooth and very pleasant - goes great with soft/mild cheeses.
Finish: Tannins, some pleasant warmth, and some nice fruits. Good length. Some tart apples at the end as it fades out.
These have been very consistent for me and have been improving slowly over time. If it were a VP I'd say it needs at least another 10 years to fully mature, but as an LBV that might happen more quickly.
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12/16/2011 - gelliott wrote: 93 Points
Color: Very deep red that looks purple at a glance. Opaque center.
Nose: Dark fruits, plenty of grape. The usual low level of alcohol. There's something a little richer in the nose now... possibly some black cherry?
Palate: Dark and brooding like a coming storm. There's something going on here that I haven't noticed in previous bottles, almost as if a transformation has been interrupted. I get the distinct impression that this bottle was caught in the middle of the maturation process. It is fruity and warm with lots of dark berries - black currant, plum (prune?), and semi-tart black cherry. There's also an impression of fermentation halted. The tannins are sound but not overt. The acidity is good but not in your face. Medium to medium full body. The mysterious nature of something halted adds a layer of complexity that I normally don't find in this LBV, which is very nice. An excellent drinking Port.
Finish: A little bit of grip from the tannins, some pleasant warmth, and some nice fruits. There's a little bit of a chocolate impression as well. Reasonably long and very smooth.
With more time it seems like this might actually be getting ready to transform into something even nicer, but I doubt I'll be able to keep my hands off of the remaining bottles long enough to find out.
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12/1/2011 - mdefreitas wrote:
I recently found a bottle at retail, which surprised me, as other vintages are coming into the retail pipeline. I wonder about storage conditions as this was a bit less giving. The fruit still had wonderful ripeness, but not as dense, with the alcohol being a bit too prominent. Not scored.
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11/12/2011 - blackswan wrote: 91 Points
It's a steal at $19. Wish I had more of this.
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9/26/2011 - docvin1107 wrote: 90 Points
Enjoyed over 1 week - vacuum pump and over night in the fridge - just got better and better. Have to score this a 90 now! Much more rounded and better integration of the alcohol, although the slightly hot finish is still there. Improved complexity with lots of prunes, raisins, coffee and dark chocolate/"Mon cheri". Good backbone and tannins. Excellent QPR and wish I had more than one bottle left.
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9/23/2011 - gelliott wrote: 92 Points
Color: Deep red with significant purple overtones. Opaque near the center.
Nose: Darker fruits, though some are red and some are black. Very slight whiff of alcohol. Beautiful nose. A bit grapey.
Palate: Fruity, warm, welcoming, and delicious. Good, firm tannins and good acidity. Medium full body. Silky smooth and luscious. Blackberry, black currant, and some ripe red raspberry or possibly some purple brambleberry. Not terribly complex, but also not simple. An excellent middle ground.
Finish: A little bit of grip, a little bit of heat, and then echos of the palate with a little bit of chocolate added in. Long and smooth. Resolves nicely.
Possibly worthy of 93, but I didn't take detailed notes so I'll be conservative. This drank extremely well throughout the night and provided a perfect counterpoint to the Portal 20-yr Old Tawny that we were drinking with it.
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5/24/2011 - mreinitz wrote: 88 Points
A good "not a special occasion" port. Lacks the depth and complexity of a good vintage port but it's enjoyable. Plum, chocolate, cherry, and a hint of licorice. A little raisiny. Seemed pretty much the same on day 2.
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3/26/2011 - MattTM wrote:
Retailer tasting, quick notes. Lots of plum, currant, and some heat coming through on the nose. Heavy alcohol showing on the dense palate, with some nice notes of anise, blackberry, and blueberry. Long finish, with some tartness. This needs a lot of time to come together, and while enjoyable, did not compare to the '07 it was tasted beside.
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3/25/2011 - Briangray77 wrote: 88 Points
Dark and rich with toasted nut and dark fruit. Sweet molasses with chocolate and a thick silky mouth feel. Not the most complex but otherwise very tasty.
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3/18/2011 - forceberry wrote: 89 Points
Dark, opaque ruby color. Dense nose of dried fruits, dates and ripe blackberries. Loads of sweet, ripe and vibrant dark fruits, blackberries and blueberries on the palate completed with toasty notes and some mocha. Strong alcoholic content doesn't punch through the thick nose nor through the full-bodied mouthfeel, bar the slight warm sensation all over the mouth. Pretty nice acidic zip complemented by silky tannins. Excellent on its own or with heavy chocolate desserts. Will age effortlessly for some time. Excellent QPR at 11,99€ for a 0,375 bottle.
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3/9/2011 - kstoddard wrote: 88 Points
Dark purple color. Prune and brown sugar on the nose. Tastes of plumb, brown sugar, and anise. Smooth finish with some good balance.
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2/20/2011 - mpricher wrote: 88 Points
Consistent with the TN from the masses on CT. There is decent fruit here, but I have had better LBV with more depth. Good Toasted nut, Black currant, some dark chocolate, and black tea notes on the nose. There is more of a toasted compnent on the palate, but the rich berry and dark chocolate dominate. Decent finish, but nothing spectacular. A good after dinner drink, or with some cheese for desert.
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2/20/2011 - FransS wrote: 87 Points
Nice, full, chunky, hefty, sweet; some years will help this LBV to mellow.
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1/6/2011 - esb wrote:
Forceful, big and sweet style. Very nice wine. Note from one year ago still fine.
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1/1/2011 - gmbdds wrote: 88 Points
I had this open over three months, so the mental notes slipped away. I will say this held up well for the duration. My last impression was big fruit and chocolate on a smooth palate without much complexity.
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12/30/2010 - petec-s wrote: 87 Points
Very smooth easy style, crowd pleaser, nice botte.
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12/28/2010 - gelliott wrote: 91 Points
Color: Very dark red with some purple overtones. Opaque in the center of the glass.
Nose: Juicy red fruits, a bit grapey, and some floral/perfumed alcohol. Boysenberry and mellow raspberry.
Palate: Medium to medium-light body with good tannins and good acidity. Hints of blackberries and/or black currants quickly overwhelmed by tart red flavors. Possibly some blueberry. Slight edge late.
Finish: Some chocolate, good tannins, and some heat. Good length. Slight edge in the middle. Some grape skin as it tails off.
Excellent, as usual. I don't recall the slight edge in previous bottles, which pulled this bottle down a point or so.
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12/14/2010 - sweetstuff wrote: 90 Points
Taylor Fladgate 2003 Late Bottled Vintage Porto, 20 pabv, versus Dow's 2003 Late Bottled Vintage Porto, 19.5 pabv. Both have a T-cap finish. Neither have a label statement concerning filtering.
The color is blacker and carries to the edge of the Taylor, and there is a small meniscus with an impression of deep purple to within say 2 mm of the glass in the Dow. The former has a thick coating action with slow but narrow tears, while the latter has an even slower tearfall.
Quite forward blackcurrant, beef broth, and vivid sweet cherry for the Taylor nose, with an aura of high overtones; the other has plum-confectionary as the opening attack, undergirded with a definite edge of vanillin oak. I can detect the alcohol as a separate element in the Dow, and perhaps just a touch of heat on the palate; its approach is slower and shyer coming on but a bit more complex. On the second day the nose of the Dow's is much more forward and vivid, with intense sweet anise, thyme, and cherry. I probably would have decanted it if I did this tasting again. The palate:
T: Sweet with a good balancing of juicy acid, noticeably sweeter than the average Taylor early-bottled VP, a neat licorice-dusted blackcurrant fruit. Juicy is an appropriate word for this wine: vivid and attractive, with nice middle-weight and ripe tannin extract, which would help with most of the VP-directed food matches.
D: A bit more stylistically true to its heritage when considering both sweetness (more restrained) and tannins (somewhat forward and chalky, but quite acceptable). Though it's shy there's good length. The next day it has lots more fruity power in consonance with its more giving nose.
Both of these wines will exploit the usual decanter window of 3-4 weeks and give their all; there's little to be gained by extensive cellaring, but no hurry either. For their fresh fruitiness drink now-2012 or further if the intense fresh fruitiness is not the main concern. There is little to be chosen between the two as far as quality goes; they are both 88-89 pointers. I'd give the Dow's the edge for typicity, but the Taylor's has a nice intense fruitiness that is hard not to love. (89 pts.), or, on a good day, let's say (90 pts.)
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12/5/2010 - yenda wrote: 88 Points
No excitement here
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10/16/2010 - MacMoney wrote: 89 Points
This time I let it sit for numerous hours in a glass before drinking. Smell is a bit more acidic and stingy, not so much alcohol anymore. Taste is very full and filled with quite a bit of tannins. Very different from before. No liquorice, just berries, lots of blackberries, a bit of plum. Much better this way.
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10/10/2010 - MacMoney wrote: 81 Points
Dark ruby to crimson red color. Smell is fruity with grapes and alcohol with the latter dominating. Fruit, plums and liquorice in the head, blackberry jam on the palate. Fairly sweet, but very light on the tannins. Probably should wait longer for the wine to mature.
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9/10/2010 - BrandrB wrote: 85 Points
Dark crimson red color. Intense nose: ripe dark cherries and liquorice. Big, dense, jammy palate: blackberries, raisins, and spice. Short hot finish. Overwhelming and unbalanced alcohol detracts from an otherwise excellent port – this definitely needs more time.
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9/8/2010 - mdefreitas wrote: 91 Points
Another execellent bottle. Loads of black fruits... blackberry, plums, some spice. Good grip, which frames the gushing fruit well; quite accessable.
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7/19/2010 - mdefreitas wrote: 91 Points
The more I drink this, the more I like it. This seems to have more depth and structure than a typical LBV. Raisins, plums, prunes, but not stewed or overdone.
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7/5/2010 - mdefreitas wrote: 91 Points
Lots of vintage character in this bottle with grippy, yet accessable structure. Ripe and concentrated, yet not overdone in this hot vintage.
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5/23/2010 - heythatslife wrote: 87 Points
I got some clove and licorice notes, but I had to look hard; otherwise, the wine is dominated by straightforward blackberry jam and raisin. There is also a good whiff of brandy on the nose, but not in a bad way. At this point, the finish is hot and shows some tannin; I'm wondering whether those might integrate better in two or three years, but maybe not. Moderately sweet for a port. A decent under-$20 dessert wine.
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5/8/2010 - Tim Heaton wrote:
Consumed over 2 nights. Ripe nose with plenty of heat. More balanced on the palate, with gobs of red and blue fruits, a fairly refreshing acid core and a medium finish, chewy tannins. Not bad for under $20. Still needs some time in the bottle. Showed slightly better on the second night. Approx $18, drink thru 2014.
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4/24/2010 - NiklasW wrote:
My first port wine since starting to write TNs, been a while since I last had port! Quite an expressive nose of raisins, spices and a bit of smoke, very heavy on the nose. Also heavy on the palate, sweet, raisiny, some tannins, a bit hot on the finish. Quite nice, would be fun to learn more about port.
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3/16/2010 - acyso wrote: 85 Points
A very fruity port, with light tannins. Uncomplex and approachable.
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3/8/2010 - Rob Hansult Likes this wine: 93 Points
Filtered. T-cork. Bottled 2009
Deep rich ruby.
Nose > Big fruity licorice, blueberry, boysenberry, black cherry, cassis.
Deep blue-black-purple fruited lilac & violet.
Palate > Big, rich, fruity, sappy/spicy. Black & blue fruit, hint of beet with big, big licorice that continues into a very long smooth, creamy extended finish infused with rich vivid purple fruit, violet, lilac, black cherry & dark chocolate.
Some very smooth wood & skin tannins are blanketed by the length & extended rich fruit of this wine.
Great length. Med+ concentration.
Neck & neck with the Dow '03 LBV for me. Taylor being slightly sweeter, richer & fuller; Dow having slightly more concentration.
I am Loving these '03 LBV Ports!
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2/20/2010 - docvin1107 wrote:
I think we drank this one too cold.Found it off balance and very alcohol driven.
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2/14/2010 - avp wrote:
Popped and poured.
Quite intense a nose giving date, plum, cherry, raisin, clove, liquorice and chocolate. Some floral hints.
Surprisingly light on the palate where the alcohol is stealing the show a bit. A nice gentle grip of tannin. Gets slightly hollow on the midpalate and stays that way to the briefish aftertaste.
This feels young and unfocused but when paired with a cheese plate, everything seemed to be running smoothly. Enjoyable - but could definitely be more approachable.
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1/14/2010 - esb wrote:
Dark. Slightly simple ripe plum with background licorice. Dense, medium/full with medium sweetness, good balance and a touch of tannin. Well done in a bigger style that trades sophistication for power - probably a reflection of the grapes rather than a conscious decision. Enjoyable. Edges rounded on day two. Give it air.
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12/25/2009 - moods wrote: 89 Points
Much lighter than expected, but nonetheless exceptionally fruity without being over ripe or baked. Pleasant drinking with Christmas pud.
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12/12/2009 - IWineAlot wrote: 89 Points
Port Tasting (Schaumburg Binny's): Retail tasting of Ports. Jotted down some quick tasting notes. Right off the bat I got some good amount of heat and currant on the nose. Tons of dark fruits on the palate. Nice finish to this wine, still needs time to calm down a bit.
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12/4/2009 - Henman wrote: 87 Points
375 ml bottle.The nose is beautiful with hints of candy,floral notes and vibrant fruit.On the palate full and sweet,quite balanced,showing red toned fruit and blueberries with synthetic candies on the finish.The nose is actually better than the palate.I do prefer more older tawny ports.
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11/29/2009 - 10centpower wrote: 88 Points
Did not care for it, but I am a 20+ year tawny guy, and will generally not prefer these ruby style LBVs. Perhaps in 10 years.
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11/4/2009 - andtheodor wrote: 89 Points
Kirsch/maraschino cherry, EtOH, dried figs, raisins. Hot and sweet, a little cocoa. Per previous note.
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11/2/2009 - mdefreitas wrote: 90 Points
Solid LBV. Nice concentration; quite firm. Not as lush as others, but this has a nice plummy, bitter chocolate flavor and a slight mineral streak. Nice tension on the palate.
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10/12/2009 - andtheodor wrote: 90 Points
Dark, opaque crimson. Sweet, dense and jammy. Alcohol is out of balance but that's the biggest character holding this back.
Blueberry liquor, dried fruits, figs, cocoa, very full bodied. Some nuttiness emerged after breathing for a while. Wonderful dessert wine.
$19.99, 90 points. Almost as enjoyable as the much pricer 2001 Fladgate Quinta de Vargellas bottling if for no other reason than this bottle didn't take 3 days to really open up. Great QPR!
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8/24/2009 - ylkim30 wrote:
Jammy and sweet. Big, smooth red fruit flavor on the front end with some lingering tannins and heat on the finish. An ok wine.
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8/19/2009 - Zweder wrote: 89 Points
As my previous note. Should not have opened this bottle, but because of the lack of another pleasantly priced port wine I had to. My personal lesson; have a few cheap LBV port wines always in store.
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7/21/2009 - ColinR wrote: 90 Points
Deep ruby/crimson; kirsch liquor, blueberries, dark chocolate; pruney, ripe berry, full body, a bit hot, noticeable tannins, nice finish.
Ripe and rich with 20% alcohol very noticeable. Quite young. Very good with blue cheese on crackers.
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5/17/2009 - Zweder wrote: 89 Points
Sweet cherries and other dark ripe fruits. Leather. The tannin is firm. This is a LBV which will improve by ageing a few years. 3 – 5 years is probably a good guess. Quite full bodied for a LBV. A bit alcoholic at the moment. The alcohol will not disappear, but when al flavors will be better integrated this will be a great LBV.
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4/16/2009 - bigdogflow wrote: 88 Points
Very dark color. Alcohol domoinates nose and taste early, but is reduced after 30 minutes. Nice balanced taste to a long finish.
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3/20/2009 - dmalcolm wrote: 90 Points
Excellent QPR. I had a bottle of the '03 TF Vintage last month, and this LBV was comparable. A bit sweet, but very tasty.
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3/19/2009 - winetennis wrote:
Like the other LBVs, I drank this one over 3-4 weeks, it remained rich, will balanced, with a good level of sweetness.
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1/24/2009 - docvin1107 wrote: 89 Points
Decent LBV port and a very good QPR. Classic flavours of dark/dried fruits dominated by cherries and rasins, chocolate, vanilla and some floral notes. Good structure - a little hot on the finish which makes it a little unbalanced. hopefully the alcohol will integrate better over the next couple of years. Over all the great 03 vintage is definitely shining through. 89+
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1/18/2009 - ecnemergut wrote: 87 Points
Very nice LBV. Simple red and black fruit with a medium finish.
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1/9/2009 - Outplaying wrote: 89 Points
AWS White Clay Chapter - Ports (John and Renee's - Middletown, Delaware): Very dark with a pleasant nose - hints of raisin. Nutty, fruity, and floral? in the mouth. This is pretty good.
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