Powerful Amarone, starting to get some tertiary notes as well. Lots of spices, alcohol, warm, bold mouthfeel. Paired extremely well with slow-cooked pork and pan-roasted duck breasts.
Drink now and for the next 10-15 years.
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Decanted for two hours, fine sediment in the bottle - no cheese cloth needed. Served slightly chilled at 18-19 degrees Celsius.
Initial nose and palate before decanting: Tart raspberries, bitter fruit in general, very restrained. Almost nebbiolo-like. Opened up in the tasting glass after 20 minutes, showed much better on the palate with sweet fruit, some caramel, slightly underripe dates.
After serving: Still fruit-forward, but tartness had disappeared almost completely, now sweeter and more forgiving on the nose. Palate was primary fruit forward, but with lots of figs and vanilla to compliment - very two-dimensional experience.
Aeration is definitely needed with this wine, two hours is not enough. Leave it overnight preferably, it will show better. Great as a Christmas port before dinner to accompany sweets. Not a world-beater in terms of flavor or mouthfeel, but quite nice. Worth the apprx. 20-25 USD/150 kr I paid for it. Drink within 10 years.
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From 750 mL bottle, decanted two hours before serving. Served at 18 degrees Celsius together with a tart strawberry cake.
Initial nose after opening bottle:
Wow, this is a potent wine. Lots of alcohol, fruit, some notes of dates and figs. Clearly this wine has copious amounts of potential for further maturing.
Initial taste: Fruit forward, red fruits, caramel, vanilla, alcohol! Almost overwhelming.
After decantation: Oh, this is good stuff. Alcohol, vanilla, spices, dates, cocoa, fruit....I could go on. Fantastic port. Extremely masculine in every way, like a hammer to the roof of the mouth.
This is a great wine from a great producer and very hot vintage. Clearly this wine is still young, but will drink great from now on and many decades out.
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2016 Zenato Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
12/24/2023 - RHONEISBETTERTHANBDX Likes this wine: 90 Points
Powerful Amarone, starting to get some tertiary notes as well. Lots of spices, alcohol, warm, bold mouthfeel. Paired extremely well with slow-cooked pork and pan-roasted duck breasts.
Drink now and for the next 10-15 years.
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2017 Dalva Porto Late Bottled Vintage
12/24/2023 - RHONEISBETTERTHANBDX Likes this wine: 88 Points
Decanted for two hours, fine sediment in the bottle - no cheese cloth needed. Served slightly chilled at 18-19 degrees Celsius.
Initial nose and palate before decanting: Tart raspberries, bitter fruit in general, very restrained. Almost nebbiolo-like. Opened up in the tasting glass after 20 minutes, showed much better on the palate with sweet fruit, some caramel, slightly underripe dates.
After serving: Still fruit-forward, but tartness had disappeared almost completely, now sweeter and more forgiving on the nose. Palate was primary fruit forward, but with lots of figs and vanilla to compliment - very two-dimensional experience.
Aeration is definitely needed with this wine, two hours is not enough. Leave it overnight preferably, it will show better. Great as a Christmas port before dinner to accompany sweets. Not a world-beater in terms of flavor or mouthfeel, but quite nice. Worth the apprx. 20-25 USD/150 kr I paid for it. Drink within 10 years.
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2003 Taylor (Fladgate) Porto Vintage
12/23/2023 - RHONEISBETTERTHANBDX Likes this wine: 95 Points
From 750 mL bottle, decanted two hours before serving. Served at 18 degrees Celsius together with a tart strawberry cake.
Initial nose after opening bottle:
Wow, this is a potent wine. Lots of alcohol, fruit, some notes of dates and figs. Clearly this wine has copious amounts of potential for further maturing.
Initial taste: Fruit forward, red fruits, caramel, vanilla, alcohol! Almost overwhelming.
After decantation: Oh, this is good stuff. Alcohol, vanilla, spices, dates, cocoa, fruit....I could go on. Fantastic port. Extremely masculine in every way, like a hammer to the roof of the mouth.
This is a great wine from a great producer and very hot vintage. Clearly this wine is still young, but will drink great from now on and many decades out.
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