1967 Nicolau de Almeida Porto Vintage

Community Tasting Notes (4) Avg Score: 91 points

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  7/29/2016 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 93 Points

  No capsule, seal or label, the unbranded driven cork (3.8cm) is firm and comes out without any difficulty. This is a wine (law) historian's dream. One other bottle in this lot did have a front label and a back label from wine merchants Jos Beeres in Groningen (NL), both depicted here. The absence of a seal indicates that this wine was bottled outside Portugal (Portuguese law has required all Port bottled in Portugal to carry a seal since 1941) and the 70cl bottle size means that it was bottled before 1 January 1977 (when the 75cl bottle became obligatory for (fortified) wine in the EU; Portugal only joined in 1986, but it clearly must have been bottled by the Dutch importer). Since 1-1-1974 Portuguese law has required all vintage-designated port to be bottled in Portugal. So, if no-one broke the law, this must have been exported "in pipe" to the Netherlands before 1974 and then bottled there before 1977. The flavour profile is not necessarily at odds with this analysis. Very intense and wonderfully elegant, Madeira-like tanginess, VA in check, beautifully floral, salty woodiness, juicy and fresh, honeyed, spicy and nutty, aromas of old Grande Champagne Cognac, candied fruit, medium sweet on the palate, clean and precise, so energetic and long. Amazing stuff, by far the best bottle of the three tasted so far.

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  12/25/2013 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 91 Points

  A private dinner (at home): Very similar to my previous note. The nose is veering in the direction of Grande Champagne Cognac; the palate is distinctly Madeira-like. A few days in the decanter only seem to add complexity and character. The sweetness remains, but it is less caramelly and monolithic.

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  7/1/2013 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 90 Points

  No capsule or seal, the unbranded driven cork (3.8cm) is firm and comes out without any difficulty. Colour of an old Cognac, no red left; the nose displays powerful, smoky, salty oak and some candied fruit, good depth but no great complexity or finesse, spirit in check; on the palate very sweet, intense, with a velvety texture and good weight of ripe fruit, not dried out at all, balanced by vivid, even tangy, life-sustaining acidity; slightly simple finish, hint of caramel, good length. Very attractive, if somewhat idiosyncratic, wine. Will not improve but will last for ages.

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  7/7/2007 - erikwiechers wrote: 90 Points

  Cherry/brown colour. Smell is spicy, with some fruit, Taste is fresh, a little acid but also soft. Very sweet also with hints from smoked wood. Pretty long aftertaste with caramel. Overall a pretty good wine for a 40 year old. Have to get me some more of this.
  Cork was pulverized upon pulling. So had to decant it through a sieve.

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