A room full of 2011 Vintage Port wines, said to be the best wine in the world for 2011 according to Jancis Robinson, awaited me. And, to round things out, older vintages were on hand for “comparison.” Within 90 minutes, I had completed the tasting, received an education from a CEO and winemaker and sobered up (another hour or so) to drive back home to Awesometown. Representatives were on hand to pour the 2011 Vintage Ports from Croft, Fonseca, Quinta do Noval, Quinta Do Noval Nacional, Quinta Da Romaneira, Vargellas Vinha Velha and Taylor Fladgate. Additional vintage years included several from 2009, 2008, 2007, 2004 and 2003; the oldest ones were decanted for us. Unlike a wine tasting, I was told that for Port you would taste starting at the oldest and work your way down to the youngest. As I had to maneuver a wine glass and a notepad I was only able to take decent notes when I had a set interview (see below). And to be completely honest, I am in no way a Port aficionado. I learned a lot, tasted a lot, and was able to discern mild differences between vintages and estates. All in all I was usually greeted by a full mouth of dark peppery fruit, chewy tannins, blackberry liqueur, smoke and incredible balance – no matter what the year. If I took anything away from the tasting it was that though these fortified wines had higher alcohol then I was used to – 20 percent alcohol was the average – they were gentlemen and deserved to be lingered over, thought about and appreciated. Many of the 2011 bottles that I sampled were not yet bottled for the public. However, due to “The 2011 Vintage Port Declaration” there had been several global tastings and a buying list accompanied today’s event. Robert Parker had already given four of the 2011’s I tasted no less than 92 points: Fonseca (97-99), Taylor Fladgate Classic Vintage Porto (96-98), Taylor Fladgate Quinta de Vargellas Vinha Vehla (96-98) and Croft (92-95). My personal favorites included the 2004 Taylor Fladgate Vargellas Vinha Velha, 2011 Quinta Da Romaneira, 2003 and 2004 Quinta Do Nova and the 2011 Croft. But I learned the most about Port from my brief interviews with two of the major mover and shakers in the Portuguese wine world: Adrian Bridge, Chief Executive Officer The Fladgate Partnership “The pinnacle of Port production is Vintage Port,” began Bridge. “It’s the most long-lived of all wines and appreciated for different reasons.” Of the buzz worthy 2011 vintage Bridge said it was robust, rich with silky tannings. He suggested that people purchase a case and try two every year to judge its “wonderful evolution.” Only 12 percent of all Port is made into a Vintage Port or late bottle vintages. For himself, Bridge can keep a bottle of Vintage Port in the fridge, for a little while, if he can’t finish a bottle all at once with friends celebrating a special occasion. The reality of Port is that it’s grown in an affordable region – usually selling for less than $100 a bottle – yet it can be compared in quality to a first growth Bordeaux. David Bruce Fonseca Guimaraens, Winemaker The Fladgate Partnership The key message is that Port, according to Guimaraens, is a natural way to finish a meal. In Tawny Ports you get flavors of dried fruit and wood from aging; it would lend itself well to egg-based desserts, and is the most casual. Vintage Ports, on the other hand, had more fruit flavors and are great paired with berries. A favorite paring for Guimaraens is a Vintage Port and chocolate cake. “The Vintage Port practically cleanses the palate” when paired with the chocolate cake, making you crave more of both. You can also drink the Vintage Port “regularly after a meal to lubricate a conversations with friends.” The “Vintage Port is for the wine connoisseur” as it’s the best of a selection of the best, and they only bottle Vintage Ports in really good years. Each Port represented in that Vintage year will be indicative of each estate’s location and unique terroir. A Vintage Port has two phases, according to Guimaraens, between 10 and 15 years there is young fruit and some tannins, but after cellar aging beyond 15 years, for the second phase, the Port will begin to develop much like a “time capsule.” It becomes a wine to taste year after year as its complexities – such as spice, smoothness and silkiness – will be more apparent with age. As does any true gentlemen. |
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