Some Port Tasting Notes

This page contains my Port-drinking records since mid-2007. Since then I have tried 809 different Ports.

I try to write notes on most of the Ports and there are 853 on this page.

Top
Year Type Producer Notes
1873 VP Sandeman 0.2
Brown in middle, fading to green. Quite hot on nose on first tasting, followed by a nuttiness. In the mouth, walnuts, a little brown sugar and some oranges. No proper fruit. Very long after-taste but a little spirity and bitter at the end. Somewhat disappointing compared to the 1884.  Drunk: TPF Sandeman Tasting (Date: 2011-05-13)
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1884 VP Sandeman 0.2 CertainlyC
Obviously extremely old. A pale golden colour. Still very drinkable. Huge amounts of rosemary on the nose.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2009 (Date: 2009-12-17)
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1900 VP Warre 0.2 CertainlyC
Very dark for its age. Good on the nose. Excellent Showing.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2008 (Date: 2008-12-18)
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1904 VP Croft 0.20.2 CertainlyC
CertainlyC++
Mature. Spicy. Going quickly.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2008 (Date: 2008-12-18)
Good, dark, colour. Some fruit still in the mouth, followed by a long, impressive after-taste. Fabulous.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2010 (Date: 2010-12-16)
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1904 VP Sandeman 0.2
Reddish-brown in the middle, fading to nothing. On first tasting after decanting, quite a synthetic nose and harsh bitter tastes in the mouth. A few hours later, a nuttiness had emerged with a very little sugar but this bottle seemed damaged.  Drunk: TPF Sandeman Tasting (Date: 2011-05-13)
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1907 VP Unknown WWW 0.2
Unknown magnum. Very dark for its age. Excellent wine.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2009 (Date: 2009-12-17)
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1908 VP Schofield 0.2 CertainlyC
Light. Spicy. Extremely good.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2008 (Date: 2008-12-18)
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1911 VP Sandeman 0.2 CertainlyC
Bright orange in the middle. Lavender and cumin on the nose. In the mouth, slightly sweet with lavender and other herbs predominating. Quite acidic, too. Damaged in some way; slightly Maderised but still very elegant and attractive.  Drunk: TPF Sandeman Tasting (Date: 2011-05-13)
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1917 VP Unknown 0.2 CertainlyC++
Deep ruby red; a fantastic colour for such an old Port. In the mouth, huge sensation of red currants. Excellent.   Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2010 (Date: 2010-12-16)
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1920 VP Fonseca 0.2 CertainlyC++
Still incredibly dark and powerful. Probably the wine of the night.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2009 (Date: 2009-12-17)
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1922 VP Warre 0.2 PossiblyP++
Justini and Brooks bottling. Colour fades to almost nothing on the edge. On the nose, very smoky. No fruity left and notably little sugar but a long aftertaste.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2011 (Date: 2011-12-15)
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1924 VP Offley 0.2 PossiblyP
Very dark. Oddly black in colour. In the mouth, very malty with a slight cola flavour. Longish aftertaste.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2011 (Date: 2011-12-15)
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1927 VP Cockburn 0.2
Leaking bottle. Tobacco on the nose, with slight ammonia. Much nicer on the palate. Slight cherry; extremely drinkable.  Drunk: Tasting with AHB (Date: 2009-06-11)
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1927 VP Martinez 0.2 PossiblyP
Very dark: as deep in colour as the Taylor 1955. Quite gentle on the nose, perhaps a touch muddy. In the mouth, a little fruit and some astringency.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2010 (Date: 2010-12-16)
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1927 VP Sandeman 0.2 PossiblyP++
Brown in the middle and fading towards the edge. Very little on the nose. Subtle spices. In the mouth, a very little fruit, with some caramelised sugar. Perhaps a touch of cola, too. The aftertaste was short. Nice but not fantastic.  Drunk: TPF Sandeman Tasting (Date: 2011-05-13)
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1927 VP Taylor 0.20.2
PossiblyP++
Slightly disappointing.   Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2009 (Date: 2009-12-17)
Very, very dark. Muted and slightly spirity on the nose. Very rounded in the mouth with good structure. Classically “Taylor”.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2011 (Date: 2011-12-15)
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1931 VP Quinta do Noval 0.2
Leaking bottle. Ever so slightly cloudy. Pungent and woody on the nose. Perhaps slight varnish which carries on to the mouth. Slightly bitter with a fruity aftertaste.  Drunk: Tasting with AHB (Date: 2009-06-11)
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1933 White Cálem 0.2 CertainlyC
Golden Tawny. Spice and citrus.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2008 (Date: 2008-12-18)
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1933 VP Fonseca Guimaraens 0.2
Dark for age: reddish orange in the middle. Fading towards the edge. Very muted on the nose, with a slight roughness. Some heat, too, and little fruit. In the mouth, very elegant with a good balance of sweetness and elegance. On revisiting, continued to show good balance, with some complex, coffee-like tastes emerging. Very nice.  Drunk: Fonseca and Fonseca Guimaraens Tasting (Date: 2011-04-04)
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1934 Colheita Dalva 0.2 No!N
Bottled 1973. Somewhat harsh. Probably too long in the bottle.  Drunk: TPF tasting with Oscar Quevedo (Date: 2010-02-11)
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1934 Colheita Dalva House Reserve 0.2 CertainlyC
Deep brown and fading. Little on nose. In the mouth, deep, complex nuttiness. Some toffee. Some acidity. Tastes like a Vintage Bual. Some oranges. Long aftertaste with nuts, toffee and a little heat.  Drunk: Not VP Tasting II (Date: 2011-07-07)
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1934 VP Sandeman 0.2 CertainlyC--
Brown in middle, going golden at the edge. Toffee and burnt sugar on the nose. In the mouth, very little fruit, with burnt fruit predominating. Medium aftertaste with hollow, round finish. Very attractive, but simple, Port. Not as good as the 1935.  Drunk: TPF Sandeman Tasting (Date: 2011-05-13)
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1935 VP Croft 0.2 PossiblyP++
Good red colour. Huge quantities of mint on the nose and in the mouth. Spearmint everywhere. Fabulous. But falls away quickly leaving little aftertaste.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2011 (Date: 2011-12-15)
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1935 VP Cálem 0.2 CertainlyC++
Wonderful. Full of chocolate and orange.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2009 (Date: 2009-12-17)
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1935 VP Sandeman 0.2 CertainlyC
Darker than surrounding Ports. As dark as the 1948. Quite muted on the nose. A little fruit with some stewed plums. Hit of sugar, with a slightly astringent aftertaste but one which is sufficiently long (with a hollow aftertaste) to make it attractive. Excellent.  Drunk: TPF Sandeman Tasting (Date: 2011-05-13)
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1935 VP Taylor 0.2
Slightly disappointing.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2009 (Date: 2009-12-17)
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1940 Colheita Dalva 0.2 CertainlyC--
Bottled 1978. Good brown colour in the middle but fading towards the edge. Slightly watery and astringent in the mouth, and I found it hard to get over the initial acidity but this was followed by a very good, very long aftertaste which reminded me more of very old colheitas.  Drunk: Chistmas Tasting (Date: 2011-12-15)
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1942 VP Fonseca Guimaraens 0.2
Orange colour. On first tasting, toxic nose, which led me to believe something had gone very badly wrong. A couple of hours later, nose much improved. Toxic aroma had blown off. In the mouth, simply sweet sugar but apparently dying. On revisiting, turned into a simply sugar solution, with nothing else left.  Drunk: Fonseca and Fonseca Guimaraens Tasting (Date: 2011-04-04)
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1942 VP Niepoort 0.2 CertainlyC++
From an one litre “dumpy” bottle. Deep brown. Excellent fruit remaining in the mouth with some tannins and great, long complexity. Fantastic.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2010 (Date: 2010-12-16)
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1943 VP Sandeman 0.2 CertainlyC--
Slightly bitter on the nose. Perhaps a little toffee in the mouth. Very subtle, with a little fruit. Dried out, but remains very good.  Drunk: TPF Sandeman Tasting (Date: 2011-05-13)
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1945 VP Ferreira 0.2 CertainlyC
Dark for its age. Little bottle stink. Nice on the palate.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2008 (Date: 2008-12-18)
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1945 VP Quinta do Noval 0.2
Good red colour. Horrible bottle stink. In the mouth, some slight rounded cherries. Followed by long, woody, aftertaste but let down, alas, by the bottle stink.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2011 (Date: 2011-12-15)
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1945 VP Sandeman 0.20.2 CertainlyC
CertainlyC
From the Sandeman Cellar.  Drunk: TPF 30+ Initial Offline at Portal (Date: 2008-11-21)
Reddish brown, fading to light brown. Complex, fading fruit on the nose. Stewed fruit, too. In the mouth a hit of sugar, a little fruit and cherries. Long aftertaste. Very elegant and well integrated. A day later immediate soft fruit, some brown sugar, fades quickly. Very elegant and attractive. Delicious.  Drunk: TPF Sandeman Tasting (Date: 2011-05-13)
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1947 VP Rebello Valente 0.2 PossiblyP
Leaking. Lots of spirit. Fruit completely faded. Unfortunately, past its best.  Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2009-03-16)
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1947 VP Sandeman 0.2 CertainlyC
Same colour as the 1947. Slightly less fruit with more heat than the 1945. In the mouth, simple sugar with some rounded cola-like flavours. Short after-taste. Slightly astringent at the end of the palate.  Drunk: TPF Sandeman Tasting (Date: 2011-05-13)
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1947 VP Smith Woodhouse 0.20.2 CertainlyC
PossiblyP
Mature colour. Subdued nose. Excellent, especially since it was from a cracked bottle!  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2008 (Date: 2008-12-18)
Very pale. Slightly stinky on the nose. In the mouth quite elegant but not quite as attractive as the previous one. Does Smith Woodhouse mature better in cracked bottles?!  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2010 (Date: 2010-12-16)
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1947 VP Warre 0.2 PossiblyP
Quite a lot of heat. Chocolate in the middle. Slight sourness.  Drunk: TPF Warre Tasting (Date: 2009-10-02)
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1948 VP Fonseca 0.2
Leaking bottle. Still fairly dark. Good.  Drunk: Tasting with AHB (Date: 2009-06-11)
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1948 VP Sandeman 0.2 PossiblyP++
A measure darker and pinker than the 1947. More fruit on the nose. Perhaps even a touch floral. Against, some sugar on the palate. Then very astringent. Otherwise, if not quite matching it, some 1945-esque cherry elegance.  Drunk: TPF Sandeman Tasting (Date: 2011-05-13)
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1950 VP Sandeman 0.2 CertainlyC--
Similar colour to the 1948, perhaps a touch pinker. Much sweeter in the mouth than the older Sandeman. Rounded fruit, too. But with a very short after-taste. Nice if not fabulous.  Drunk: TPF Sandeman Tasting (Date: 2011-05-13)
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1952 White Dalva 0.2
Vinologia. The nose was slightly disappointing, with a slight sensation of surgical spirit. Thankfully, once in the mouth. It had very little fruit but this was more than compensated by a luscious sweetness. I suppose Dalva must be ageing sweeter whites (perhaps a Lagrima rather than a standard dry). There was still a touch of tannins left, giving it body and this, combined with a bit of spice, reminded me far more of “mainstream” ports than any of the other whites I drank with it.  Drunk: Oporto May 2009 
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1952 VP Warre 0.2 PossiblyP
Bit darker than the others. Dusty nose. Not a lot of fruit. Not great. Quite sour. Longer tail-off than the Warre 1947.  Drunk: TPF Warre Tasting (Date: 2009-10-02)
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1955 VP Barros 0.2 PossiblyP
Light in the middle, getting paler to the edge where it was devoid of any colour. Quite a lot of heat on the nose. In the mouth, sweet mellow roses which lingers in the mouth. Perhaps a little faded. Not quite as complex or elegant as it may have been.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2010 (Date: 2010-12-16)
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1955 VP Dow 0.20.2 CertainlyC
CertainlyC
Little bottle stink. Good.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2008 (Date: 2008-12-18)
Rosy coloured in the middle, fading to orange on the edge. Rich, expressive nose; quite excellent. Initially, in the mouth, rounded fruit. Some marmalade in the back of the mouth. Long after-taste with a little heat and black pepper at the end. Mature at the moment; everything has fallen into place.  Drunk: “Bring a Bottle” (Date: 2011-05-06)
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1955 VP Fonseca 0.2
Good colour in the middle; orange on rim. Something not quite right with the nose; metal and egg yolk. Disappointing.  Drunk: Fonseca and Fonseca Guimaraens Tasting (Date: 2011-04-04)
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1955 VP Graham 0.20.2 CertainlyC
CertainlyC++
Still darkish in the middle, but quite pronounced lightening to the edges. Nose was surprisingly subdued. On the palate extremely elegant, surprisingly dry and with a long aftertaste. Excellent stuff.  Drunk: TPF Malvedos Tasting (Date: 2010-03-22)
Extraordinary amount of fruit on the nose and in the mouth. Wonderful toffee, syrupy flavour. Excellent.  Drunk: Decanter, The Symingtons: Half a Century of Superlative Port (Date: 2010-11-14)
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1955 VP Quinta do Noval 0.20.2 CertainlyC++
CertainlyC
Drunk: TPF “Bring a wine to share” Offline (Date: 2008-09-30)
Excellent. Sweet with some fruit.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2011 (Date: 2011-12-15)
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1955 VP Sandeman 0.2 CertainlyC
Notably darker than the older Sandemans. First properly red Port. Cherries on the nose, with good sweetness in the mouth, matched with some nice fruit. Long aftertaste. Much better than the 1950 and 1945; simply excellent.  Drunk: TPF Sandeman Tasting (Date: 2011-05-13)
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1955 VP Taylor 0.20.2 CertainlyC
CertainlyC
Very dark.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2008 (Date: 2008-12-18)
Deep red in the middle, with a pinkish edge. Tobacco and peat predominated on the nose. In the mouth, good, elegant fruit. After-taste tasted oddly of Cognac but attractive nonetheless.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2010 (Date: 2010-12-16)
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1955 VP Tuke Holdsworth 0.2 CertainlyC
Almost identical colour to the Taylor 1955: deep red with slight pinking around the edge. In the mouth, extremely elegant, with subtle, sweet fruit. To my palate this piped the Taylor 1955 as the best of the three 1955 we tried.   Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2010 (Date: 2010-12-16)
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1957 VP Fonseca Guimaraens 0.2
Orange in the middle, fading to the edge. Slight rancio on the nose. In the mouth, oranges, with a short attractive aftertaste. A simple attractive Port.  Drunk: Fonseca and Fonseca Guimaraens Tasting (Date: 2011-04-04)
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1957 SQVP Graham Quinta dos Malvedos 0.2 CertainlyC++
Exactly the same colour as the 1955. Not so elegant on the nose but still quite well formed. Markedly sweeter on the initial palate followed by a hugely long, elegant, aftertaste.  Drunk: TPF Malvedos Tasting (Date: 2010-03-22)
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1957 Colheita Kopke 0.2 CertainlyC
Bottled 2021. Quite similar colour, again, to the younger colheitas. Still no green. Second most expressive nose after the 1966. A bit fresher and less nutty. The mouth is more sprightly than the 1966 on first tasting with a decent hit of popping acidity. Caramalised oranges follow into a long aftertaste which finally concludes with some nuts. Very good, although I might just take the 1966 over this one, if offered both.  Drunk: DIY Kopke Tasting, NYE 2021 (Date: 2021-12-31)
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1958 VP Dow 0.20.2 CertainlyC
CertainlyC
Nice. Mature but not too mature.  Drunk: Dow Tasting (Date: 2010-09-07)
Pinky / orange in the middle, fading to the edge. Very subtle on the nose, with some oranges and perhaps some rose water or Turkish delight. Very little fruit remaining in the mouth. Tangerines predominate. No tannins; subtle fruit and a remaining dryness. A long hallow of an after-taste.  Drunk: “Bring a Bottle” (Date: 2011-05-06)
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1958 SQVP Graham Quinta dos Malvedos 0.2 CertainlyC
Slightly darker than the 1957. Very nice on the nose with a surprising amount of fruit left. Sweet and rounded in the mouth. Very attractive.  Drunk: TPF Malvedos Tasting (Date: 2010-03-22)
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1958 VP Sandeman 0.2 PossiblyP--
Older than the 1955 in colour; slightly browner. Stewed fruit with a little rancio on the nose. Rancio in the mouth, too, matched with a little sweetness. The rancio dominates with makes it unattractive.  Drunk: TPF Sandeman Tasting (Date: 2011-05-13)
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1958 VP Warre 0.20.2 PossiblyP

Slight bottle stink. Bit more rounded in the mouth than the 1952.  Drunk: TPF Warre Tasting (Date: 2009-10-02)
Leaking bottle. Another light port. Light on the palate with a slight spiciness. Very nice.  Drunk: Tasting with AHB (Date: 2009-06-11)
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1960 VP Cockburn 0.2 CertainlyC
Cherry red fading to translucence around the edge. Good sweet porty nose, with some red currants. Nicely balanced sweetness with rounded fruits. Very nice drinking now.  Drunk: Chistmas Tasting (Date: 2011-12-15)
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1960 VP Delaforce 0.2 CertainlyC
Reddy-orange middle, fading to peachy edge. Very earthy nose with some herbs and burnt orange. In the mouth, some spirit, then long aftertaste with some orange caramel. Very dry finish. Overall, very good and one of the best 1960s.   Drunk: Delaforce Tasting (Date: 2012-04-24)
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1960 VP Ferreira 0.20.2

Leaking bottle. Very acidic. Not particularly pleasant on the nose. Slight bottle stink.  Drunk: Tasting with AHB (Date: 2009-06-11)
Slight bottle stink. Lots of acidity. Quite sweet. Pretty much undrinkable.  Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2010-04-20)
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1960 VP Fonseca 0.2
Red centre, then fades to the edge. Some heat on nose. Very muted. An odd paradox which showed both immediate heat and longer dryness. Attractive flavours, but let down by short aftertaste. Weak compared to other Fonsecas.  Drunk: Fonseca and Fonseca Guimaraens Tasting (Date: 2011-04-04)
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1960 VP Martinez 0.2 CertainlyC
Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2008 (Date: 2008-12-18)
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1960 VP Sandeman 0.2 CertainlyC
Good colour; similar to the 1955. Nice fruit on the nose, but subtle. In the mouth, very attractive with good fruit and long elegant aftertaste. Very nice.  Drunk: TPF Sandeman Tasting (Date: 2011-05-13)
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1960 VP Warre 0.20.20.2 PossiblyP--
CertainlyC--

Bit dusty on the nose. Still quite harsh. Not great.  Drunk: TPF Warre Tasting (Date: 2009-10-02)
A huge hit of sugar followed by fruit. Perhaps a touch muted compared to the Graham 63 and 55.  Drunk: Decanter, The Symingtons: Half a Century of Superlative Port (Date: 2010-11-14)
Pink in the middle, fading to orange, then nothing. A bit of rough bottle stink persevered into the palate and although it eventually blew off the wine never really got going.  Drunk: “Bring a Bottle” (Date: 2011-05-06)
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1961 VP Fonseca Guimaraens 0.2
Same colour as 1957. More fruit on the nose then other, surrounding, glasses. Very sweet with lots of red fruit. Attractive.  Drunk: Fonseca and Fonseca Guimaraens Tasting (Date: 2011-04-04)
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1962 SQVP Graham Quinta dos Malvedos 0.2 CertainlyC
Similar colour to the 1958 but slightly less pinkish on the edge of the meniscus. The oldest wine to show the straight-forward elegance and balance of the older Malvedos.   Drunk: TPF Malvedos Tasting (Date: 2010-03-22)
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1963 VP Adams 0.2 CertainlyC
Excellent drinking now.  Drunk: TPF 30+ Initial Offline at Portal (Date: 2008-11-21)
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1963 VP Croft 0.2 PossiblyP++
Very good translucent red. Very good nose. Loads of spearmint. Impossible to improve nose. In the mouth, still good but little complexity. Probably one to drink now and no later.  Drunk: Douro August 2017 (Date: 2017-08-18)
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1963 VP Delaforce 0.2 PossiblyP++
Measure redder than the 1960. Some eucalyptus. Less heat than the 1960, though. Perhaps some tobacco? Long red fruit initially, then similar aftertaste to the 1960. Some orange. Very, very nice.  Drunk: Delaforce Tasting (Date: 2012-04-24)
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1963 VP Dow 0.20.2 CertainlyC
CertainlyC--
Enjoyable.  Drunk: Dow Tasting (Date: 2010-09-07)
Quite subtle in the mouth. Compares unfavourably to the Graham’s 1970. Lots of coffee.  Drunk: Berry Bros (Date: 2011-12-01)
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1963 VP Ferreira 0.2
Leaking bottle. Minor on the palate. A bit of tannins left.  Drunk: Tasting with AHB (Date: 2009-06-11)
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1963 VP Fonseca 0.2 PossiblyP
Off bottle. Not quite there. A shame.  Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2009-01-15)
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1963 VP Graham 0.2 CertainlyC++
An explosion of fruit both on the nose and in the mouth. This was extremely good and enjoyable.  Drunk: Decanter, The Symingtons: Half a Century of Superlative Port (Date: 2010-11-14)
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1963 Colheita Graham 0.2 CertainlyC++
Suprisingly bright. Almost picking up some orange in the middle. Then fading to the edge where we are properly into green territory. The nose is wonderful. Elegant and surprisingly floral. There is a freshness, still. The mouth has real complexity. The acidity is well balanced. Some cigars, perhaps?  Drunk: Graham’s “Single Harvest Tawny” Virtual Tasting  (Date: 2021-04-15)
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1963 VP Quinta do Noval 0.4
(Two separate bottles were consumed).  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2009 (Date: 2009-12-17)
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1963 VP Sandeman 0.20.2 CertainlyC
CertainlyC
Similar colour to the 1960. Similar the mouth, too. Less sugar hit than the 1960, with rounded elegant fruit. Excellent. A day later, very similar to the 1945. Soft fruit, a little brown sugar. Extremely long after taste. Excellent.  Drunk: TPF Sandeman Tasting (Date: 2011-05-13)
Leaking with bottle stink which had mostly blown off by time of tasting and it presented itself very nicely. Although it is now at maturity, there’s still a little amount of tannins left and the fruit is extremely attractive.  Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2009-03-16)
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1963 VP Taylor 0.2
Leaking bottle. Incredibly strong on the nose, but not particularly pleasant.  Drunk: Tasting with AHB (Date: 2009-06-11)
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1963 VP Warre 0.20.20.20.2 CertainlyC++
CertainlyC

CertainlyC
Absolutely lovely on the palate. Easy to drink. Quite little fruit and quite a lot of sugar, but otherwise very nice.  Drunk: TPF Warre Tasting (Date: 2009-10-02)
Good.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2008 (Date: 2008-12-18)
Slightly astringent in the palate, everyone else raved about this Port but I was somewhat unconvinced.  Drunk: Blind tasting, TCP (Date: 2010-11-08)
Notably more sweet than the Dow 1963. Much more expressive fruit on the nose. Slight coffee aftertaste but combined with a great amount of sweetness.  Drunk: Berry Bros (Date: 2011-12-01)
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1964 VP Fonseca Guimaraens 0.20.2

Very dark and robust. Attractive but in need of much more time in the decanter to flower. Guessed as Warre 1985 or Warre 1991.  Drunk: Ides of March 2011, El Vino’s (Date: 2011-03-15)
Much darker than the others as around: same colour as 1966. Large change in style notable with a large amount of soft fruit. Very, very drinkable and attractive.  Drunk: Fonseca and Fonseca Guimaraens Tasting (Date: 2011-04-04)
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1964 SQVP Graham Quinta dos Malvedos 0.2 CertainlyC
A measure darker than the 1962. Attractively floral on the nose. Slightly less complex in the mouth than on the nose, but beautifully straight-forward and elegant wine.  Drunk: TPF Malvedos Tasting (Date: 2010-03-22)
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1964 SQVP Taylor Quinta de Vargellas 0.2
Still dark, and showing quite a lot of fire. In the mouth, a bit of pepper, with perhaps a little of the grassiness which re-emerged with some of the younger Vargellas.  Drunk: TPF Vargellas tasting, TCP (Date: 2009-03-24)
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1965 VP Fonseca Guimaraens 0.2
Good red colour. Bit odd on the nose; perhaps a touch corked. Good sweetness in the mouth with a little fruit thought very short aftertaste. Elegant but very short and let down by lack of density of fruit.  Drunk: Fonseca and Fonseca Guimaraens Tasting (Date: 2011-04-04)
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1965 SQVP Graham Quinta dos Malvedos 0.2 CertainlyC
A very nice Port. Extremely smooth in the mouth with a beautiful elegance and balance.  Drunk: TPF Malvedos Tasting (Date: 2010-03-22)
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1965 Colheita Krohn 0.2 PossiblyP--
Fine. Unexciting.  Drunk: TPF tasting with Oscar Quevedo (Date: 2010-02-11)
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1965 VP Sandeman 0.2 CertainlyC
Same colour as the 1963. Equally fruit-filled on the nose. Much stronger sugar in the mouth, followed by less fruit and a slightly astringent after-taste. Very good but perhaps not as excellent as the 1963.  Drunk: TPF Sandeman Tasting (Date: 2011-05-13)
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1965 SQVP Taylor Quinta de Vargellas 0.2
On the nose of this was a huge amount of toffee and caramel. In the mouth, quite similar to the 64, with perhaps ever-so-slightly less fire and pepper.   Drunk: TPF Vargellas tasting, TCP (Date: 2009-03-24)
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1965 LBV Taylor 0.2 No!N
Claimed by Taylor to be the first ever LBV. Very pale in the middle, fading to nothing at the outside edge. In the mouth, initially bitter: slightly odd, chemicals, fading to a quite nice, long aftertaste. Far too old; dead.   Drunk: TPF LBV Tasting II (Date: 2011-1-28)
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1966 VP Croft 0.20.2 PossiblyP--
CertainlyC++
Good red colour. Fairly spirity; in the mouth slightly chemically with a short aftertaste. Probably a flawed bottle.  Drunk: Steak Exchange (Date: 2011-11-08)
Good red colour. Perhaps the slightest touch of spirit on the nose, followed by reasonable Portiness. In mouth, glorious round fruits with a slightly hollow aftertaste. Fabulous.  Drunk: Steak Exchange (Date: 2011-11-08)
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1966 VP Delaforce 0.2 CertainlyC
Similar colour to the 1963. Nice deep, reddish centre. Good porty nose. Much more subtle than the 1963. Very long tobacco at the very end. In the mouth, slight hit of sugar. Followed by rounded fruit. Medium aftertaste. Some tobacco. Some oranges. Very elegant. Perhaps even needs some more time?  Drunk: Delaforce Tasting (Date: 2012-04-24)
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1966 VP Dow 0.20.2 CertainlyC
CertainlyC
Excellent; best of the older Dows.  Drunk: Dow Tasting (Date: 2010-09-07)
Fabulous fruit on the nose with some caramel. Surprising impact of sugar in the mouth. It then tailed off slightly, with a little fruit at the very end.  Drunk: Decanter, The Symingtons: Half a Century of Superlative Port (Date: 2010-11-14)
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1966 VP Fonseca 0.20.2 PossiblyP

Deep red: a fantastic colour. Quite subdued otherwise.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2010 (Date: 2010-12-16)
A bit darker than proceeding Fonsecas. Muted on the nose. Elegant in the mouth. Soft fruits and good sweetness. Again, though, a short after-taste.  Drunk: Fonseca and Fonseca Guimaraens Tasting (Date: 2011-04-04)
🔗
1966 VP Graham 0.20.20.2 CertainlyC++
PossiblyP
PossiblyP
Notably darker than the older wines in this tasting. On the palate, simply incredible complexity with a good amount of fruit to balance out its sweetness and maturity. Absolutely excellent.  Drunk: TPF Malvedos Tasting (Date: 2010-03-22)
Orangey. Slighter than the others. Really bitter in the mouth; probably flawed.  Drunk: Steak Exchange (Date: 2011-11-08)
Very light. Slightly spirity. No fruit. Is this beginning to decline or was it just an over-aged bottle?  Drunk: BBR Port Walk 2017 (Date: 2017-11-24)
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1966 Colheita Kopke 0.2 CertainlyC
Bottled 2021. Again, similar colour to the 1981 but deeper brown. No hint of green, yet. The nose is more prominent than the others from this tasting—some nuts come through—but still quite subtle and spirity. The mouth has a wonderful initial sweetness with a thick mouthfeel of caramel backed up by the smallest amount of lemony-acidity. The aftertaste is immensely long; not particularly tawny but dominated by the caramel. Wonderfully drinkable.  Drunk: DIY Kopke Tasting, NYE 2021 (Date: 2021-12-31)
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1966 VP Quinta do Noval 0.20.20.2
CertainlyC
CertainlyC
Drunk: TPF 1966 v 1967 Tasting (Date: 2009-11-13)
Light in colour and with dried fruits on the nose. Fairly well mature. A very pleasant way to start the evening.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2008 (Date: 2008-12-18)
Amber in the centre, fading to light orange. A stack of fresh spearmint on the nose. No fresh fruit left in the mouth, but a glorious sense of marzipan and dried fruit like cherries. Very long aftertaste with caramel. Excellent Port to drink now.  Drunk: Quinta do Noval Virtual Tasting with 67 Pall Mall (Date: 2020-06-28)
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1966 VP Quinta do Noval Nacional 0.2
Drunk: TPF 1966 v 1967 Tasting (Date: 2009-11-13)
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1966 VP Sandeman 0.20.2 CertainlyC

A touch darker than the 1965. A little stewed fruit on the nose, with some icing sugar and well-integrated fruit on the palate. Very nice.  Drunk: TPF Sandeman Tasting (Date: 2011-05-13)
Drunk: TPF 1966 v 1967 Tasting (Date: 2009-11-13)
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1966 VP Taylor 0.2
Drunk: TPF 1966 v 1967 Tasting (Date: 2009-11-13)
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1966 VP Warre 0.20.2 CertainlyC

More sweetness than the Warre 1963. Slightly harsher too. Thought still very good.  Drunk: TPF Warre Tasting (Date: 2009-10-02)
Drunk: TPF 1966 v 1967 Tasting (Date: 2009-11-13)
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1967 SQVP Croft Quinta da Roêda 0.2 CertainlyC
Very nice, one of the best 1967 SQVPs.  Drunk: Blind tasting, TCP (Date: 2010-11-08)
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1967 VP Fonseca Guimaraens 0.2
Markedly lighter than the 1966. Elegant again, with subtle attractive fruits. As good or perhaps better than the 1967.  Drunk: Fonseca and Fonseca Guimaraens Tasting (Date: 2011-04-04)
🔗
1967 VP Martinez 0.20.2
CertainlyC
Drunk: TPF 1966 v 1967 Tasting (Date: 2009-11-13)
Quite subtle. Very elegant.  Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2010-04-20)
🔗
1967 VP Quinta do Noval 0.2
Drunk: TPF 1966 v 1967 Tasting (Date: 2009-11-13)
🔗
1967 VP Quinta do Noval Nacional 0.2
Drunk: TPF 1966 v 1967 Tasting (Date: 2009-11-13)
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1967 VP Sandeman 0.20.2 CertainlyC--

Slightly darker than the 1966. Stylistically, quite different from the older Sandemans, but similar to those which were younger, suggesting this was the year when the house style changed. Peppermint everywhere on the nose. Some fruit in the mouth, but peppermint predominates. Very attractive.  Drunk: TPF Sandeman Tasting (Date: 2011-05-13)
Drunk: TPF 1966 v 1967 Tasting (Date: 2009-11-13)
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1967 SQVP Taylor Quinta de Vargellas 0.40.20.2 PossiblyP++


Corney and Barrow bottling. Bottled 1969. Nose is surprisingly subdued, with a slight turmeric-like spiciness. In the mouth, quite lovely; it is showing a bit of the traits of the ’64, with only a little sugar, some pepper and turmeric. This leads to a surprisingly bitter aftertaste, although not in an unpleasant way. Although the tannins have faded, it is still quite complex and it lasts a great deal of time in the mouth.   Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2009-01-15)
Drunk: TPF 1966 v 1967 Tasting (Date: 2009-11-13)
Oporto bottled in 1970. Slightly darker, with a touch more fruit than the Corney and Barrow bottled 1969, but without the complexity of the maturer bottles.  Drunk: TPF Vargellas tasting, TCP (Date: 2009-03-24)
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1967 LBV Taylor 0.2 No!N++
Similar colour to the 1965 LBV. Fewer things wrong in the mouth, but no fruit. Long aftertaste. Still too old and faded, though best of the 1965, 1967, 1969 and 1975 LBVs.  Drunk: TPF LBV Tasting II (Date: 2011-1-28)
🔗
1968 Colheita Andresen 0.2
Excellent and complex.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2009 (Date: 2009-12-17)
🔗
1968 VP Fonseca Guimaraens 0.2
Same colour as the 1967. Same subdued nose. Elegant again but not quite equal to the 1967.  Drunk: Fonseca and Fonseca Guimaraens Tasting (Date: 2011-04-04)
🔗
1968 Colheita Niepoort 0.2 PossiblyP
Bottled 1983. Slightly spirity and disjointed.  Drunk: TPF tasting with Oscar Quevedo (Date: 2010-02-11)
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1969 Colheita Dow 0.2
Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2009 (Date: 2009-12-17)
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1969 Ruby Taylor Quinta de Vargellas 0.2 CertainlyC++
Inauguration of the the Prince of Wales bottling. Deep red. Blackberries on the nose. Very elegant in the mouth with well integrated alcohol. Excellent. Probably better than the Varegllas SQVPs from the 1960s!  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2010 (Date: 2010-12-16)
🔗
1969 LBV Taylor 0.2 No!N
Similar colour to the 1967. Something wrong on the nose and in the mouth. Described as “not poisonous” which about summed it up.  Drunk: TPF LBV Tasting II (Date: 2011-1-28)
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1970 VP Borges and Irmão 0.2 PossiblyP
Drunk: TPF “Bring a wine to share” Offline (Date: 2008-09-30)
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1970 VP Cockburn 0.20.2 CertainlyC--
CertainlyC
Deepish red in the middle, fading to a translucent orange which borders on invisible. A little bit of heat on the nose. Very subtle otherwise. In the mouth, some dry berries, others said cranberries but I am not sure this was an exact match. Overall dryness makes this hard work.  Drunk: The Bunghole (Date: 2012-01-10)
Red middle, fading to a light pink around the edge. Subtle light cherries on the nose. In the mouth nice Porty flavours. Slightly acidic when it first hits the tongue and perhaps slight coffee afterwards. Short aftertaste. Very good if not excellent.  Drunk: The Bunghole (Date: 2012-01-10)
🔗
1970 VP Croft 0.20.2 CertainlyC++

Excellent.  Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2010-04-20)
Drunk: 1970 Tasting (Date: 2010-07-15)
🔗
1970 VP Croft 0.2 CertainlyC
Reddish but fading. Some sweet fruits on the nose. Good candy sweetness in the mouth. Rounded cherry-drop sweetness. Lovely, long aftertaste.  Drunk: “Bring a Bottle” (Date: 2011-05-06)
🔗
1970 VP Dalva 0.20.2

Excellent.  Drunk: TPF LBV Tasting (Date: 2011-01-26)
Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2009 (Date: 2009-12-17)
🔗
1970 VP Delaforce 0.2
Brown and cloudy. Madeirised. Dead bottle, unfortunately.  Drunk: Delaforce Tasting (Date: 2012-04-24)
🔗
1970 VP Dow 0.20.2 CertainlyC

Good.  Drunk: Dow Tasting (Date: 2010-09-07)
Drunk: 1970 Tasting (Date: 2010-07-15)
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1970 VP Ferreira 0.2
Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2009-08-26)
🔗
1970 VP Fonseca 0.20.20.2
CertainlyC--
CertainlyC--
Very dark and robust. Attractive but in need of much more time in the decanter to flower. Guessed as Warre 1985 or Warre 1991.  Drunk: Ides of March 2011, El Vino’s (Date: 2011-03-15)
Quite dark. Hot, stewed fruits. Some fairly robust fruits with a few cherries. Medium aftertaste.  Drunk: Steak Exchange (Date: 2011-11-08)
Better clarity than the other Fonseca 1970. Hot stewed fruits in the mouth. A bit hotter, perhaps, than I would like, especially compared to the other Fonseca 1970. Fairly robust, round, flavours are present but are hard work. Fine.  Drunk: Steak Exchange (Date: 2011-11-08)
🔗
1970 VP González Byass 0.2
Drunk: 1970 Tasting (Date: 2010-07-15)
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1970 VP Gould Campbell 0.20.2 CertainlyC
CertainlyC
Quite dark. Rounded and elegant. Excellent.  Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2010-04-20)
Light-ish colour. Cherries with rounded Turkish delight in the mouth. Very good.  Drunk: Berry Bros (Date: 2011-12-01)
🔗
1970 VP Graham 0.20.20.20.2 CertainlyC
CertainlyC++
CertainlyC++
CertainlyC
Same colour as the 1966. Dramatic nose with lots of fruit, although some felt too stewed compared to the elegance of the 1966. Excellent in the mouth, still lots of fruit, as one would expect.  Drunk: TPF Malvedos Tasting (Date: 2010-03-22)
Dark but translucent. My first thoughts were, apparently: “Is this disappointingly hot on the nose? Is this heresy?”. In the mouth intensely sweet, followed by cherries and plums. Hugely long after-taste. Simply fabulous.  Drunk: Decanter, The Symingtons: Half a Century of Superlative Port (Date: 2010-11-14)
Notably darker than the Gould Campbell. Very good complexity with lots of tannins. Rounded fruits. Much more life than the Gould Campbell. Excellent.  Drunk: Berry Bros (Date: 2011-12-01)
Translucent red but still dark in the middle; fading on the edge to a very light red. Very good nose. Again: deep complexity. Cherries predominate. Maybe a touch of blackcurrant, too? The mouth is unctuous with a sensation of cherry sweets. Good tiny touch of acidity but not clear if there are any tannins left. Very long aftertaste with good balanced sweetness. Extremely good even if not quite as perfect as before.  Drunk: Graham 200 Tasting with Anthony and Tom Symington (Date: 2020-12-02)
🔗
1970 VP Hedges and Butler 0.2 PossiblyP
Light-red, fading to pink. Quite hot on the nose. Some little fruit. Acidic and grippy but no tannins. No primary fruit but quite smooth creamy aftertaste with some sugar. Quite nice.  Drunk: “Bring a Bottle” (Date: 2011-05-06)
🔗
1970 SQVP Kopke Quinta São Luiz 0.2
Excellent; a revelation  Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2009-08-26)
🔗
1970 VP Martinez 0.2
Drunk: 1970 Tasting (Date: 2010-07-15)
🔗
1970 VP Morgan 0.2
Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2009-08-26)
🔗
1970 VP Niepoort 0.2 PossiblyP--
Noticeable more mature than most of the other Ports of the evening, this had a pleasant fruity taste, but was let down by a certain dustiness. This was from a regular bottle; the “dumpy” ones may be better.  Drunk: Blind tasting, TCP (Date: 2010-11-08)
🔗
1970 White Quevedo Very Old 0.2 CertainlyC
An unofficial colheita which was kept unregistered for private consumption. A true garrafeira! Similar colour to the 10-year-old: amber to brown. The nose is subtle. Some subdued resin, oxidated components and some distant fruit. In the mouth, this has an immediate attractive sweetness that was missing from the 30-year-old. Not much fruit left but good gentle acidity and some orange. The aftertaste is spectacular and infinitely long. An excellent Port.  Drunk: Quevedo Virtual White Port Tasting (Date: 2020-07-30)
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1970 Colheita Quinta do Crasto 0.2 CertainlyC++
Family bottling. Extremely nice; quite sweet with lots of toffee on the nose and mouth.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2009 (Date: 2009-12-17)
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1970 VP Quinta do Noval 0.20.2
CertainlyC
Drunk: 1970 Tasting (Date: 2010-07-15)
Drunk: TPF 30+ Initial Offline at Portal (Date: 2008-11-21)
🔗
1970 VP Ramos Pinto 0.2 No!N
Slightly cloudy pink. A bit musty and muddy on the nose. A hit of sherbet-like sugar, with a small amount of fruit which fades quickly. Not great, unfortunately.  Drunk: “Bring a bottle tasting”, TCP (Date: 2011-04-03)
🔗
1970 SQVP Royal Oporto Quinta das Carvalhãs 0.2 CertainlyC
Fully mature in colour: a light pink color. Muted nose. In the mouth, orange, caramel and light sugar. Very drinkable now. (Unexpectedly) excellent.  Drunk: “Bring a bottle tasting”, TCP (Date: 2011-04-03)
🔗
1970 VP Sandeman 0.20.2 PossiblyP++

Same colour as the 1967. Mint everywhere, too but more stewed fruit. Some spearmint in the mouth, with good fruit. Attractive but, perhaps, not as attractive as the 1967.  Drunk: TPF Sandeman Tasting (Date: 2011-05-13)
Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2009-08-26)
🔗
1970 VP Taylor 0.20.20.2
CertainlyC--
PossiblyP++
Drunk: 1970 Tasting (Date: 2010-07-15)
Deeper red than the Ware 1970. Red currants. Robust fruit.  Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2011-12-20)
Little austere. Less fruit than I had expected (or hoped). Good structure.  Drunk: BBR Port Walk 2017 (Date: 2017-11-24)
🔗
1970 Crusted Taylor 0.2 PossiblyP++
Orangey-pink colour. Nice, slightly fruity nose. Some burnt sugar. In the mouth, slightly astringent with, perhaps, some oranges.  Drunk: Steak Exchange (Date: 2011-11-08)
🔗
1970 Colheita Taylor 0.2 CertainlyC
Burnt orange fading quite strongly almost to green, although the wine is notably darker than the Fonseca 20 YO Tawny. After decanting for an hour, the wine suddenly opened up with hugely complexity on the nose. Strong toffee, a little burnt orange; perhaps some butter, even. In the mouth, good acidity brings through an immediate sensation of caramelised oranges. The balance of sugar against the acidity is excellent, however. No real fresh fruit left or tannin but a very lengthy aftertaste, full of citrus fruit. Extremely enjoyable.  Drunk: David Guimaraens: Taylor’s and Fonseca Ports Virtual Tasting (Date: 2020-11-06)
🔗
1970 VP Warre 0.20.20.20.20.2 CertainlyC
CertainlyC++


CertainlyC++
Warre 300th Anniversary bottle. Excellent.  Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2009-01-15)
Excellent.  Drunk: TPF Warre Tasting (Date: 2009-10-02)
Leaking bottle. Quite pungent on the nose with an initially muted taste. Lovely long aftertaste. One of the better bottles.  Drunk: Tasting with AHB (Date: 2009-06-11)
Drunk: 1970 Tasting (Date: 2010-07-15)
Very nice. Cherries. Soft red fruit. No tannins left.  Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2011-12-20)
🔗
1972 VP Dow 0.2 CertainlyC
Surprisingly, as good as the ’70 Dow.  Drunk: Dow Tasting (Date: 2010-09-07)
🔗
1972 VP Fonseca Guimaraens 0.20.2 PossiblyP

Disappointing.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2008 (Date: 2008-12-18)
Very light. Similar colour to the 1957. Some light fruit on the nose, still though. Surprisingly drinkable but probably a bit tired. Apparently no industrial alcohol was used in the making of this Port!  Drunk: Fonseca and Fonseca Guimaraens Tasting (Date: 2011-04-04)
🔗
1972 SQVP Taylor Quinta de Vargellas 0.2
Not generally liked.  Drunk: TPF Vargellas tasting, TCP (Date: 2009-03-24)
🔗
1974 SQVP Delaforce Quinta da Corte 0.2 PossiblyP
Similar colour to the 1960. Loads of eucalyptus on the nose. In the mouth, some simple sugar. Then more eucalyptus with a little orange. Very good Port in an unusual year.  Drunk: Delaforce Tasting (Date: 2012-04-24)
🔗
1974 Colheita Graham 0.2 CertainlyC--
Highly pigmented but translucent brown fading well to green. The nose is alive: some fruit, still. Perhaps some fresh orange. A lovely hit of orange followed by some sugar. Then nuts. The aftertaste is extremely long. The sugar is obvious but not cloying. This is really very good.  Drunk: Graham’s “Single Harvest Tawny” Virtual Tasting  (Date: 2021-04-15)
🔗
1974 Colheita Quevedo 0.2 PossiblyP--
Portologia (née Vinologia). Bottled 2013. Surprisingly deep colour for its age. Very muted on nose and in palate. Sadly, I think this was just past its best and had spent too long in the barrels.  Drunk: Porto 2020 (Date: 2020-09-14)
🔗
1975 VP Croft 0.2
Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2009-08-26)
🔗
1975 VP Delaforce 0.2 PossiblyP++
A measure redder than the 1974, otherwise a similar colour. Good eucalyptus again on the nose. In the mouth, red fruit and red currants. Hit of sugar in the mid-palate. Good porty aftertaste.   Drunk: Delaforce Tasting (Date: 2012-04-24)
🔗
1975 VP Fonseca 0.2
Drunk: “Life on the Douro” Screening (Date: 2012-04-02)
🔗
1975 VP Graham 1 PossiblyP
Good, deep colour. Nice fruit on the nose. In the mouth, a certain amount of sweetness and still much fruit left. Very attractive: although not up to the quality of the 1970 Graham, this was by no means a weak Port and did not suffer the problems expected of a ’75.  Drunk: Lake District (Date: 2010-12-28)
🔗
1975 Colheita Quevedo Garrafeira Particular 0.20.2 CertainlyC
PossiblyP--
Bottled a day before the tasting! Initially huge amounts of fruit and sugar; somewhat like Ribena. Then quite a lot of backbone. Excellent.  Drunk: TPF tasting with Oscar Quevedo (Date: 2010-02-11)
Bottled 2013. Apparently the oldest wine made for Quevedo rather than another shipped. Unexpectedly red, fading just to a tawny. Quite nice on the nose some dried fruits. Good orange in mouth. Reasonable sweetness. Long aftertaste but a bit too dry for my tastes.  Drunk: Porto 2020 (Date: 2020-09-12)
🔗
1975 VP Quinta do Noval 0.2
Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2009-08-26)
🔗
1975 VP Sandeman 0.2 PossiblyP
A measure more translucent than the 1970. Very muted on the nose. In the mouth, very muted with some elegant sugar. Subtle but good for a 1975, similar to the Graham’s. Quaffable.  Drunk: TPF Sandeman Tasting (Date: 2011-05-13)
🔗
1975 VP Warre 0.20.2 PossiblyP
No!N
Drunk: TPF “Bring a wine to share” Offline (Date: 2008-09-30)
Very light. Not great.  Drunk: TPF Warre Tasting (Date: 2009-10-02)
🔗
1976 VP Fonseca Guimaraens 0.2
Unbelievably dark. Like the 1985. Was this a fake? Huge fruit in the nose and some notable tannins suggest that even if this was adulterated then they still produced an excellent wine (perhaps they should do it to all Ports?). Like one much younger but with some of the elegance of those older. Very good.  Drunk: Fonseca and Fonseca Guimaraens Tasting (Date: 2011-04-04)
🔗
1976 SQVP Graham Quinta dos Malvedos 0.20.2
No!N
A bit redder than the 1970. Horrible problems on the nose. Possibly quite reasonable on the nose had it survived.  Drunk: TPF Malvedos Tasting (Date: 2010-03-22)
Dead; probably this is a weak Port.  Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2010-04-20)
🔗
1977 VP Croft 10
A little darkness to the colour. The nose was slightly off. In the mouth it was quite soft but with a little too much fire. Perfectly drinkable but obviously a poor bottle of what I think is usually a great Port.  Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2009-05-20)
🔗
1977 VP Delaforce 0.2
Quite a bit darker than the older Delaforces. Horrible bottle stink on the nose. In the mouth some simple sugar then problems. Another dead bottle, unfortunately.  Drunk: Delaforce Tasting (Date: 2012-04-24)
🔗
1977 VP Dow 0.20.20.20.20.20.2 CertainlyC




PossiblyP++
Drunk: TPF 30+ Initial Offline at Portal (Date: 2008-11-21)
Completely oxidised; although this was once a Vintage Port, I think it would have easily passed muster as a Colheita. A very nice tawny colour, with a bit of fire. Perfectly drinkable for what it was.  Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2009-05-20)
Weak bottle.  Drunk: TPF tasting with Oscar Quevedo (Date: 2010-02-11)
Dark and complex with good fruit. Unfortunately slightly corked.  Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2010-04-20)
Corked, again.  Drunk: Dow Tasting (Date: 2010-09-07)
Slightly too dry. Not as good as other 1977s.  Drunk: Berry Bros (Date: 2011-12-01)
🔗
1977 VP Fonseca 0.20.2
CertainlyC--
A measure darker than the 1978 or 1972. Elegant and rounded with soft, pliable fruit; very attractive.  Drunk: Fonseca and Fonseca Guimaraens Tasting (Date: 2011-04-04)
Better fruit than the Graham’s 1977. Long aftertaste. Excellent but at Berry Bros’ prices, I think I’d prefer two bottles of the Graham 1977 to this (and probably five-and-a-half bottles of the Graham’s 1983!).  Drunk: BBR Port Walk 2017 (Date: 2017-11-24)
🔗
1977 VP Graham 0.20.20.20 PossiblyP
PossiblyP
CertainlyC--
Weak bottle.  Drunk: TPF 30+ Initial Offline at Portal (Date: 2008-11-21)
Very sweet. Slightly awkward. Not as good as the Dow 1977 when compared.  Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2010-04-20)
Good balance of fruit. Some residual tannins. Long complexity. Very good aftertaste.  Drunk: BBR Port Walk 2017 (Date: 2017-11-24)
🔗
1977 SQVP Kopke Quinta São Luiz 0.2
Dead, unfortunately. Perhaps a touch of the St. Luiz ’70?  Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2009-08-26)
🔗
1977 VP Morgan 0.20.20
PossiblyP
Fine to drink; unexciting but not complaints. Successful blind guess!  Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2009-08-26)
Slightly astringent and disappointing.  Drunk: Blind tasting, TCP (Date: 2010-11-08)
🔗
1977 Garrafeira Niepoort 0.2 CertainlyC++
A deep orange in the middle which fades to paleness at the edge. The most extraordinary aroma, which lasts for a great length of time: a combination of hazelnuts, and some fruit. In the mouth, it is similar, there is a combination of a nuttiness that would come from the tawny-style (with, again, hazelnuts predominating) and some cherries and other fruits remaining. The sugar is good: not too cloying. Very drinkable with an endless after-taste that demands concentration. Fabulous.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
🔗
1977 VP Sandeman 0.21 PossiblyP++
CertainlyC
Purple to red in the middle. Stewed fruit on the nose with a lot of heat. Very nice and minty in the mouth but followed but an astringent grip which was unattractive.  Drunk: TPF Sandeman Tasting (Date: 2011-05-13)
Two magnums with pudding at the wedding breakfast. Still remarkably youthful and drinkable.  Drunk: Wedding! (Date: 2019-05-11)
🔗
1977 VP Smith Woodhouse 0.2 CertainlyC++
From a magnum. Very closed, fruity tannins. Very very good port.  Drunk: Berry Bros (Date: 2011-12-01)
🔗
1977 VP Taylor 0.20.2 CertainlyC
CertainlyC
Deeper purple than many. Very floral on nose. Similar good Porty nose to the Croft 1966. Good sugar. Medium-long aftertaste.  Drunk: Steak Exchange (Date: 2011-11-08)
Slightly softer than the 1963s. Very greeny aftertaste. Slightly too robust but perhaps more approachable than expected.  Drunk: Berry Bros (Date: 2011-12-01)
🔗
1977 VP Warre 0.20.2 PossiblyP--
CertainlyC--
Pleasant. Quite acidic. This bottle didn’t bode well for the future but that could be a bottle problem. Disappointing.  Drunk: TPF Warre Tasting (Date: 2009-10-02)
Still good tannins. Very tasty with floral notes: violets and cherries.  Drunk: BBR Port Walk 2017 (Date: 2017-11-24)
🔗
1978 VP Fonseca Guimaraens 0.2
Same as the 1982 in colour. Very elegant and well balanced. Simply wonderful mature Port for drinking now.  Drunk: Fonseca and Fonseca Guimaraens Tasting (Date: 2011-04-04)
🔗
1978 SQVP Graham Quinta dos Malvedos 0.2 PossiblyP
Slightly darker than the 1976 and probably slightly corked due a slight mustiness on the nose. In the mouth it was very expressive and a great pleasure to drink; it would be nice to see what a perfect bottle of this wine would be like.  Drunk: TPF Malvedos Tasting (Date: 2010-03-22)
🔗
1978 SQVP Taylor Quinta de Vargellas 0.20.20
PossiblyP
A measure darker than its older brethren at the tasting and likewise tasted a bit younger, with some more fruit and heat than was present in the others. It also seemed a bit simpler on the palate. On revisiting the next night, nose is more muted than on the other Vargellas only a little spirit. Perhaps the bottle was corked. The toffee of some of the Vargellas is also there, though only slightly, as is a slight grassiness. On the palate, it is initially quite muted, fading into a little pepper, with an extra sweetness (say of strawberry syrup) which is lacking in the 1967 The fire is still present, although not too intrusive with the port feeling fairly round and with a shortish aftertaste.  Drunk: TPF Vargellas tasting, TCP (Date: 2009-03-24)
Red but fading in colour. A bit spirity on the nose. Cinnamon predominates. In the mouth, sweet with good fruit remaining and a slightly bitter aftertaste which I think is very characteristic of a Vargellas.  Drunk: “Bring a bottle tasting”, TCP (Date: 2011-04-03)
🔗
1979 Colheita Delaforce 1 CertainlyC
Drunk: Uncorked tasting 
🔗
1979 10 Y/O Tawny Fonseca 10.2
PossiblyP
On decanting, a small amount of very fine sediment was produced. Immediately gripping with its complexity but too spirity to enjoy. The spirit had properly integrated after 24 hours. Extremely impressing. The distinctive nose and “back-of-the-mouth” sensation of a tawny was still there but counteracted by a lovely mellow sensation.  Drunk: Dinner party 15iv2009 
Drunk: Blind tasting, TCP (Date: 2010-11-08)
🔗
1979 SQVP Graham Quinta dos Malvedos 0.2 PossiblyP--
Same colour as the 1978 but with more raisins and a touch of pine or varnish on the nose. In the mouth, a touch astringent and therefore a tiny bit disappointing.  Drunk: TPF Malvedos Tasting (Date: 2010-03-22)
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1979 LBV Taylor 0.2 No!N
Much darker than the LBVs from the 60s, though fading in colour. Still little fruit, and a bitter astringency which was unattractive.  Drunk: TPF LBV Tasting II (Date: 2011-1-28)
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1980 VP Burmester 0.2 PossiblyP++
Browning on the edge. Slightly cloudy. Not the lightest. Nose very light with some orange. Notably more acidic in the mouth. Not much fruit. Oranges, again, predominate. A short aftertaste with some heat. Perfectly enjoyable Port.  Drunk: TPF 1980 Tasting: Boot and Flogger  (Date: 2021-10-20)
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1980 SQVP Croft Quinta da Roêda 0.2 PossiblyP--
Quite light pink fading to brown. Slightly cloudy. Quite a bit of coffee on the nose, although this blew off after a while. Very little in the mouth: simple sugar and fruit.   Drunk: TPF 1980 Tasting: Boot and Flogger  (Date: 2021-10-20)
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1980 SQVP Cálem Quinta da Foz 0.2 PossiblyP++
A light and clear red in the middle. Very little on the nose. A bit spirity. Very light in the mouth. Simple fruits. Fine. Drinkable.  Drunk: TPF 1980 Tasting: Boot and Flogger  (Date: 2021-10-20)
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1980 SQVP Delaforce Quinta da Corte 0.2 CertainlyC--
Similar colour to the 1980. Reddish centre fading slightly on edge. Some mint on nose. Then huge amounts of tobacco. Perhaps some smokey chicory, too. In the mouth, some sugar initially, then cherries on the mid-palate. Aftertaste is smokey and long. Very nice.   Drunk: Delaforce Tasting (Date: 2012-04-24)
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1980 VP Dow 10.20.20.2 CertainlyC++
CertainlyC++
CertainlyC
PossiblyP++
Extremely dark colour. Vivid flavours. Excellent. Will keep.  Drunk: TCP wine-list 
As excellent as ever.  Drunk: Dow Tasting (Date: 2010-09-07)
Although darker than the Graham 1994 and Warre 1997, this wasn’t the monster that I usually think it to be: lovely mellow fruit on the nose. In the mouth, quite tannic, with an appealing dry complexity.  Drunk: Decanter, The Symingtons: Half a Century of Superlative Port (Date: 2010-11-14)
Darkest of the wines. Opaque red, still, fading round the edge. Limited nose. Very little in the mouth. Some simple fruits. A few tannins left. Fine to drink but did not match the colour.  Drunk: TPF 1980 Tasting: Boot and Flogger  (Date: 2021-10-20)
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1980 VP Fonseca 10.2 PossiblyP++
PossiblyP
First experiment with a Coravin. Leaking bottle. Pinkish / orange centre fading to colourless edge. Nose and mouth: some gentle fruits and sweetness. A little bitterness. Fading somewhat.  (Date: 2015-07-30)
A touch lighter than the Taylor. Bit more expressive in the nose. Simple sugar and fruit with limited acidity in the mouth. Fine but no better.  Drunk: TPF 1980 Tasting: Boot and Flogger  (Date: 2021-10-20)
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1980 VP Gould Campbell 0.2 CertainlyC
A measure darker than anything apart from the Dow 1980. Still slightly opaque. Reasonably subtle on the nose. In the mouth, quite spirited (not spirity!). Good cherries on the nose. More subtle than the Smith Woodhouse but, perhaps, a touch more elegant.  Drunk: TPF 1980 Tasting: Boot and Flogger  (Date: 2021-10-20)
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1980 VP Graham 0.20.2 PossiblyP
CertainlyC--
Clear red, Very muted, Good sweetness in mouth, though extremely watery. A bit like drinking Evian, but still nice. Some discussion as to whether flawed.  Drunk: TPF “Bring a Bottle” tasting (Date: 2011-03-10)
Good colour. Red but slightly fading. Limited fruit on the nose. Attractive in the mouth, with a saturating flood of flavours that I didn’t see in the other 1980s which made it hard to unpick individual ones. Perhaps even (atypically for a Graham’s) a touch of umami? Long aftertaste. Very good.  Drunk: TPF 1980 Tasting: Boot and Flogger  (Date: 2021-10-20)
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1980 VP Niepoort 0.2 CertainlyC--
Clear. Quite red in the middle. Fading to the edge. Lovely nose. A bit smokey with some almonds. Good fruit in the mouth, still. A long aftertaste. Some decent acidity. Extremely quaffable.  Drunk: TPF 1980 Tasting: Boot and Flogger  (Date: 2021-10-20)
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1980 VP Offley 0.2 PossiblyP++
Bottle stink on the nose. Nice in mouth once one gets beyond that: soft gentle fruit. Reasonable complexity. A fine Port but regrettably a flawed bottle.  Drunk: The Bunghole (Date: 2012-01-10)
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1980 VP Offley Boa Vista 0.2 PossiblyP--
Reasonably dark red. Very nice Porty nose. In the mouth, lots of cherries. Longish-aftertaste. Very quaffable.  Drunk: TPF 1980 Tasting: Boot and Flogger  (Date: 2021-10-20)
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1980 VP Quarles Harris 0.2
Much darker than the 1983. Excellent  Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2009-05-20)
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1980 VP Quinta do Noval Nacional 0.2 No!N
Orangey-red. Nose fell apart and became astringent. In the mouth, a touch of acid. Almost no fruit. Disappointing aftertaste. Really disappointing for what this is.  Drunk: TPF 1980 Tasting: Boot and Flogger  (Date: 2021-10-20)
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1980 VP Sandeman 0.20.2 PossiblyP--
PossiblyP++
Similar colour to the 1977. Some heat and unattractive stewed fruit on the nose. Sugar and very little mint in the middle of the palate. Unattractive astringent aftertaste. Not great.  Drunk: TPF Sandeman Tasting (Date: 2011-05-13)
Reasonably dark but a touch light than the Gould Campbell and Smith Woodhouse. More grapey than the Offley but, perhaps, a little less elegant. Pretty good. Might need a little more time to shine.  Drunk: TPF 1980 Tasting: Boot and Flogger  (Date: 2021-10-20)
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1980 VP Smith Woodhouse 0.2 CertainlyC
One of the darker 1980s. Deep red in the middle. Quite a limited nose but in the mouth, some fresh fruit—lovely cherries—with good acidity and a medium to long aftertaste. Very enjoyable.  Drunk: TPF 1980 Tasting: Boot and Flogger  (Date: 2021-10-20)
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1980 VP Taylor 0.20.2 CertainlyC
PossiblyP
Deepish purple in middle. Fading to pink at edge. Very subtle on the nose. Not giving much away. Very sweet in the mouth with a hit of sugar. Some red currants and strawberries. The sweetness, however, predominates.  Drunk: “Bring a Bottle” (Date: 2011-05-06)
Lightish red in the middle. Fading to the edge. Nice nose but quite subtle. Distant fresh and dried fruits. Perhaps a touch of mint at the end? Gentle fruit in the mouth. Not much complexity.  Drunk: TPF 1980 Tasting: Boot and Flogger  (Date: 2021-10-20)
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1980 VP Warre 0.20.2 CertainlyC--
PossiblyP
Quite dark with a bit of heat. A surprisingly small amount of fruit but with a bit of after taste of the 1985. Quite nice.  Drunk: TPF Warre Tasting (Date: 2009-10-02)
Reddish in the middle. Nose is attractive but subtle. In the mouth, very limited fruit. Slightly orangey. Little acidic. No tannins. Short aftertaste. Fine.   Drunk: TPF 1980 Tasting: Boot and Flogger  (Date: 2021-10-20)
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1981 Colheita Kopke 0.2 CertainlyC
Bottled 2021. Very similar colour to the 20-year-old but a touch darker and, perhaps, a touch less brown. Nose is, again subdued and a bit spirity. The initial hit is sweeter than the 20-year-old and with some fresh fruit, too. Oranges perhaps? A touch less acidic, too. The aftertaste is less nutty and fresher. Perhaps a touch shorter. I really like this: it is really quaffable.  Drunk: DIY Kopke Tasting, NYE 2021 (Date: 2021-12-31)
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1982 VP Churchill 0.20.20.2 CertainlyC--
CertainlyC
CertainlyC
Two samples, one with VA other fine. Quite sweet, tannins present. Lots of red fruit. Attractive  Drunk: 1982 tasting (Date: 2010-06-21)
Brick red, slightly orange on the rim. In the mouth some chocolate and a little orange, with a surprising amount of sweetness. Other than that this was simply one of those Ports that is fabulous to drink.  Drunk: Blind tasting, TCP (Date: 2010-11-08)
Deepish red. Subtle slightly spirity nose. In mouth, floral Turkish-delight-type flavours. Very good with a long aftertaste that is perhaps a touch less complex than some of the more expensive Ports.  Drunk: Steak Exchange (Date: 2011-11-08)
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1982 SQVP Croft Quinta da Roêda 0.2 PossiblyP++
Brick red, though slightly muted on the nose. Very enjoyable but noticeable less elegant than the Churchill 1982.  Drunk: Blind tasting, TCP (Date: 2010-11-08)
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1982 VP Croft 0.20.2 CertainlyC
CertainlyC
Darkish but cloudy. Toffee on the nose. Slightly muted in the mouth but still lots of caramel and treacle. Very attractive.  Drunk: 1982 tasting (Date: 2010-06-21)
Very light. Pink in middle. Huge toffee and burnt sugar on nose. Same in mouth. Some acidity. Short after taste. Excellent otherwise.  Drunk: TPF “Bring a Bottle” tasting (Date: 2011-03-10)
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1982 VP Delaforce 0.20.20.2 CertainlyC
CertainlyC
CertainlyC
Quite light; muted on the nose with perhaps a touch of washing-up-liquid (though that, thankfully, didn’t get in the way). In the mouth, a striking treacle flavour balanced against some acidity. Long aftertaste where Cointreau predominated.  Drunk: 1982 tasting (Date: 2010-06-21)
Darkest of the 1982. Red currants in the mouth, with a long aftertaste (perhaps turning a touch bitter at the end). A very good Port that was easily the best on the night.  Drunk: 1982 tasting (Date: 2010-06-21)
A measure lighter + clearer than the 1980. Again, tobacco on the nose, but mixed with caramel. In the mouth, immediate hit of sugar. Mid-palate, good red fruit. Long, fruit aftertaste. Very, very good.  Drunk: Delaforce Tasting (Date: 2012-04-24)
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1982 VP Fonseca Guimaraens 0.2
Dead.  Drunk: Fonseca and Fonseca Guimaraens Tasting (Date: 2011-04-04)
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1982 SQVP Graham Quinta dos Malvedos 0.2 CertainlyC
Markedly darker than the 1979; there was a huge jump in colour between the place mat from the late 1960s/1970s and the one from the 1980s. Not particularly dramatic on the nose, but with quite a lot of fruit. Very nice and elegant in the mouth, perhaps still showing some soft and gentle tannins.  Drunk: TPF Malvedos Tasting (Date: 2010-03-22)
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1982 Colheita Graham 0.2 CertainlyC--
A bit darker than the 1990. Brown and fading. The nose is very attractive. Some light orange. In the mouth, good orange with some sugar. Elegant aftertaste. Very attractive.  Drunk: Graham’s “Single Harvest Tawny” Virtual Tasting  (Date: 2021-04-15)
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1982 SQVP Martinez Quinta da Eira Velha 0.2 PossiblyP--
Nose a touch off and unpleasant. In the mouth, immediately struck by the sweetness but this was followed by a long an slightly astringent finish which wasn’t so appealing.  Drunk: 1982 tasting (Date: 2010-06-21)
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1982 VP Quinta do Noval 0.2 PossiblyP
No nose at all. Nice dark colour though. Subtle red fruit. A little too understated.  Drunk: 1982 tasting (Date: 2010-06-21)
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1982 VP Ramos Pinto 0.2 PossiblyP++
Same colour as the 1997. Light red. Very dense on the nose. Dark stewed fruits. Good complexity in the mouth. Caramelised cherries. Reasonable sweetness. Some rounded tannins. A much better wine than the 1997. Tastes younger!  Drunk: Porto 2020 (Date: 2020-09-12)
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1982 VP Royal Oporto 0.2 No!N
Racio on the nose. Quite watery in the mouth. Not great.  Drunk: 1982 tasting (Date: 2010-06-21)
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1982 VP Sandeman 0.20.20.6 PossiblyP++
PossiblyP

A touch lighter than the 1980. Similar to the 1970 in colour. Hot stewed fruit on the nose. In the mouth, some subtle mint, fruit and sugar. Fine.  Drunk: TPF Sandeman Tasting (Date: 2011-05-13)
Quite nice but not as good as other bottles of the same I’ve tried. Perhaps something was wrong.  Drunk: 1982 tasting (Date: 2010-06-21)
Drunk: TCP wine-list 
🔗
1982 SQVP Taylor Quinta de Vargellas 0.20
Not generally liked.  Drunk: TPF Vargellas tasting, TCP (Date: 2009-03-24)
🔗
1983 VP British Shippers’ Association 0.2 PossiblyP
Drunk: TPF “Bring a wine to share” Offline (Date: 2008-09-30)
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1983 VP Dow 0.20.2 CertainlyC
PossiblyP
Very nice; slightly less dry than the other Dows.  Drunk: Dow Tasting (Date: 2010-09-07)
Medium dark. Good nose. Notably drier than other Ports at the tasting. No tannins. Not bad but not excellent; slightly bitter aftertaste.  Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2011-12-20)
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1983 VP Graham 0.20.2 CertainlyC
CertainlyC
Similar colour to the Fonseca 1985; just a little darker on the edge. On the nose very slight rancio and quite spirity at the end. In the mouth, lots of fruit. Slight acidity. A little sweeter than the others. No tannins. Clearly the best made wine of the evening; will be better than the Fonseca 1985 when it matures.  Drunk: The Bunghole (Date: 2012-01-10)
Excellent balance of fruit and sweetness. Wine of the evening (which Charles Symington seemed to agree with!).  Drunk: BBR Port Walk 2017 (Date: 2017-11-24)
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1983 VP Quarles Harris 0.2
Fairly dark (though not as dark and tannic as the 1980). Soft and very drinkable with a slight bitter aftertaste.  Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2009-05-20)
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1983 VP Warre 100
Huge amount of thick sediment. Somewhat disappointing. Like the ’85 but lesser. Fairly watery on the palate (which I don’t necessary mind) with a slight taste of chocolate and cherry. Perfectly acceptable to drink but it did not grip. Hopefully a bad bottle.  Drunk: Dinner party (Date: 2009-04-15)
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1983 VP Warre 0.2 PossiblyP--
Quite a lot of acidity. Not great.  Drunk: TPF Warre Tasting (Date: 2009-10-02)
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1984 Crusted Churchill 0.2
Fairly light in colour, it was a Port at full maturity. Most of us thought it was from 1963 or 1970. Quite subtlety flavoured, it was in perfect drinking condition. A lovely wine.  Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2009-05-20)
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1984 SQVP Delaforce Quinta da Corte 0.2 PossiblyP--
Perhaps touch of the 1982. Very, very muted nose. Distantly floral. In the mouth, a little sugar, but quite hard work to get anything else.  Drunk: Delaforce Tasting (Date: 2012-04-24)
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1984 VP Fonseca Guimaraens 0.2
Reddish. Cherries on the nose. Short and elegant in the mouth. Attractive but not fabulous.  Drunk: Fonseca and Fonseca Guimaraens Tasting (Date: 2011-04-04)
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1984 SQVP Graham Quinta dos Malvedos 0.2 CertainlyC
Similar colour to the 1982, though perhaps a touch lighter. Very floral on the nose, certainly more elegant than the 1982. On tasting, it was immediately very attractive. Well balanced and elegant, although perhaps there was an ever-so-slight amount of astringency at the end of the aftertaste.  Drunk: TPF Malvedos Tasting (Date: 2010-03-22)
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1984 Colheita Kopke 0.2
Drunk: Decanter: Spain and Portugal at the Landmark Hotel (Date: 2016-02-27)
🔗
1985 VP Croft 0.2 CertainlyC
Red with a touch of pink on the rim. Seems to be maturing quickly. Nice fruit. Good drinking at the moment.  Drunk: Blind tasting, TCP (Date: 2010-11-08)
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1985 Colheita Cálem 0.2
Drunk: Decanter: Spain and Portugal at the Landmark Hotel (Date: 2016-02-27)
🔗
1985 Colheita Dalva 0.2 PossiblyP
Portologia (née Vinologia). Bottled 2018. Good long aftertaste. Attractive.  Drunk: Porto 2020 (Date: 2020-09-14)
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1985 VP Delaforce 30.2 CertainlyC
CertainlyC--
Now at maturity; a tawny colour and possessing a certain elegance.  Drunk: TCP wine-list 
Good red middle, fading to pink. Completely clear. Good eucalyptus/spearmint and tobacco on the nose. Perhaps some cut grass. Good fruit in the mouth, though still with that initial hit of sugar. Longish aftertaste. Some rounded tannins on the top of the mouth. Some mint, too. Will be very good in a few more years.  Drunk: Delaforce Tasting (Date: 2012-04-24)
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1985 VP Dow 0.2 CertainlyC
Very nice.  Drunk: Dow Tasting (Date: 2010-09-07)
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1985 VP Fonseca 0.20.20.20.20.2
CertainlyC++
CertainlyC
CertainlyC
PossiblyP++
More fruit on the nose. Complex, dense and fruity flavours. Excellent; the best of the Fonseca.  Drunk: Fonseca and Fonseca Guimaraens Tasting (Date: 2011-04-04)
So much better than the Taylor 1985. Luscious fruits.  Drunk: Berry Bros (Date: 2011-12-01)
Much deeper in colour than the other Ports at the tasting though slightly hazy. Very concentrated on the nose. In the mouth initially very dry followed by good concentrated red fruit. Long aftertaste with furry tannins. Perhaps disappointing compared to other Fonseca 1985s; much drier than expected an without the luscious fruits one might wish for.  Drunk: The Bunghole (Date: 2012-01-10)
Very accessible. Some tannins remain. Excellent drinking now. Second Port of the night after the Graham 1983.  Drunk: BBR Port Walk 2017 (Date: 2017-11-24)
Still very deep in colour with complex aroma and flavour. Very good.   Drunk: The Ivy (Date: 2020-11-02)
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1985 VP Gilbert 1 PossiblyP++
A new shipper for me. A long history. Now owned by Sogevinus. Cork in good condition which didn’t mention “Gilbert”: perhaps recorked? Very little sediment. Quite light colour. Gentle floral nose. Very drinkable. At a good stage of maturity now.  Drunk: Christmas 2021 (Date: 2021-12-24)
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1985 VP González Byass 0.2 CertainlyC
Lovely wine. Elements of chocolate. Worth seeking out.  Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2009-01-15)
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1985 VP Gould Campbell 0.20.20.20.2 CertainlyC--

PossiblyP++
PossiblyP
Rosy, fading to pink. Some fruit on the nose. Quite elegant. Slightly pencil / granite-like in the mouth. Quite dry, too. Some cherries and other fruits. Nice, though.  Drunk: “Bring a Bottle” (Date: 2011-05-06)
Drunk: Single Varietal Ports (Date: 2011-09-08)
Bit lighter than the Dow 1983. Sweet, round black currants. Long aftertaste. Very nice.  Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2011-12-20)
Bit darker than the last Gould Campbell 1985. Good porty nose. Some heat. Slightly fruit. Nicely rounded. A bit dry. Pretty good.  Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2011-09-08)
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1985 VP Graham 0.20.2 CertainlyC
CertainlyC
A measure darker than the 1984. Extremely pleasant initial taste, with the sweetness that so characterises Grahams. Less of a notable jump in quality between this VP and its surrounding SQVPs when compared to the 60s and 70s.  Drunk: TPF Malvedos Tasting (Date: 2010-03-22)
Deep but translucent red. Very concentrated nose. Lovely aromas with deep complexity. Very moorish. In the mouth, a touch of acidity that is not present on the others. Lots of red cherry. After that an initial touch of acidity which immediately falls away. Distant tannins, too. Long, lovely aftertaste. Sugar is present but balanced. Very good.  Drunk: Graham 200 Tasting with Anthony and Tom Symington (Date: 2020-12-02)
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1985 VP Martinez 0.2 PossiblyP
Good red colour. Cinder boxes on the nose, rose-water Turkish delight in the mouth, leading to a slightly watery finish.  Drunk: “Bring a bottle tasting”, TCP (Date: 2011-04-03)
🔗
1985 VP Messias 0.2 No!N
Very mature for its age. Fairly unexciting.  Drunk: Glass at Gordon’s Wine Bar 
🔗
1985 VP Morgan 0.2
Drunk: TPF Vargellas tasting, TCP (Date: 2009-03-24)
🔗
1985 VP Sandeman 0.2 PossiblyP
Same colour as the 1985. Very muted on the nose. Weird minty liquor in the mouth. Perhaps damaged?  Drunk: TPF Sandeman Tasting (Date: 2011-05-13)
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1985 VP Taylor 0.20.20.21 CertainlyC
CertainlyC
PossiblyP++

Deep purple. Slight cherry colour on edge. Red currants on the nose. Cherries, too. In the mouth, good fruit which falls away quite quickly to a little astringency but is followed by a short but elegant after-taste. Much better than its reputation has it to be: a very nice Port.  Drunk: “Bring a bottle tasting”, TCP (Date: 2011-04-03)
Red cherries on the nose, with some of the other primary fruit remaining. Perhaps a touch spirity, though, In the mouth, still good fruit with a slight astringency and a pleasing short aftertaste.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
Too austere.  Drunk: Berry Bros (Date: 2011-12-01)
Drunk: Stag Party (Date: 2019-04-13)
🔗
1985 VP Warre 10.20.2 PossiblyP
CertainlyC
PossiblyP--
Good stuff to end a dinner with!  Drunk: From the Benchers’ table at the Middle Temple Reader’s Feast 
Like last Warre 1985. Very nice.  Drunk: TPF Warre Tasting (Date: 2009-10-02)
Disjointed and not very enjoyable. Perhaps a bad bottle?  Drunk: BBR Port Walk 2017 (Date: 2017-11-24)
🔗
1986 Colheita Delaforce 1 CertainlyC

🔗
1986 VP Fonseca Guimaraens 0.2
Lighter than many of its age: similar to the 1978. Nice simply fruit and sweetness in the mouth. Attractive but one dimensional.  Drunk: Fonseca and Fonseca Guimaraens Tasting (Date: 2011-04-04)
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1986 SQVP Graham Quinta dos Malvedos 0.2 CertainlyC++
Extremely dark; perhaps twice as dark compared to the 1985. Oldest wine to still have a notably tannic backbone. Massive nose but perhaps ever so slightly less fruit than the 1987 which probably just beat it.  Drunk: TPF Malvedos Tasting (Date: 2010-03-22)
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1986 Colheita Warre 0.2 PossiblyP
Bottled 2007. Quity dry. Unexciting. Guessed as young colheita.  Drunk: Not VP Tasting II (Date: 2011-07-07)
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1987 Crusted Churchill 1 PossiblyP
Cork was pretty firmly stuck. Not a great deal of sediment: thick and dark. Pinkish in the middle. 1 hour: nose: odd and quite chemically. Mouth: low key; perhaps a bit of cherry and some marzipan. Warming heat; a light syrup sugar. EBay purchase. Dubious origin. 
🔗
1987 VP Fonseca Guimaraens 0.2
Darker than surrounding wines, except the 1985. Stewed fruits on the nose. More complexity than the 1986 but perhaps less attractive due to lack of balance. Some tannins remains. Quite a dry aftertaste. Excellent but lacking the aftertaste and elegance of the classic Fonsecas.  Drunk: Fonseca and Fonseca Guimaraens Tasting (Date: 2011-04-04)
🔗
1987 SQVP Graham Quinta dos Malvedos 0.20.20 CertainlyC++
CertainlyC++
Extremely dark and tannic. Probably a bit too dark and tannic to be drunk now. Excellent.  Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2009-05-20)
Extremely dark. Huge nose, full of fruit. Spectacularly sweet initially followed by a long, slightly dry, aftertaste perhaps fading into a touch of bitterness. Excellent. Best young Port of the evening (better than the 1985 Graham’s).  Drunk: TPF Malvedos Tasting (Date: 2010-03-22)
🔗
1987 SQVP Taylor Quinta de Vargellas 0.2
Far more less mature than the others. Not particularly pleasant on the night; perhaps needs more time.  Drunk: TPF Vargellas tasting, TCP (Date: 2009-03-24)
🔗
1988 Colheita Delaforce 11
No!N++
Drunk: Mittwoch aus Licht (Date: 2012-08-23)
Bottled 2006. T-cork disintegrated on opening. Quite a lot of sediment for a colheita. Orange in the middle fading quite quickly. Very strong on the nose but not attractive. There is nice burnt oranges there but it is consumed by a noxious alcohol. In the mouth it is much better. Some sugar. A little caramelised oranges. Good acidity. Long, attractive aftertaste. Very much let down by the nose. Probably over-aged in the bottle.  (Date: 2020-11-14)
🔗
1988 VP Fonseca Guimaraens 0.2
A step darker than the 1987. More powerful aromas on the nose. Deep red flavours in the mouth. But perhaps a bit more approachable and less tannic than the 1987 suggesting it may mature earlier.  Drunk: Fonseca and Fonseca Guimaraens Tasting (Date: 2011-04-04)
🔗
1988 SQVP Graham Quinta dos Malvedos 0.2 CertainlyC
Quite dark. Perhaps a touch less spirited on the nose compared to the monumental ones from 1985-7. Touch of green stalks perhaps. Sweetness initially followed by a dryish after taste. Very nice and attractive.  Drunk: TPF Malvedos Tasting (Date: 2010-03-22)
🔗
1988 SQVP Smith Woodhouse Quinta da Madalena 0.2 PossiblyP
Good colour; deep purple to invisible rim. Slightly spirity; VA perhaps? Some cabbages on the nose. In the mouth, some fruit and a little spirit. Slight hollowness reminded me of the Caves Santa Marta pink... A flawed bottle, I think.  Drunk: The Bunghole (Date: 2012-02-15)
🔗
1989 VP Quinta de Val da Figueira 0.2 PossiblyP++
Vinologia. Very mature for its age. Some chocolate on the nose. Attractive in the mouth but it may not last long.  Drunk: Oporto and Douro October 2010 
🔗
1989 VP Quinta do Vesuvio 0.2 PossiblyP
Lightest of the Vesuvios with a bit of caramel / brown colouring on the edge. Quite watery initially on the mouth, followed by a bit of roundness and fruit. Very end of the aftertaste had a bit of turmeric or other spice. Tasted like it was aging fairly quickly. Perfectly drinkable, unspectacular Port.  Drunk: TPF Vesuvio Tasting (Date: 2010-02-22)
🔗
1990 SQVP Graham Quinta dos Malvedos 0.2
Dead. Tobacco on the nose, undrinkable in the mouth.  Drunk: TPF Malvedos Tasting (Date: 2010-03-22)
🔗
1990 Colheita Graham 0.2 CertainlyC
A lot lighter than the 1994. Almost dark to light yellow. The nose has a degree of elegance. Some orange peel. A freshness, too. In the mouth, there is a gentle and well balanced mixture of acidity. A good rounded aftertaste.  Drunk: Graham’s “Single Harvest Tawny” Virtual Tasting  (Date: 2021-04-15)
🔗
1990 VP Quinta do Vesuvio 0.2 PossiblyP
Same colour as the 89, except slightly rosy around the edge. Touch rounder and sweeter than the 89 on the nose. An intense icing-sugar sweetness even more pronounced on the palate. Underpinned by the same wateriness as the ’89 and a bit more fruit.  Drunk: TPF Vesuvio Tasting (Date: 2010-02-22)
🔗
1990 SQVP Warre Quinta da Cavadinha 0.2 PossiblyP
Plummy colour. Lightening towards the edge. Quite subdued on the nose. In the mouth some fruit remains; very drinkable now but will fade away soon.  Drunk: TPF “Bring a Bottle” tasting (Date: 2011-03-10)
🔗
1991 VP Barros 0.2
Surprisingly light for its age. Nicely floral in the mouth. May become a simple sugar syrup in near future.  Drunk: Mango Tree (Date: 2012-09-16)
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1991 VP Churchill 0.8 PossiblyP
Deep colour. Perhaps a touch of lightness on the rim. Quite a lot of heat. Only a little fruit. Quite austere in mouth; very tannic. A bit like a Dow. Perhaps closed? (My first note read: “Not nearly as mature as the 1992 LBV. No other recollections.”). Opaque purple centre, fading to red translucent rim. Subtle fruit on the nose. In the mouth, some peppery round fruits and slight wateriness followed by a cherry liquor sensation. Some tannins present but subtle. Very attractive now. Another five years will probably bring this to quaffable levels, and another 15 or so to full maturity.  Drunk: TCP House VP 
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1991 VP Dow 0.2
Dead, unfortunately.  Drunk: Dow Tasting (Date: 2010-09-07)
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1991 VP Fonseca Guimaraens 0.50.50.2
PossiblyP

Drunk: Home. 2009 
Deeply coloured, still, in the middle. Reddening on the edge. Some rounded fruit on the nose. Initially quite nice fruit. Then rather astringent finish. Fine but not great.  Drunk: TPF “Bring a Bottle” tasting (Date: 2011-03-10)
Similar to the 1988 in colour. Some grappyness on the nose. Nice but not fantastic in the mouth. Closed and simple.  Drunk: Fonseca and Fonseca Guimaraens Tasting (Date: 2011-04-04)
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1991 VP Graham 0.2 PossiblyP--
Reddy-purple middle. Fades to the edge. Odd nose. Ramen noodles perhaps? Moderate red cherries. Some tannins. Short aftertaste. Something odd afterwards. Flawed?  Drunk: The Bunghole (Date: 2012-02-15)
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1991 VP Morgan 0.20.2 CertainlyC

Excellent.  Drunk: TPF LBV Tasting (Date: 2011-01-26)
Drunk: “Life on the Douro” Screening (Date: 2012-04-02)
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1991 Colheita Niepoort 0.2
Niepoort Lodge. Very nice. Lots of character  Drunk: Oporto May 2009 
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1991 VP Quinta de Roriz 0.2 PossiblyP
Lightening on the edge. Some fruit. A bit austere. Closed down; needs more years.  Drunk: TPF “Bring a Bottle” tasting (Date: 2011-03-10)
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1991 VP Quinta de la Rosa 0.2 CertainlyC
Still very dark with only a little lightening. Not great on the nose: licorice and pepper. Very nice and attractive in the mouth. Milk chocolate predominates. One of the better 1991s I have tried for drinking now.   Drunk: “Bring a bottle tasting”, TCP (Date: 2011-04-03)
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1991 VP Quinta do Noval 0.2 PossiblyP
Good red colour. Slightly corked on the nose but not unbearably. Some elegant fruit. Sweetness predominates. Would be nice if not corked.  Drunk: TPF “Bring a Bottle” tasting (Date: 2011-03-10)
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1991 VP Quinta do Vesuvio 0.2 PossiblyP++
A step darker than the 89 and 90. Lots more fruit on the nose, too, though in the mouth that same immediate wateriness was present. Quite muted but elegant. Tasted rather closed. Very drinkable.  Drunk: TPF Vesuvio Tasting (Date: 2010-02-22)
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1991 VP Smith Woodhouse 0.2 PossiblyP
Red but lightening. Plummy on the nose. Slightly fruity in the mouth. Nice but not great.  Drunk: TPF “Bring a Bottle” tasting (Date: 2011-03-10)
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1991 VP Warre 0.2 PossiblyP
Dead bottle.  Drunk: TPF Warre Tasting (Date: 2009-10-02)
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1992 LBV Churchill 2.5 CertainlyC
Unfiltered LBV in half bottles. Fully mature. Very nice. Only £3.50 a bottle! 
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1992 VP Delaforce 0.2 CertainlyC
Really deep purple. Opaque. Slightly subdued nose. Some tobacco at the end of the palate. In the mouth, initial hit of sugar. Then deeply tannic and hard work. Very, very good but needs 20+ years.  Drunk: Delaforce Tasting (Date: 2012-04-24)
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1992 VP Fonseca 0.2
Same colour as the 1991. Very closed with some complexity breaking through, with some hard work on the nose.  Drunk: Fonseca and Fonseca Guimaraens Tasting (Date: 2011-04-04)
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1992 SQVP Graham Quinta dos Malvedos 0.20.20.20.2
PossiblyP
CertainlyC
CertainlyC
Dead.  Drunk: TPF Malvedos Tasting (Date: 2010-03-22)
Not quite entirely there on the nose. Nice but not great in the mouth.  Drunk: TPF Malvedos Tasting (Date: 2010-03-22)
Good deep colour. Nicely tannic with robust red fruit.  Drunk: Steak Exchange (Date: 2011-11-08)
Deep opaque centre. Fades to red edge. Good Porty smell. Good mild tannins. Nicely rounded. Not quite as much fruit as required to be excellent but perhaps it requires another 10 years to open? Tasting blind, preferred to the Graham’s 1991.  Drunk: The Bunghole (Date: 2012-02-15)
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1992 Colheita Poças Júnior 0.2
Drunk: Decanter: Spain and Portugal at the Landmark Hotel (Date: 2016-02-27)
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1992 Colheita Quevedo 0.2 PossiblyP
Bottled 2020. Quite subtle nose. The mouth is very interesting. Less strikingly sweet than I expected, it has a strong savoury flavour with a long aftertaste. Quite unusual for a Port but very interesting. Not a quaffable Port (like, perhaps the 1994 or especially the 2004) but one to savour.  (Date: 2021-09-28)
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1992 VP Quinta do Vesuvio 0.2 PossiblyP--
Same colour as the ’91. Slightly stewed sensation on the nose and in the mouth. Incredibly bitter aftertaste. Not great; a disappointment.   Drunk: TPF Vesuvio Tasting (Date: 2010-02-22)
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1992 LBV Warre 0.2 CertainlyC
Pretty good. Marzipan.  Drunk: TPF LBV Tasting (Date: 2011-01-26)
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1994 VP Churchill 0.5 PossiblyP
Rust colour and completely translucent. Very little fading in colour from centre to edge. Little fruit on the nose, perhaps even something like coffee? Very little in the mouth: some fruit (a touch stewed) but taken over by umani with a short aftertaste. Somewhat disappointing, although perhaps a bad bottle? Made pre-purchase of Quinta da Gricha from North-bank South-facing vineyards.  Drunk: Churchill’s Vintage Port Masterclass “E-Tasting” (Date: 2020-05-19)
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1994 VP Cockburn 0.2 PossiblyP++
Deep red. Initially flavours of a good young Vintage Port.  Drunk: Steak Exchange (Date: 2011-11-08)
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1994 VP Croft 1
Not a massive amount of sediment. Impressively deep opaque red in the centre, fading to orange at the edge. After a long decant: the nose is rather distant it has good concentration of dark fruits—maybe black currants—& some muscovado sugar. On tasting, an immediate hit of sugar, followed by strong but rounded tannins and a slightly spicy mixture of dark cherries. There is some acidity present, too. The aftertaste is not bold but is very long. I am surprised and pleased at how youthful this is. For the long haul.  (Date: 2023-02-18)
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1994 VP Delaforce 0.2 CertainlyC--
Same colour as the 1992. Very muted nose. In the mouth, loads of mint. Very deep, slightly gritty tannins. Very hard work. Quite acidic. Longish aftertaste. Needs 20+ years.  Drunk: Delaforce Tasting (Date: 2012-04-24)
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1994 VP Dow 0.20
Undrinkably tannic and youthful.  Drunk: Berry Bros (Date: 2011-12-01)
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1994 VP Gould Campbell 1 CertainlyC++
Fairly dark in the middle; still opaque, fading to red around the edges. The nose is fairly gentle but attractive red fruits. In the mouth, there is no immediate hit of fruit but a gentle sensation of cranberries and other dried red fruits. Sugar, tannin and acidity are all present but are moderate and balanced. Followed by a long aftertaste, again of cranberries. This is seriously elegant. Dangerously drinkable.   (Date: 2021-02-06)
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1994 VP Graham 0.20.20 CertainlyC++

Chocolate and digestive biscuits on the nose; with a scent of deep molasses that was extremely attractive. In the mouth, perhaps a touch lighter: light cherries, apples and pears were most notable, along with a dense and tannic mouth-feel. Obviously excellent. I really enjoyed this.  Drunk: Decanter, The Symingtons: Half a Century of Superlative Port (Date: 2010-11-14)
Drunk: Berry Bros (Date: 2011-12-01)
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1994 Colheita Graham 0.2
Quite deep mahogany. The nose is flawed with sulphur. In the mouth, it has some good fruit left. Cherries, perhaps? Afterwards there is some nuts which have a good long aftertaste. Perhaps less acidic than the others. But the flaw means I can’t really rate it.  Drunk: Graham’s “Single Harvest Tawny” Virtual Tasting  (Date: 2021-04-15)
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1994 Colheita Niepoort 0.210.2 CertainlyC

CertainlyC
Perhaps not as good as the 1998.  Drunk: Uncorked tasting 

As before.  Drunk: TPF tasting with Oscar Quevedo (Date: 2010-02-11)
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1994 VP Quarles Harris 0.2 PossiblyP++
Wonderful fruit. Good tannins and aftertaste. Very drinkable now.  Drunk: BBR Port Walk 2017 (Date: 2017-11-24)
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1994 Colheita Quevedo 0.20.2 PossiblyP
CertainlyC--
Bottled 2020. Still quite dark but, in the poor lighting, it looks surprisingly brown in the middle. Pleasant in the mouth: good complexity, well-balanced acidity and perhaps a bit of fresh fruit left.  (Date: 2021-09-28)
Translucent orange fading towards the edge; notably lighter than the 1994 garrafeira. The nose is classically a high-quality tawny: complex dried fruit. The mouth is very interesting. It is, perhaps, less immediately sweet than the garrafeira; a bit more spirity and a bit more assertive. The aftertaste is also shorter and without that toffee aftertaste. Very good Port but, perhaps, not quite as excellent.  Drunk: Quevedo Garrafeira Virtual Tasting (Date: 2021-12-09)
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1994 Garrafeira Quevedo 0.2 CertainlyC
Translucent deep orange fading very much towards the edge. Lovely sweet nose. Concentrated toffee. The mouth is extremely well balanced. Not particularly sweet, initially, but there is a mixture of fresh fruit; only a touch of acidity (more oranges then lemons) and essential no tannins. The aftertaste is unbelievably long. It is full of toffee or hard caramel. Excellent port. Dangerously drinkable.  Drunk: Quevedo Garrafeira Virtual Tasting (Date: 2021-12-09)
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1994 VP Quinta do Noval 0.2 CertainlyC
Red throughout; fading towards the edge. Concentrated jammy fruit on the nose, with some marzipan. In the mouth, the tannins are no obvious on first tasting unlike the younger QdNs, although they are still present. The sugar is well balanced, as is the acidity. The aftertaste is extremely long. Excellent quaffing Port: could easily drink a bottle.  Drunk: Quinta do Noval Virtual Tasting with 67 Pall Mall (Date: 2020-06-28)
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1994 VP Quinta do Vesuvio 0.20.2 CertainlyC++

A step darker than the older wines (particularly the ’91 and ’92). Massive and spectacular on the nose; full of fruit. Tastes even more massive than the nose and colour would indicate. Oldest Vesuvio still to have a noticeable tannic backbone. Extremely well rounded and balanced; absolutely stunning Port.  Drunk: TPF Vesuvio Tasting (Date: 2010-02-22)
Drunk: Berry Bros (Date: 2011-12-01)
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1994 VP Sandeman 0.21 PossiblyP++
PossiblyP++
Some mint on the nose. Otherwise very similar to 1997. Not a great amount of fruit. Very elegant but well balanced. No tannins; very soft and rounded. Nice drinking now.  Drunk: TPF Sandeman Tasting (Date: 2011-05-13)
Very tasty but quite mature for age.  Drunk: Boot and Flogger  (Date: 2017-01-28)
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1994 VP Tesco (Symington) 1 PossiblyP--
Not great.  Drunk: TPF LBV Tasting (Date: 2011-01-26)
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1994 VP Warre 0.20.2 PossiblyP

Quite sweet. Fairly closed down.  Drunk: TPF Warre Tasting (Date: 2009-10-02)
Drunk: Berry Bros (Date: 2011-12-01)
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1995 VP Cockburn 0.2
Slightly disappointing. Not as great as could be expected.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2009 (Date: 2009-12-17)
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1995 SQVP Croft Quinta da Roêda 1 PossiblyP

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1995 VP Fonseca Guimaraens 0.2
Same colour as the 1995. Some heat on the nose, followed by good complexity. Straight-forward in the mouth but attractive, possibly with the potential to be very good in the future.  Drunk: Fonseca and Fonseca Guimaraens Tasting (Date: 2011-04-04)
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1995 SQVP Graham Quinta dos Malvedos 0.20.2
PossiblyP
A damaged half bottle, unfortunately, with an oddly stewed sensation on the nose and in the mouth. Not damaged beyond drinkability but certainly not great.  Drunk: TPF Malvedos Tasting (Date: 2010-03-22)
Thankfully undamaged half bottle. Fine.  Drunk: TPF Malvedos Tasting (Date: 2010-03-22)
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1995 Colheita Niepoort 0.2 CertainlyC
I really enjoyed this: a surprisingly old tawny nose of nuts, with good balance of rounded fruit and tawny-ness (I am never quite sure how to describe the general characteristics of a tawny) in the mouth.   Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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1995 Colheita Poças Júnior 0.5 PossiblyP
Bottled in 2015. Bright clear amber. Good simple sweetness, tasting rather old for its age. Perhaps missing some complexity.  (Date: 2016-11-27)
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1995 LBV Quinta do Noval Da Silva 0.2
A rarely-produced second label for Noval which is shipped entirely to the UK.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2009 (Date: 2009-12-17)
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1995 VP Quinta do Vesuvio 0.20.2 PossiblyP--
PossiblyP--
Perhaps a touch darker than the ’94. More muted on the nose with, unfortunately, a touch of the ’92. Much less well balanced and integrated: immediate hit of sugar followed by complete disintegration and a bitter aftertaste. Hopefully some age will allow the pieces to fall in the right place.  Drunk: TPF Vesuvio Tasting (Date: 2010-02-22)
Deep purple. Bit of heat on the nose, slightly astringent in the mouth, with lots of good fruit hidden underneath. Needs time to open up.  Drunk: “Bring a bottle tasting”, TCP (Date: 2011-04-03)
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1995 LBV Smith Woodhouse 21
PossiblyP++

Unfiltered LBV. I was worried this would be too mature but still darkly coloured and opaque; fading a little to purple-red. Intense concentration on the nose: some cherries perhaps with distant sugar and some flowers, too. In the mouth, not terribly expressive on first tasting. Still quite a lot of acidity and some tannins. It opens up to a more expressive mid-palate which has cherries and black pepper (which I think might be quite distinctive of Smith Woodhouse). The aftertaste is quite long with nicely rounded cherries. This probably needs another 5-10 years to reach proper maturity.  (Date: 2020-07-09)
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1995 LBV Warre 0.2 CertainlyC--
Deep purple. Dark and fresh cherries on the nose. In the mouth, some more, dense fruit. Slightly mellowed with age, with a few tannins remaining. Reminds me of some of the Warre Vintage Port from the 1980s. Sugar is quite subdued and acidity is not pronounced. Very nice, supple, wine which in five years or so will probably be like a completely mature Vintage Port but extremely drinkable now.  Drunk: TPF LBV Tasting II (Date: 2011-01-28)
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1996 Colheita Burmester 0.2 PossiblyP++
Bottled in 2007. Quite dark throughout, with a raspberry-coloured tint on the edge. Sugar immediately stuck out; with that thick sweetness. Youthfulness is certainly obvious, in the middle of the mouth (lychee?). The after-taste has quite a bit of smoke to it and enough tannins remain to give it some body.  Drunk: Provided by Chris Jay 
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1996 SQVP Dow Quinta do Bomfim 1.20 CertainlyC++

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1996 SQVP Fonseca Quinta do Panascal 1 PossiblyP++

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1996 VP Fonseca Guimaraens 0.20.24

CertainlyC
PossiblyP++
More forceful on the nose than the 1995. Some rancio on the nose. Nice, with lots of sweetness in the mouth. Notably less tannic than the 1995 with less complexity, too.  Drunk: Fonseca and Fonseca Guimaraens Tasting (Date: 2011-04-04)
More forceful on the nose than the 1995. Some rancio on the nose. Nice, with lots of sweetness in the mouth. Notably less tannic than the 1995 with less complexity, too.  Drunk: Green’s Oyster Bar (Date: 2014-12-02)
Good purple in the middle, fading round the edge. Nice “porty” smell with some distant red fruits. In the mouth, some sugar and a little red currants followed by moderate tannins and acidity. Aftertaste is pleasantly long and full of caramel. Very nice drinking at the moment.  (Date: 2016-03-03)
Cork completely disintegrated on removal. Very drinkable!  (Date: 2017-03-04)
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1996 SQVP Graham Quinta dos Malvedos 0.2 CertainlyC
Very nice  Drunk: TPF Malvedos Tasting (Date: 2010-03-22)
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1996 LBV Niepoort 0.2 CertainlyC
From a half bottle. Red middle, with a touch of orange on the edge. Good, cherry, flavour. Good value for its price.  Drunk: The Bunghole (Date: 2012-01-10)
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1996 Colheita Palmer 0.5 No!N++
A new ”shipper” for me. Very limited tawny flavours. Somewhat disappointing.  Drunk: Christmas Day 2018 (Date: 2018-12-25)
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1996 VP Quady Starboard 0.2 No!N
American Port. Alarmingly cloudy. Sprity on the nose. Feels slightly past its best which is disappointing. It was not clear how the 1996 vintage compared to those in the Douro.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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1996 Colheita Quevedo 0.20.20.2

CertainlyC
Drunk: “Life on the Douro” Screening (Date: 2012-04-02)
Drunk: Quevedo Lodge (Date: 2014-09-09)
Good mixture of fruit and syrup. Extremely drinkable. Very, very good.  Drunk: Boxing day 2018 (Date: 2018-12-26)
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1996 LBV Quinta do Infantado 0.2 PossiblyP
Vinologia. Beginning to mature. Slightly strange on the nose: perhaps barbecue sauce? Not terribly sweet but otherwise attractive.  Drunk: Oporto and Douro October 2010 
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1996 SQVP Quinta do Noval Silva 0.2 PossiblyP++
Quinta do Noval Tasting Room, Porto. Still quite dark in the middle but the edge is starting to lose its colour. Lovely nose of mature Port. Mouth had good initial sugar but limited fruit. Some structure and light acidity follows. Reasonable aftertaste. Perfectly respectable for a 1996 second label.  Drunk: Portugal 2021 (Date: 2021-07-03)
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1996 VP Quinta do Vesuvio 0.20.20 CertainlyC++

Excellent. Pretty much the same colour as the ’94. Noticeably chewy tannins in the mouth, though not quite as much fruit as the ’94. Slight coffee in the aftertaste. Lovely Port; certainly the best non-major-year Vesuvio from the 1990s.  Drunk: TPF LBV Tasting (Date: 2011-01-26)
Drunk: TPF Vesuvio Tasting (Date: 2010-02-22)
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1996 SQVP Taylor Quinta de Terra Feita 21 CertainlyC
PossiblyP

Still quite dark in the middle. Purple fading to maroon. Quite concentrated on the nose- dark cherries. Very spirity but this may just be an under-decanting issue. Mouth is attractive. Round red cherries, some rose or Turkish delight. Decent amount of immediate acidity which fades with the sugar to a sensation of sherbet. Tannins are quite rounded. Aftertaste is quite short. Elegant; needs a few more years and proper decanting. Enjoyable.   (Date: 2022-10-24)
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1996 SQVP Taylor Quinta de Vargellas 1.50.20 CertainlyC


Generally regarded as “closed”. With time will probably be great.  Drunk: TPF Vargellas tasting, TCP (Date: 2009-03-24)
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1997 Colheita Bulas 0.2 CertainlyC
Portologia (née Vinologia). Bottled 2019. Really light for its age. Fantastic nose. Great in the palate. Long aftertaste. Good mixture of acidity, dried fruit, sugar and caramel. I really enjoyed this. Best Port of the night. Worth seeking out.  Drunk: Porto 2020 (Date: 2020-09-14)
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1997 SQVP Croft Quinta da Roêda 10.20 PossiblyP

Huge fruit on the nose which was let down badly on the palate where odd taste distinctly lacking in fruit prevailed. Perhaps under-decanted?  Drunk: Uncorked tasting 
Drunk: Berry Bros (Date: 2011-12-01)
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1997 SQVP Delaforce Quinta da Corte 0.2 PossiblyP++
Same colour as the 1994. Slightly musty smell. Slightly hot. Alcohol obviously present. Very little fruit. Some gritty tannins but less griping than the 1994. A bit disappointing.  Drunk: Delaforce Tasting (Date: 2012-04-24)
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1997 Ruby Ferreira HMY Britannia Decommissioning 0.20.2
No!N++
Very dark in colour but translucent. A touch spicy but quite a lot of spirit. Entirely drinkable.  Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2009-05-20)
Very good nose with surprising concentration. However, very grippy in the mouth. Quite tannic. Little complexity.  Drunk: Lodge Tour (Date: 2023-02-13)
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1997 LBV Fonseca 0.2 PossiblyP
By the glass at the East India Club so not certain about identity! Honeycomb. 
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1997 VP Fonseca 0.2
Drunk: Berry Bros (Date: 2011-12-01)
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1997 VP Gould Campbell 0.20.20.2 PossiblyP

PossiblyP--
Good, deep centre. Lightening around the rim. Quite spirity on the nose. A little plum and cherry, too. Very spirity in the mouth. Some nice fruits, but dominated by the spirit. Shortish aftertaste with some gritty tannins. Nice but not spectacular.  Drunk: Winelist, Bunghole (Date: 2011-12-23)
Drunk: Berry Bros (Date: 2011-12-01)
Same colour as the Malvedos. Considerably weaker on the nose, though. Some distant Muscovado sugar. Perhaps even treacle? But little fruit. In the mouth, no real fruit; this was slightly anemic. Some tannins left but they were gritty. Shortish aftertaste. Not great. Tim Stanley-Clarke described minerality. I agree but I am not sure this was good in this wine.  Drunk: Davy’s Tasting at the Woolgate (Date: 2013-11-14)
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1997 VP Graham 0.2 PossiblyP
Extremely closed and muted on the nose. Some red berries but that was about it. In the mouth, it tasted of nothing, apart from a hit of sugar; some rounded tannins and perhaps a touch of chocolate at the very end of the after-taste.  Drunk: Decanter, The Symingtons: Half a Century of Superlative Port (Date: 2010-11-14)
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1997 LBV Krohn 0.2 PossiblyP--
Deep colour but showing signs of maturity. Heavy rancio on the nose; rather unattractive. In the mouth some sugar immediately but also rancio, again. Fades to blackcurrant cough-sweet. A bit disjointed. Unclear whether it will improve with time but not great at the moment.  Drunk: TPF LBV Tasting II (Date: 2011-01-28)
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1997 Colheita Quinta de la Rosa 0.2
Drunk: Berry Bros (Date: 2011-12-01)
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1997 Colheita Quinta do Crasto 0.2 PossiblyP++
Bottled 2016.  Drunk: New Douro Tasting (Date: 2016-11-07)
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1997 VP Quinta do Infantado 0.2 CertainlyC
Pinkish / purple in colour. Some soft fruits on the nose. More fruit and spices in the mouth. Round tannins. Fantastic.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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1997 VP Quinta do Passadouro 0.2 PossiblyP
Deep purple. Quite muted on the nose. Slightly bitter. Very drinkable but without a great complexity. One for quaffing!  Drunk: Blind tasting, TCP (Date: 2010-11-08)
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1997 VP Quinta do Vesuvio 0.2 CertainlyC
Same colour as the ’96. Very muted on the nose and in the mouth, too. Quite elegant to drink now but very subdued. Probably needs more time to open up.  Drunk: TPF Vesuvio Tasting (Date: 2010-02-22)
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1997 VP Ramos Pinto 0.2 PossiblyP--
Opaque red. Strong blackberries on the nose. Quite light. In the mouth, very light. Moderate sweetness and acidity. No tannins. Still a little fruit. Very drinkable but not quite as complex as I might hope.  Drunk: Porto 2020 (Date: 2020-09-12)
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1997 VP Rozès 20.2 No!N


Opened for a week which apparently makes this drinkable!  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2009 (Date: 2009-12-17)
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1997 VP Sandeman 0.2 PossiblyP
Some mint and fudge on nose. In the mouth icing sugar dominates with a little mint. Rounded soft tannins, some blackcurrants but fades very quickly to nothing.   Drunk: TPF Sandeman Tasting (Date: 2011-05-13)
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1997 VP Smith Woodhouse 10.20 PossiblyP

As should be expected, the cork came out easily in one piece, and there was only a little sediment. 8+ Hours. Surprisingly large on the nose, but aromatic rather than powerful. Very fruity, with, if it is not too clichéd, lots of plums and a bit of cherry. In the mouth, there is a nice peppery heat (though this does obscure some of the other flavours), followed by more fruit, which eventually produce a little cherry in the finish. The sugar is not particularly obvious and feels very well dissolved. +24 Hours. Not much change, though it has mellowed somewhat. Now an extremely easy drinker. I think, overall, this is an entirely pleasant VP, though not quite interesting or exciting enough to warrant drinking again in the next few years. 
Drunk: Berry Bros (Date: 2011-12-01)
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1997 SQVP Taylor Quinta de Vargellas 1 PossiblyP
Drunk: Uncorked tasting 
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1997 VP Taylor 0.2
Drunk: Berry Bros (Date: 2011-12-01)
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1998 SQVP Fonseca Quinta do Panascal 0.21
PossiblyP
Very similar to the 1998 Fonseca Guimaraens. Some cherries on the nose. Attractive in the mouth, though perhaps with the merest touch of astringency meeting its sweetness.  Drunk: Fonseca and Fonseca Guimaraens Tasting (Date: 2011-04-04)
Drunk: Uncorked tasting 
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1998 VP Fonseca Guimaraens 0.21
PossiblyP++
A touch lighter than the 1998 Fonseca Quinta do Panascal, otherwise very similar in all other respects, except being unexpectedly a little more tannic.  Drunk: Fonseca and Fonseca Guimaraens Tasting (Date: 2011-04-04)
Deep rusty red rather than purple. Masses of attractive fruit on the nose. Perhaps very sweet, very fresh cherries. Perhaps even some strawberry. In the mouth, a very good combination of immediate hit of icing sugar, followed by rounded jammy fruits and a long after-taste, balanced by the merest touch of astringency and tannin. This is drinking extremely well now. Dangerously so.  Drunk: Passover 2019 (Date: 2019-04-19)
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1998 SQVP Graham Quinta dos Malvedos 0.2 CertainlyC
A touch darker than the 1996 and with a touch more complexity and interest. Malvedos is probably the first SQVP where I think the 1998 is likely to be better than the 1996.  Drunk: TPF Malvedos Tasting (Date: 2010-03-22)
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1998 Colheita Niepoort 0.2 CertainlyC
Only kept in wood for 9 years! Initial spiciness on the nose softened on the palate. Excellent.  Drunk: Uncorked Niepoort tasting with Dirk Niepoort 
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1998 VP Quinta do Vesuvio 0.2 PossiblyP++
Slightly darker than the ’97. A bit more “bight” or “grip” to it, too, though at the expense of some of the ’97’s elegance.  Drunk: TPF Vesuvio Tasting (Date: 2010-02-22)
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1999 SQVP Cockburn Quinta dos Canais 0.2 PossiblyP--
Good colour, though starting to lighten on the rim. On the nose a bit too much rancio for my liking and somewhat too much heat. Not great.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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1999 SQVP Dow Quinta do Bomfim 0.2 CertainlyC
Similar in colour to the Quinta dos Canais 199. Dense cherries on the nose, deeply tannic still in the mouth and, unsurprisingly very dry. Although I do not usually like this style, I thought this was fantastic.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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1999 SQVP Graham Quinta dos Malvedos 0.20.20.20.2 PossiblyP
PossiblyP++
CertainlyC--

Quite dark in colour but disappointingly mute on the nose and in the mouth. Very closed. Give it time and it might mature into something more interesting.  Drunk: TPF Malvedos Tasting (Date: 2010-03-22)
Same colour as the other 1999s. Slightly subdued compared to the Bomfim on the nose. In the mouth this was hard work with some primary fruits and sugar appearing, but it felt rather closed and inaccessible at the moment.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
Good purply-red centre. Just about opaque. Reddish edge. Nose a step better than anything else at the tasting. Very expressive with lots of red fruits. In the mouth, extremely sweet: a hit of icing sugar. Then followed by some light fruits. Perhaps moving into strawberries? Some residual tannins. Short aftertaste. Pretty good Port and one which is becoming drinkable again.  Drunk: Davy’s Tasting at the Woolgate (Date: 2013-11-14)
Drunk: “Life on the Douro” Screening (Date: 2012-04-02)
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1999 VP Niepoort Secundum 1 CertainlyC
Excellent. Drink young.  Drunk: Uncorked tasting 
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1999 LBV Quinta de la Rosa 0.51 PossiblyP
PossiblyP--
Quinta de la Rosa. Fine, maturing LBV. Let down by a certain amount of rancio on the nose.  Drunk: Oporto and Douro October 2010 
A little unclear from the label whether this is filtered or not. Decanting produced a modest amount of sediment. The colour is a deep blood-red in the centre fading through light red to the edge. Maybe a touch of cloudiness. The nose is good: deep complexity of baked cherries and other dark fruits. The mouth has little initial fruit and feels immediately quite dry. The acidity is pronouced and lemony. There are a few tannins left. The aftertaste is long but is dominated by the acid rather than fruit. It is just not sufficiently expressive for me, unfortunately. A bit too Dow-like for me and my palate.  (Date: 2022-08-04)
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1999 LBV Quinta do Crasto 2.50.5
PossiblyP
An unfiltered LBV in a half-bottles. Colour is still dark but not entirely opaque, lighting to a dark rusty colour at the rim. An hour after decanting: quite pleasant on the nose: a rich aroma with some cherries and a little rosewater. This carries on into the initial taste in the mouth, which is then followed by a bit of peppery heat. The after-taste is short but pleasant. A combination of licorice and almonds. Reading back through my notes of the 2001, the initial wateriness of this seems comparable. Fine but not great. 
Last of a stash of halves. Bottled 2003. Unfiltered but easy to decant freehand. Good red colour in the middle which only faded a touch to the edge. Modest fruit on the nose. In the mouth some subtle cherry, little acidity and tannins. Aftertaste is attractive with some spearmint. Although not giving many secondary characteristics, this does taste a bit over-aged: probably should have been drunk in 2015 (or perhaps 2025 for full maturity?).  (Date: 2020-10-24)
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1999 VP Quinta do Vesuvio 0.2 PossiblyP
Touch darker than the ’99. Quite a lot of fruit on the nose but more subdued than the major declared years. Bit of fruit in the mouth, too, though not as exciting or complex as the major years.  Drunk: TPF Vesuvio Tasting (Date: 2010-02-22)
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1999 VP Sandeman Vau 1 PossiblyP++
Moderate amount of sediment. Transparent red colour. Good red fruits on the nose. Red currants. Other berries. Very little tannins in mouth. Gentle fruits. Extremely drinkable.   (Date: 2015-06-01)
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1999 SQVP Taylor Quinta de Terra Feita 1 CertainlyC
Sample glass at the time of decanting was quite unpleasant. Far too much alcohol. All other flavours obscured. Improved a bit after an hour or so. Greatly improved after about a day. Then, on the nose, lots of blackberries. In the mouth, a little disappointing: a bit musty in the back of the throat. Returned to the bottle a couple of days latter. Musty sensation had almost entirely disappeared with the sugar tasting ever so treacly. Extremely light to drink. 
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1999 LBV Warre 0.2 CertainlyC--
Deep purple in the middle. Good fruit on the nose and in the mouth. Slightly bitter at the end. Very nice Port, perhaps needing another few years to maturity.  Drunk: TPF LBV Tasting II (Date: 2011-1-28)
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1999 Colheita Warre 0.2 PossiblyP++
Bottled 2013. Not very tawny. Perhaps a pinkish colour. Very pleasant fruit and tawny elements. Extremely quaffable.  Drunk: BA Lounge (Date: 2014-09-12)
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2000 VP Barros 0.2 PossiblyP++
In colour, somewhat lighter than I would expect for its age. In the mouth it, entirely unexpectedly, tastes of Pepsi (!), although this is quite appealing, with a few soft tannins surrounding it. Quaffable now and probably for the near-future but I cannot see this having a long future.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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2000 LBV Bredell 0.2 CertainlyC
South African port. Aged in new oak barrels which gave it an odd oak-flavour. Otherwise, good stuff.  Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2009-01-15)
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2000 LBV Cockburn 1 No!N

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2000 Colheita Cálem 0.2
Drunk: Decanter: Spain and Portugal at the Landmark Hotel (Date: 2016-02-27)
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2000 VP Delaforce 0.2 PossiblyP--
Very dark. Opaque purple fading to red. Some spearmint then a bit of an odd aroma. In the mouth, some fruit. Then horrible problems, probably caused by being closed and in a mess at the moment. Not very good for drinking today but will surely improve.  Drunk: Delaforce Tasting (Date: 2012-04-24)
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2000 Crusted Dow 1 No!N
Nose: A little red fruit. Mouth: quite a lot of spirit; an odd, dry sensation, with perhaps a little Summer fruit. Quite a bit of heat in the back of the throat. Fairly low-key and unimpressive. 
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2000 VP Dow 0.2
The sample at the tasting was spoilt by bottle-stink, which was a bit disappointing for a 2000.  Drunk: Decanter, The Symingtons: Half a Century of Superlative Port (Date: 2010-11-14)
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2000 VP Ferreira 0.2 PossiblyP--
Very little fruit on the nose, which was somewhat swamped by spirit. In the mouth, some cherries and other rounded fruit flavours, followed by a lot of heat which I did not like.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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2000 VP Fonseca 0.2
Notably darker than the two 1998s. A step up in youthfulness with Cassis and grappyness on the nose. Very rounded and elegant. Very good.  Drunk: Fonseca and Fonseca Guimaraens Tasting (Date: 2011-04-04)
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2000 VP Graham 0.2 CertainlyC
Opaque purple centre but fading to red rather than purple (as per the 2008 Malvedos) on the edge. The nose is fabulous. Very similar to the 1970. Concentrated fruits: blackcurrants and cherries. Mouth is perhaps more cherry like. Quite tannic still but elegant. The tannins are rounded rather than strong. Gentle acidity. Again, balanced rather than assertively sweet. Really very gluggable now but will certainly imporve with some more time.   Drunk: Graham 200 Tasting with Anthony and Tom Symington (Date: 2020-12-02)
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2000 Colheita Krohn 1
Corked, unfortunately.  Drunk: Delaforce Tasting (Date: 2012-04-24)
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2000 Colheita Quevedo 0.20.2 PossiblyP
Deep orange to red towards the edge. Very similar on the nose to the 2000 garrafeira but somewhat less dense and complex. Quite a lot of oranges. A bit of spirits, too. Very drinkable in the mouth. Decently matched acidity and light sugar. Some fruit: cherries, but minimal. Limited tannins. Moderate aftertaste.  Drunk: Quevedo Garrafeira Virtual Tasting (Date: 2021-12-09)
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2000 Garrafeira Quevedo 0.2 PossiblyP
Deep orange to red towards the edge. Only the tiniest bit darker than the 2000 colheita. Very similar on the nose, too, but with a density and complexity that isn’t otherwise present. The mouth has a wonderful round feel with well-balanced acidity and only minimal sugar. However, compared to the colheita there is a touch more fresh fruit and considerably more tannins. A more interesting wine than the colheita but not quite as interesting as the two 1994s.  Drunk: Quevedo Garrafeira Virtual Tasting (Date: 2021-12-09)
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2000 VP Quinta da Eira Velha 0.2 PossiblyP
Dark, tannic, not particularly complex but quite acceptable.  Drunk: TPF tasting with Oscar Quevedo (Date: 2010-02-11)
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2000 Colheita Quinta da Trovisca 1 PossiblyP
Bottled 2013. Still deep ruby in the middle, fading to an orange edge. Nose: slightly musty, minimal dried fruits but distant red currants like an older vintage. Mouth: very mild. Little fruit (fresh or dried); very little acidity; some tannins. Aftertaste is longish but very gentle. Quaffable but would not rush to repeat.  (Date: 2016-05-30)
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2000 VP Quinta de Roriz 0.20 CertainlyC
Completely opaque. Fades to red on the rim. Floral perfumed nose. Good fruit with rounded tannins and some floral notes. Mid-dry. Longish aftertaste. Quite closed down. Probably very good when it matures.  Drunk: The Bunghole (Date: 2012-02-15)
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2000 Colheita Quinta do Noval 0.2
Drunk: Decanter: Spain and Portugal at the Landmark Hotel (Date: 2016-02-27)
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2000 VP Quinta do Noval 0.2 CertainlyC
Just edging away from opaque in the centre, but still dark purple fading to red. Very similar nose to the 2003 with concentrated red fruits. Again, a lot of tannins which are immediately present in the mouth followed by incredible concentration of fruit. The acidity is balanced. The concentration of fruit and tannins make it seem a little less expressive than the 2003 for drinking now. Needs more time.  Drunk: Quinta do Noval Virtual Tasting with 67 Pall Mall (Date: 2020-06-28)
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2000 LBV Quinta do Portal 11 PossiblyP
PossiblyP
Bought a few years ago at the quinta.Lots of very fine sediment. Good red colour, fading a little to the edge. Very good on the nose. Stack of red fruits. In the mouth, hit of simple sugar. A few red fruits such as strawberry. Limited acidity and almost no tannins. Very quaffable but I am not convinced this is a bottle for the long term.  (Date: 2018-10-28)
Loads of fine sediment. Still quite dark but red-ish in the centre. Good fruit but quite simple. Very drinkable now.  Drunk: Caroline’s Dad’s 75 Birthday (Date: 2018-11-01)
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2000 VP Quinta do Vesuvio 0.2 CertainlyC
Notably a step darker than anything that has come before. Strikingly immature on the nose and challenging to drink, too. Dense and complex but obviously far too young to be enjoyed now.  Drunk: TPF Vesuvio Tasting (Date: 2010-02-22)
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2000 VP Ramos Pinto 0.2 PossiblyP
Now red rather than purple. On the nose, there is quite a lot of heat. In the mouth, a great amount of sweetness, and soft strawberries, giving a sensation of eating boiled sweets. The tannins are almost not present. A nice Port, but somewhat less than I might have hoped.   Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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2000 LBV Rozès 0.2 PossiblyP--
Very light for its age. Deep rancio on its nose. Some fruit fights its way out, but not great.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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2000 VP Sandeman Vau 0.20
Quinta do Seixo. Nose full of blackcurrants. Attractive now but very soft; perhaps not one for the long term.  Drunk: Oporto and Douro October 2010 
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2000 VP São Pedro das Aguias 0.2 PossiblyP
Tasting of three vintage ports. The oldest available. Red colour fading quite dramatically at the rim. Overwhelming scent of cherry sweets. Tasted a little backed, perhaps. Slightly less fresh fruit than I might have hoped for a 2000: it’s not quite clear how long it will last.  Drunk: Vinologia (Date: 2017-08-28)
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2000 LBV Taylor 1 PossiblyP

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2000 VP Taylor 0.20.2
PossiblyP++
Almost nothing on the nose; this is extremely closed down. In the mouth, a very little fruit, some rancio and a bit of peppery heat but the general sensation is of this wine being completely closed. Very poor drinking at the moment, hopefully with some time it will open up properly.  Drunk: “Bring a Bottle” (Date: 2011-05-06)
Very structured. Closed and tannic now. Needs more time.  Drunk: BBR Port Walk 2017 (Date: 2017-11-24)
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2000 VP Tesco (Symington) 0.2 PossiblyP
Much darker than the others at the tasting but going red around the edge. Good stewed fruits on the nose. In the mouth, some red cherries and lots of tannins. Not quite as complex as might be expected. Guessed as a Niepoort LBV bottled by Fortnums.  Drunk: The Bunghole (Date: 2012-01-10)
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2001 LBV Dow 5 PossiblyP

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2001 VP Fonseca Guimaraens 0.2
Similar colour to the 2001. Some sugar. Very quaffable. Still elegant and drinkable.  Drunk: Fonseca and Fonseca Guimaraens Tasting (Date: 2011-04-04)
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2001 LBV Graham 2 CertainlyC
Needs at least 24+ Hours. Nose: faint but with a little raspberry and perhaps some other Summer fruits. Mouth: pretty smooth, with some blackberries and dark chocolate. It’s quite tannic. Sugar: understated and not particularly interesting. Cheap purchase. Worth getting at that price. 
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2001 SQVP Graham Quinta dos Malvedos 0.21 PossiblyP
PossiblyP++
Somewhat simpler than many of the other Malvedos, this was an complex and attractive Port, with quite a lot of sweetness. Very nice.  Drunk: TPF Malvedos Tasting (Date: 2010-03-22)
Drinking very nicely at the moment. Good complex tastes.  (Date: 2019-08-20)
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2001 LBV Quinta do Crasto 1 PossiblyP

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2001 LBV Quinta do Infantado 1 CertainlyC++
Colour: inky black; a little purple on the rim. Very little, thick sediment. Blackcurrant; unusual light feel. Extremely good. Worth extra expense. 
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2001 LBV Quinta do Noval 2.2 PossiblyP

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2001 VP Quinta do Vesuvio 0.2 PossiblyP++
A touch lighter than the 2000. Quite muted on the nose and in the palate but elegant to drink now.  Drunk: TPF Vesuvio Tasting (Date: 2010-02-22)
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2001 SQVP Taylor Quinta de Vargellas 0.20.20 PossiblyP
PossiblyP
I was struck by complexity compared to the Taylor LBV and Ruby. Dense black morello cherries on the nose. Nice complex jammyness in the mouth. Some tannins. Odd after-taste of cabbages, though (?!); perhaps caused by a flaw in the glasses or the bottle.  Drunk: Taylor’s and Cheese, Milbank (Date: 2010-12-20)
Drunk: Lake district Christmas 2015 (Date: 2015-12-25)
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2001 SQVP Taylor Quinta de Terra Feita 21 PossiblyP
PossiblyP++
Deep red. Good porty nose. Rather limited in the mouth in terms of tannins and fruit. Very drinkable, however.  (Date: 2019-02-04)
(Date: 2020-03-09)
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2001 LBV Tesco (Symington) 2 PossiblyP
Nothing particularly distinctive on the nose: mostly redcurrants and blackcurrants. In the mouth, it is initially quite pleasant (but this goes too quickly to contemplate it in detail) before being followed by a huge tannic hit. The after-taste is pretty brief and hot. Acceptable for what it is. Similar to the 1994 VP. 
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2001 LBV Warre 0.2 CertainlyC
Darker than the Graham’s 2006 LBV and a similar, perhaps a touch darker than the 2004 Graham’s Crusted. Very good, subtle smell. Good fruit; red cherries. In the mouth well balanced tannins and subtle fruit. A very long, elegant aftertaste. Really very good LBV; this must be one of the best available.  Drunk: Davy’s Tasting at the Woolgate (Date: 2013-11-14)
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2001 VP Whytingham 1 PossiblyP--
Produced by Quinta do Vale Meão for Selfridges, the name—which apparently comes from Henry Whytingham, a 17th Century shipper—is possibly just branding. Deep red in the centre fading to quite light red around the rim. The nose is light but attractive. A little red fruit and some toffee. In the mouth, not a great deal of fruit; a reasonable quantity of very gentle tannins; and moderate acidity. However, the aftertaste is long and attractive with fresh cherries predominating. Although neither mature nor tired, it feels rather quick maturing. Unfortunately, though, I’m afraid that whilst there isn’t anything particularly wrong with this Port, I just don’t find it particularly enjoyable. I think it is not easy drinking enough nor of impressive complexity.  (Date: 2020-08-21)
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2002 LBV Churchill 0.5 CertainlyC
Dark. Lots of sediment. Fairly muted on the nose. Explosion of black currants in the mouth. Excellent. 
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2002 LBV Magalhães 0.2 CertainlyC
Vinologia. Odd nose: cherries and banana (?!?). In the mouth, immediately very sweet. Slightly astringent but otherwise excellent.  Drunk: Oporto and Douro October 2010 
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2002 LBV Taylor 3 PossiblyP
Drunk: ROH bar staple 
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2002 SQVP Taylor Quinta de Vargellas 1 PossiblyP
Drunk: First day of COVID19 (Date: 2020-03-20)
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2003 LBV Andresen 1 PossiblyP

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2003 LBV Barão de Vilar 10.21 PossiblyP

PossiblyP
Looks filtered though claims otherwise. After quite a bit of decanting time, the Port produced a lot of fruit flavours with a very full and robust backbone. Perhaps worth seeking out an older one or seeing how this develops. It might even some sediment! 
Surprisingly dark and tannic. Some treacle. 
Unfiltered traditional LBV, although it only threw a little sediment. Colour is still dark and purple but fading towards the edge. Good complexity on the nose. Dark fruits, almost as if baked in a crumble. In the mouth, an initial hit of fruit with some acidity and a little sugar but quite a lot of quite severe tannins. The effect is rather dry and I think I would have preferred a touch more sugar.  (Date: 2020-02-04)
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2003 SQVP Churchill Quinta da Gricha 0.2 PossiblyP++
Somewhat on the young side but good combination of fruit and tannins.  Drunk: Churchill’s Lodge (Date: 2014-09-09)
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2003 LBV Croft 0.2
Drunk: Corney and Barrow wine-bars 
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2003 VP Delaforce 0.20 CertainlyC
Very dark. Good minty aroma. Good flavours but closed down. Will be good.  Drunk: Delaforce Tasting (Date: 2012-04-24)
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2003 Crusted Dow 0.2 No!N
Similar to the 2000. Fairly low-key and unimpressive might describe this, too, unfortunately. 
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2003 Colheita Dow 0.40
Etihad business class by the glass. Port situation to assess! Not sure when bottled (assume 2022 or thereabouts).  (Date: 2022-03-12)
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2003 LBV Graham 1 No!N
Weak. Not as good as the other Graham LBV Vintages. 
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2003 VP Graham 0.2
Extremely dark purple. On the nose, the grapeyness of a very young Port was immediately apparent. Enormous amounts of fruit but at this stage in its life and by this point in the tasting, I found it impossible to access.  Drunk: TPF Malvedos Tasting (Date: 2010-03-22)
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2003 White Kopke 0.2 CertainlyC
Bottled 2021. Quite light: golden straw colour. The nose is subdued, which seems to be a feature of the Kopke style: it gives me very little. In the mouth, there is good sweetness. The acidity is a bit brighter than the 20 year old. Perhaps the merest trace of a fresh tropical fruit is present, but this is subsumed by a long aftertaste dominated by vanilla. The overall feel of this Port is remarkably light. It is dangerously drinkable.  Drunk: DIY Kopke Tasting, Part 2 (Date: 2022-01-02)
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2003 Colheita Krohn 0.2 PossiblyP++
Hard to see colour in poor light of restaurant. Massive concentrated tawny flavours on the nose. Huge complexity of orange, dried fruit and caramel in mouth. Good acidity. Long (if not huge) aftertaste. This is really good. Recommended.  Drunk: Porto 2020 (Date: 2020-09-12)
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2003 LBV Messias 0.2 PossiblyP
Glass at Gordon’s. Impossible to tell the colour in the gloom! Very limited on the nose. In the mouth some simple fruits but little more. I wonder if the bottle has been open for too long.  (Date: 2018-11-22)
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2003 LBV Quevedo 0.232 PossiblyP

PossiblyP++
CertainlyC
CertainlyC
Through the Coravin. The first drops were surprisingly transparent and red, becoming more cloudy as the sediment picked up. Rather muted on the nose. In the mouth, very tight; slightly astringent; with bold acidity. Perhaps needs more time to open up (either in decanter or bottle)?  (Date: 2016-03-10)
Dark in the middle, with just a touch of red on the rim. On the nose, very attractive: dark, complex aromas; with a certain amount of blackcurrant swirling around. In the mouth, a small amount of blackcurrant and blackberry is immediately present, with a nice amount of sugar. Followed by quite a dry middle- and after- taste, with some black pepper and quite robust tannins giving a chewy texture. Aftertaste: is very long but very subtle 
A long time since I have tried this. Whilst a traditional LBV, little sediment. Much more red than purple and fading. A very good, Port-y nose, although little fruit. In the mouth, some fresh fruit, some acidity and little sugar. Quite austere. Some tannins. A very serious wine, reminding me of Dow or perhaps Barão de Vilar. Needs more time, I think to lose the last bit of tannins.  (Date: 2020-02-25)
Lots of sediment. Only 19% ABV. Translucent throughout, mostly red & quite solid to the edge. The nose is attractive. Lots of deep red cherries. The mouthfeel is striking: very unctuous. Fruit is still present: red cherries, perhaps, but subtle. No real tannins. Only gently acidic. Aftertaste is quite long. Very attractive at the moment. Really enjoyable.  (Date: 2021-05-21)
(Date: 2021-05-21)
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2003 VP Quinta da Colmaça 0.2 PossiblyP
Black. Very grapey on the nose. Very austere. Bitter tannins. More Dow than Dow; it will be interesting to see how this develops.  Drunk: TPF “Bring a Bottle” tasting (Date: 2011-03-10)
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2003 LBV Quinta da Pacheca 2 No!N
Loads of sediment so obviously unfiltered. Very dark in colour, nose and palate. A strong rancio dominates, though, which is somewhat unattractive to me. 
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2003 VP Quinta de Roriz 1 CertainlyC--
Deep opaque centre, fading to red on the rim. Very dense, concentrated nose. Blackcurrants predominant. Maybe a little mint? In the mouth, an immediate touch of sugar, then strong blackcurrants, followed by heavy tannins. This feels like an old-style classic Vintage Port, a bit Dow-like, which requires a very long time to mature.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Virtual Tasting 2020 (Date: 2020-12-15)
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2003 VP Quinta do Noval 0.2 CertainlyC
Very similar colours as the 2011: opaque purple, fading to red on the edge. More classically “porty” than the younger QdN VPs on the nose, but with fruits more subdued than the 2000 or 2011. A notable amount of sugar in the mouth (something not otherwise present in the QdN Ports). Stacks and stacks of tannins remain but the low acidity means that it is drinkable now as well as being suitable for keeping for the long term.  Drunk: Quinta do Noval Virtual Tasting with 67 Pall Mall (Date: 2020-06-28)
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2003 VP Quinta do Vale de Dona Maria 0.2 PossiblyP++
Very dark. Very austere on the nose. More fruity in the mouth and somewhat rounded. Good tannins. Nice.  Drunk: TPF “Bring a Bottle” tasting (Date: 2011-03-10)
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2003 VP Quinta do Vesuvio 0.2 CertainlyC
Same colour as the 2000 with a very similar nose. Notably more youthful, though. Obviously very immature in the mouth but still quite elegant, despite the tannic edge to it.  Drunk: TPF Vesuvio Tasting (Date: 2010-02-22)
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2003 VP Symington Sainsbury’s “Taste the Difference” 1 CertainlyC
Very enjoyable. Much better than expected.  (Date: 2017-11-19)
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2003 LBV Taylor 1 PossiblyP--
On the nose attractive. Light, little red fruit. In the mouth: initially quite pleasant, light, a touch of mint. Back of the mouth has a little tannin followed by a unpleasant, bitter after–taste which grabs the back of the throat. 
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2003 LBV Warre 1 PossiblyP
Quite a lot of sediment. Reddish and almost translucent throughout. Rather nice on the nose. Good “Porty” smell; some red fruits and black currants. In the mouth, a little disappointing muted. No notable hit of fruit nor sugar on first tasting. In the middle, an absence of acidity and tannins is obvious. However, the flavours don’t then turn into something more exciting and become slightly astringent and grippy. The aftertaste is long and fine, however. Probably needs more time.  (Date: 2018-01-04)
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2004 Crusted Berry Bros. 0.20.2
CertainlyC
In the style of Dow.  Drunk: Berry Bros (Date: 2011-12-01)
Produced by Dow. Light red and fading. Good blend of cherries. Perhaps give it a few more years? Good value.  Drunk: BBR Port Walk 2017 (Date: 2017-11-24)
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2004 LBV Croft 40.50.5
PossiblyP
PossiblyP
Fine. Little orange.  Drunk: Unfiltered 
(Date: 2015-04-23)
Possibly the last of this batch of unfiltered Ports, bottled in 2009. Still fairly dark in the middle but fading to red round the edge. Quite a lot of quite assertive alcohol on the nose. In the mouth, quite astringent, some sweetness but little fruit. Few tannins but some acidity. Whilst unfiltered, I am not sure how well this has aged.  Drunk: Great Yarmouth Premier Inn (!) (Date: 2019-10-07)
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2004 VP Fonseca Guimaraens 0.2
A bit more muted than the 2001. Feels closed and tight. Less sugar and more tannins present. Nice but not as gluggable as the 2001.  Drunk: Fonseca and Fonseca Guimaraens Tasting (Date: 2011-04-04)
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2004 SQVP Fonseca Quinta do Panascal 0.20 PossiblyP++
A bit more burnt red than purple in the middle than the Vargellas ’04. Fading a little to the edge. More youthful on the nose: concentrated fruits (cherries and maybe blackcurrants). In the mouth, rounded fruits; very gentle tannins and good acidity. The fruit structure is more attractive to me than the Vargellas ’04 at the moment, although the after-taste is a bit more tannin-driven. If I had to choose between the two of them I would go for this one.  Drunk: David Guimaraens: Taylor’s and Fonseca Ports Virtual Tasting (Date: 2020-11-06)
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2004 SQVP Graham Quinta dos Malvedos 0.22
PossiblyP++
Drunk: TPF Malvedos Tasting (Date: 2010-03-22)
(Date: 2019-12-27)
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2004 LBV Graham 0.2
Drunk: Miniture bottle, East Coast Trains (Date: 2011-09-01)
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2004 Crusted Graham 0.20.2 PossiblyP++

A measure more purple than the 2006 Graham’s LBV. Fading to red on edge. Very good nose with good stewed fruit. In the mouth, slightly hard work. Gritty tannins. Some black cherries. Shortish aftertaste. Less sweetness than one might expect. Not very typically “Graham’s”, particularly compared to the LBV.  Drunk: Davy’s Tasting at the Woolgate (Date: 2013-11-14)
Drunk: “Life on the Douro” Screening (Date: 2012-04-02)
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2004 SQVP Krohn Quinta do Retiro Novo 10 PossiblyP++
Quite a lot of sediment. Still quite youthful but showing some maturity. Very drinkable and excellent value (c.£20 a bottle full price).  (Date: 2022-01-15)
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2004 LBV Niepoort 0.20.2 PossiblyP
PossiblyP
Fine. Will probably mature a bit. First thought a bit expensive at £15. Now revised view!  Drunk: Uncorked Niepoort tasting with Dirk Niepoort 
Niepoort Lodge  Drunk: Oporto May 2009 
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2004 LBV Niepoort Fortnum and Mason Blend 0.5 PossiblyP
Unfiltered LBV. Bottled 2008. F and M exclusive blend. Quite reddish in colour, and fairly translucent at the edge. Gave very little away on the nose. Surprisingly mute. In the mouth, again very subtle. Almost didn’t taste of anything. Perhaps some elderflower, over a sugary syrup. Slightly tannic with a peppery aftertaste. Extremely easy to drink. You could easily get through this like a soft-drink. Very unlike what I expected; it seems surprisingly mature for its age. Although this might seem like a criticism, I do not necessarily think this is a bad Port; having one that is lovely and easy to drink is some achievement. It will be interesting to revisit this in a few years when it becomes a bit more mature. And perhaps compare it to a normal 2004 Niepoort LBV. 
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2004 Colheita Quevedo 0.2
Bottled 2020. Lightly tawny. Very enjoyable as it now.  (Date: 2021-09-28)
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2004 VP Quinta da Prelada 0.2 PossiblyP++
Vinologia. Lots of fruit on the nose. Very peppery in the mouth, with some sweet red currants. Quite tannic.  Drunk: Oporto and Douro October 2010 
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2004 VP Quinta da Romaneira 0.2 CertainlyC
Spicy fruit on the nose. Again very soft in the mouth but with much more robust tannins. Probably excellent after many years.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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2004 LBV Quinta da Romaneira 0.2 CertainlyC
Very soft and fruit-full. Entirely gluggable.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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2004 VP Quinta de Roriz 0.2 PossiblyP++
Drunk: New Douro Tasting (Date: 2016-11-07)
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2004 VP Quinta de Val da Figueira 0.20 PossiblyP++
Drunk: Lado (Date: 2023-02-13)
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2004 LBV Quinta do Infantado 4.21 CertainlyC
PossiblyP
Bottled 2008. Drunk: Christmas Eve, 2017. Deep, clear, red. Good simple fruit on the nose. In the mouth, some immediate fruit; almost no tannins; good acidty. Short aftertaste. Strong red currants and related fruits. About as good as one would wish for in an LBV. As I thought: clearly a mistake to drink these at under 10 years! 
Very dark but more red and brown than purple. The nose is attractive. Complex with some mint. In the mouth, it is a curious mix. Not lots of fruit, nor very sweet. A rather nice and complex mix of subtle flavours.   (Date: 2020-01-22)
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2004 VP Quinta do Infantado 0.2 CertainlyC
Some soft alcohol on the nose. Big fruits and round tannins in the mouth. Lovely spicy aftertaste.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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2004 LBV Quinta do Noval 0.2 PossiblyP
Now made exclusively with grapes from the Quinta, this LBV was a touch darker than the other 2004 LBVs tasted and was also younger on the nose, with those complex aromas of a very young Port still being obvious. In the mouth, surprisingly dry and tannic. Almost as austere as a Dow, with very little primary fruit being present.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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2004 VP Quinta do Passadouro 0.2 CertainlyC
Some cherries on the nose. Quite closed on the palate but more expressive than the 2007, with a certain amount of spiciness. Very nice.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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2004 VP Quinta do Vesuvio 0.2 CertainlyC
Darker than the ’03. Very grapey on the nose, although in the mouth has that immediate wateriness that was only apparent on the older Vesuvios. Strong tannins. Obviously an excellent wine; the best from the 2000s from non-major years.  Drunk: TPF Vesuvio Tasting (Date: 2010-02-22)
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2004 LBV Ramos Pinto 0.2 PossiblyP
Nice fruit. Very easy to drink. Tasted rather over-filtered.  Drunk: Ramos Pinto and Chocolate tasting, Charbonnel et Walker (Date: 2010-11-10)
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2004 LBV Réccua 1 PossiblyP
Made by Caves Vale do Rodo, a Régua-based co-operative and one of the first companies to export Port directly from the Douro in the 1980s. Unfiltered LBV, bottled in 2008. Quite subdued with the grapeyness of a young vintage Port predominating. However, the aroma does not grab like a young Vintage Port: the grapes seem to be the primary aromas of this Port. Behind that there is a little rounded fruit, perhaps red currants and a lingering spiciness. In the mouth, very subdued. No immediate hit of sugar, acid or fruit. Some furry tannins form on my tongue, there is a little sensation of grapes in the back of my throat, followed by some sugar which fades quite quickly into sticky nothingness. Very straight-forward, simple Port. Nothing wrong with it. However, not very exciting and shows almost no complexity, perhaps not quite living up the expectation of an LBV. 
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2004 LBV Taylor 0.20.4 PossiblyP

Very much more muted than the Taylor Ruby. Perhaps some black cherries but very muted. No fire, though, which is a good thing. Boring.  Drunk: Taylor’s and Cheese, Milbank (Date: 2010-12-20)

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2004 SQVP Taylor Quinta de Vargellas 0.20.2 PossiblyP
PossiblyP
Drunk: Rules Restaurant (Date: 2020-10-29)
Deep purple to red. Still quite young on the nose: good fruit and a little spice. Perhaps some flowers, or even mint. In the mouth, gentle fruit: red cherries. Some spice. Gently round tannins and moderate acidity. Reasonably long after-taste. Not the most interesting to drink today but will, no doubt, improve.  Drunk: David Guimaraens: Taylor’s and Fonseca Ports Virtual Tasting (Date: 2020-11-06)
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2005 LBV Andresen 0.2 CertainlyC--
Deep purple. Grapes on the nose with good fruit. Very much like a Vintage Port; should improve to be something rather nice.  Drunk: TPF LBV Tasting II (Date: 2011-1-28)
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2005 LBV Barros 0.2 PossiblyP--
Very spirity on the nose, somewhat disjointed in the mouth; unappealing.   Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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2005 Colheita Barros 0.20
(Date: 2021-07-22)
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2005 SQVP Churchill Quinta da Gricha 1 CertainlyC
Very dark but translucent red. Freshness on the nose: even grass or moss? In the mouth, there is good fruit but it does not come immediately. There are still some tannins and a little acidity. Very elegant with a good, rounded mouthfeel. Wine of the tasting.  Drunk: Churchill’s Vintage Port Masterclass “E-Tasting” (Date: 2020-05-19)
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2005 LBV Churchill 0.20 PossiblyP++
Port House. Freshly decanted. Dark but fading a bit on the edge to orange-red. Subtle nose. Some fresh fruit. Nose is gentle. Very smooth. Limited acidity and tannins. Dark cherries. Short-list aftertaste. Very drinkable.  (Date: 2022-04-08)
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2005 SQVP Croft Quinta da Roêda 0.5 PossiblyP++
Dark. Dense multi-faceted fruit on the nose. Black currants, perhaps, along with dark cherries. A touch of heat though. In the mouth, a lovely unctuous mouth-feel. Not particularly sweet, nor strong on fruit, but well balanced and elegant. 
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2005 LBV Croft 131 PossiblyP
CertainlyC--
Unfiltered LBV. Bottled 2010. Very solid and, at £6.33 a bottle, excellent value for money. On decanting, deep, complex treacly fruits on the nose. In the mouth, initially quite raw, quite acidic and with a bit too much grip (though not a tannic one) too it. Some round fruits follow. 
Unfiltered. Quite a lot of sediment in the bottle although little in the decanter funnel. A good transparent ruby red. Alluring fruits on the nose. Subtle but present. In the mouth, faded simple fruits. Maybe cherries. Very little sugar and the merest touch of tannin. Acidity is gentle, too. Extremely drinkable. Could easily have a bottle. With its age, extremely good value for money.  (Date: 2020-03-02)
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2005 LBV Fonseca 0.2 PossiblyP++
Unfiltered. Brick-red in colour, with softer and more gentle fruit aromas than I expected. Very nice and drinkable now, with good primary fruits. One to seek out.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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2005 VP Fonseca Guimaraens 0.2
Very similar to the 2004 on the nose and in colour. More drinkable, though. Some hit of sugar and fruit. Nice but not as nice as the 2001.  Drunk: Fonseca and Fonseca Guimaraens Tasting (Date: 2011-04-04)
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2005 SQVP Krohn Quinta do Retiro Novo 1 PossiblyP--
Lots of sediment. Not particularly dark for a 11-year-old VP. Rather disappointing in the mouth. Insufficiently complex.  (Date: 2017-01-30)
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2005 Colheita Krohn 10 PossiblyP++
Bottled 2021. Reasonably dark but transparent. The middle has a touch of red left but is going towards orange. The nose has some concentrated spices. Nutmeg, perhaps? The mouth is not particularly sweet nor acidic with few fresh fruits. There is a degree of dryness, perhaps some tannins, which gives it a seriousness sometimes missing. The aftertaste is not indefinitely long but present and quite sweet. A bargain at £20!  (Date: 2022-01-03)
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2005 VP Niepoort 0.2
Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2009-05-20)
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2005 LBV Offley 0.2 PossiblyP--
Some soft fruit, but not as elegant as the Sandeman 2005.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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2005 LBV Osborne 1
Filtered LBV. Bottled 2010. Somewhat attractive on nose. A gently gripping grapeyness but fades quickly. Followed by something slightly floral, although this is weak and distant. In the mouth, sugar hits the roof of the mouth like a mouthful of ice-cream. However, it is followed by a certain amount of astringency, with some rough green tannins and short, slightly peppery aftertaste, all of which is quite disappointing. Time in the decanter mellows but does not improve. Not great. On revisiting the second half of the bottle after a week in the fridge: completely different. Much more balanced. Less astringent. Very nice. 
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2005 LBV Quinta das Lamelas 0.2 PossiblyP
Vinologia. Apples and grapes on the nose. Quite light and fruity. Not very well balanced at this stage and as it spent time in the glass a slightly odd chemical taste developed.  Drunk: Oporto and Douro October 2010 
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2005 LBV Quinta de la Rosa 0.2 PossiblyP
Quinta de la Rosa. Ok but not terribly exciting. Somewhat disappointing after the Ruby Reserve.  Drunk: Oporto and Douro October 2010 
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2005 LBV Quinta do Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo 0.2 PossiblyP--
Very light colour. Soft fruit on the nose and a very, very subtle taste which is let down by a little heat.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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2005 LBV Quinta do Passadouro 0.2 PossiblyP++
LBV 79 Restaurant. Dark and fruity with lots of life. An LBV which bodes well for the future.  Drunk: Oporto and Douro October 2010 
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2005 LBV Quinta do Passadouro 0.2 PossiblyP--
Some fruit on the nose but, overall a very soft sensation with a slight amount of rancio. Fine, but slightly unexciting.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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2005 VP Quinta do Vesuvio 0.2 PossiblyP++
Almost the same colour as the ’04, though a touch darker. Quite subdued on the nose compared to the ’04, albeit with quite a lot of heat. Well rounded in the mouth without a particular tannic grip.  Drunk: TPF Vesuvio Tasting (Date: 2010-02-22)
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2005 LBV Ramos Pinto 0.2 PossiblyP
Drunk: Ramos Pinto and Chocolate tasting, Charbonnel et Walker (Date: 2011-11-22)
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2005 LBV Sandeman 0.2 PossiblyP
Some fruit in the mouth, with strong tannins. Preferred to the Offley LBV.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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2005 VP Smith Woodhouse 0.2
Drunk: Berry Bros (Date: 2011-12-01)
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2005 LBV Taylor 21 PossiblyP
PossiblyP--
Fine but unexciting. A lot of this went into mulled wine / smoking bishop / general cooking. 
Dark in the middle, fading to a red/purple edge. Some sediment, surprisingly for a filtered LBV. Nose is quite alcoholic or spirity but otherwise good. In the mouth, initially very attractive with lots of fruit but followed by quite a lot of spirit. Short aftertaste; slightly astringent with a little acidity and tannin. Not great but this might be because it is on the threshold between being young and mature?  (Date: 2019-10-01)
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2006 Crusted Churchill 1
(Date: 2021-12-01)
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2006 LBV Cockburn 0.2 PossiblyP++
Seems younger than the Graham’s 2006 in colour and on the nose, where there are huge primary fruits. In the mouth, much softer, with an excellent, long after-taste. One of the better LBVs.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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2006 SQVP Graham Quinta dos Malvedos 0.2
Drunk: TPF Malvedos Tasting (Date: 2010-03-22)
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2006 LBV Graham 0.20.20.25 PossiblyP++
CertainlyC--


Notably darker than the Taylor’s 2005 LBV. Dark, and tannic in the mouth, it so dense as to require more time in the bottle. This seems a bit of a change from other LBVs I have tried from Graham’s, which I hope is a good thing.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
Opaque purple centre. Pinky rim. Lots of fruit on nose. Quite peppery. Some toffeeish finish to the nose. In the mouth immediate tannic grip. Strong red fruit. Red currants, perhaps? Longish aftertaste. Not of VP quality but very good LBV; perhaps the best filtered LBV?  Drunk: Davy’s Tasting at the Woolgate (Date: 2013-11-14)
Drunk: “Life on the Douro” Screening (Date: 2012-04-02)

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2006 LBV Offley 0.2 PossiblyP
Very similar to the 2005 but much more tannic in the mouth. Felt rather closed; it may open to something very nice in a few years.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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2006 VP Quinta do Portal 0.2
Vinologia. Could easily have been one of the 2007s. Extremely dark with a huge amount of fruit on the nose with, perhaps, a touch of chocolate. In the mouth there was even more fruit with, perhaps, red-currants and black cherries being the most obvious ones. This was followed up with huge tannins, and very little sugar or alcohol.  Drunk: Oporto May 2009 
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2006 VP Quinta do Vesuvio 0.2 PossiblyP++
Darker, again, than the 2005. Very grappy and youthful on the nose. Nicely rounded and fruity in the mouth, followed by a huge tannic grip. Quite hard to drink after the first mouthful.  Drunk: TPF Vesuvio Tasting (Date: 2010-02-22)
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2006 VP Rozès 0.2 No!N
Terras do Grifo. Rancio everywhere; on the nose and in the mouth. I really dislike this in a Port, so found this unattractive, unfortunately.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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2007 LBV Churchill 0.20.5
PossiblyP
Drunk: Churchill’s Lodge (Date: 2014-09-09)
(Date: 2015-04-22)
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2007 SQVP Churchill Quinta da Gricha 0.2 CertainlyC
Quinta da Gricha. Deep purple, fading a little. Quite floral on the nose. In the mouth elegant, less sweet than many Ports, with few tannins left. A really enjoyable Port.  Drunk: Portugal 2021 (Date: 2021-06-24)
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2007 VP Cockburn 0.2
Cockburn Lodge. Massive, tannic and dark.  Drunk: Oporto May 2009 
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2007 SQVP Cockburn Quinta dos Canais 0.21
PossiblyP--
Cockburn Lodge. Very drinkable now. Floral. Very attractive.  Drunk: Oporto May 2009 
Deep purple. Good sweet aromas on the nose. In the mouth, good primary fruit but very little tannin or acidity. Really quite surprisingly how light this was: would have expected something bolder for a classic year.  Drunk: Cockburn Virtual Tasting (Date: 2020-05-02)
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2007 VP Delaforce 0.2 PossiblyP++
Good deep colour. Very muted on the nose. Grippy tannins. Ok.  Drunk: Delaforce Tasting (Date: 2012-04-24)
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2007 VP Dow 0.2
Much denser and darker on the nose than the Warre. Notably less grapey, too. More “classic” in the mouth for a young vintage Port, with lots of tannins. Tasting non-blind, this is very stereotypically “Dow”: very dry and austere. Disappointingly short aftertaste: this dries up quickly.  Drunk: Decanter, The Symingtons: Half a Century of Superlative Port (Date: 2010-11-14)
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2007 VP Duorum 0.2 PossiblyP--
Very subdued nose. Some very distant spices and blackcurrants. Quite strong, slightly harsh tannins. Somewhat disappointing.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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2007 LBV Fim de Século 1 PossiblyP++
(Date: 2014-07-25)
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2007 VP Graham 0.2
More floral than the Warre and Dow 2007s. Perhaps, though a bit simpler and understandable on the nose than the Warre (which had massive complexity of fruit). In the mouth, immediate sugar, followed by a lovely floral violet sensation. Perhaps a touch of strawberry too. Notably tannic (unlike the Warre). My favourite of the three 2007s.  Drunk: Decanter, The Symingtons: Half a Century of Superlative Port (Date: 2010-11-14)
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2007 SQVP Krohn Quinta do Retiro Novo 0.2 PossiblyP
Vinologia. Chocolate and marzipan on the nose. Lots of cherries in the mouth. No obvious tannins; extremely pleasant to drink. Will this last?  Drunk: Oporto and Douro October 2010 
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2007 Colheita Messias 0.2 No!N++
Portologia (née Vinologia). Bottled 2018. Quite red. Not particularly tawny on nose or in mouth. Not something I’d really seek out again, unfortunately.  Drunk: Porto 2020 (Date: 2020-09-14)
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2007 VP Morgadio da Calçada 0.2
Drunk: TPF Malvedos Tasting (Date: 2010-03-22)
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2007 VP Niepoort 0.20.20.2


Drunk: TPF Vargellas tasting, TCP (Date: 2009-03-24)
Niepoort Lodge.  Drunk: Oporto May 2009 (Date: 2009-03-24)
Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2009-05-20)
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2007 VP Niepoort Pisca 0.2
Fairly light for its age. Strong acidity and rounded tannins. Perhaps not quite as good as the Capela 2007.  Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2010-04-20)
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2007 LBV Niepoort 0.5 PossiblyP++
Bottled 2011. Very little sediment. Very dark. Good dark molasses on the nose. Touch spirity. Perhaps blackberries? Initially quite velvety mouthfeel. Touch of rose. Then strong cherry. Quite tannic, too, with very gripping tannins. Aftertaste short and pleasant. Perhaps sacrificed a little young.  Drunk: Home (Date: 2014-08-31)
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2007 VP Pintas 0.2 PossiblyP
Inky, with dense fruits of the nose and strong tannins in the mouth making it hard work. I imagine this will be very attractive when it begins to open out, but that may take many years. Quite a contrast to the 2009.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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2007 VP Quevedo 0.20 CertainlyC
Very elegant. Not particularly tannic nor perfumed but very nicely balanced and with enough backbone to suggest it will last for a while.  Drunk: TPF tasting with Oscar Quevedo (Date: 2010-02-11)
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2007 VP Quinta da Romaneira 0.20.2
CertainlyC
Blind sample. Was one of the best two samples on the night. Extremely drinkable it was probably the most floral of the samples (although there was also a heavy grapeyness). The tannins were quite light; it does make me wonder how long this vintage will last. Second after Noval.  Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2009-05-20)
Very floral on the nose. Soft and elegant in mouth. Extremely drinkable. Excellent.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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2007 Colheita Quinta de Santa Eufémia 1 PossiblyP
Bottled 2017. Hand annotated with a bottling date so there are presumably decanting a cask. Amber middle fading to nothing on the rim- much more mature than I expected. Little on the nose, presumably because I am drinking it outside. In the mouth, very little fruit; slightly acidic and a bit too grippy. Very good long aftertaste with toffee and caramel. Would probably benefit from a little more time in the bottle.   (Date: 2018-07-23)
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2007 VP Quinta do Crasto 0.20.2

Blind sample. Dreadful. Muted and tight, there was little on the nose and less on the palate. A bit of a tannic structure but not a great deal and more worrying was a complete lack of fruit. Later this turned out not to be the final Crasto blend.  Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2009-05-20)
The “proper” blend. Very dark. Still quite muted. Slightly floral, perhaps some liquorish. Very little tannins but a bit of acidity. Not very complex.  Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2009-08-26)
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2007 LBV Quinta do Infantado 0.2 CertainlyC
Very little on the nose. In the mouth extra-ordinary sensation entirely unlike other Ports I have tried: the alcohol and tannins seemed simply not to exist. The most expressive of Infantado’s house style I have found. Others will probably hate this, but I thought it was excellent.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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2007 SQVP Quinta do Noval Silva 0.2
Blind sample. Most interesting of the 2007s drunk that night. Not the best to drink on the night, nor the dark tannic monster that one would expect a very young Vintage Port to be. One the nose the was tobacco and a certain spiciness. Followed up,by more complex flavours including a fair bit of rhubarb. Slightly less tannic than Niepoort, it was an interesting Port which I look forward to revisiting when it is more mature.  Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2009-05-20)
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2007 VP Quinta do Noval 0.2
Blind sample. Really shinned. Perfectly drinkable despite being so young. Very floral on the nose. Probably the best of the Ports at the moment. I wrote that it had “more tannins [than Quinta da Romaneira]” which might be a good sign for its long-term maturity.  Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2009-05-20)
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2007 VP Quinta do Passadouro 0.2 PossiblyP
Some fruit present on the nose but the aroma is subtle. In the mouth the driest and most tannic of the 2007s on show. Very hard to access for that reason: needs much time to open-out.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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2007 VP Quinta do Vesuvio 0.2 PossiblyP++
Dark. Massive, huge nose. Extremely sweet on the mouth though, like many other 07s, quite elegant and not particularly tannic.  Drunk: TPF Vesuvio Tasting (Date: 2010-02-22)
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2007 VP Quinta do Vesuvio Capela 0.20.2
CertainlyC++
Cask sample.  Drunk: TPF 1966 v 1967 Tasting (Date: 2009-11-13)
Dark, again. Much less present on the nose than the normal ’07. Surprisingly subtle on the palate with very few tannins. Subdued elegance which makes it extremely drinkable now. If this lasts to maturity it should be spectacular.   Drunk: TPF Vesuvio Tasting (Date: 2010-02-22)
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2007 SQVP Taylor Vinha Velha Quinta de Vargellas 0.2
Cask sample.  Drunk: TPF 1966 v 1967 Tasting (Date: 2009-11-13)
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2007 VP Warre 0.20.2 PossiblyP

Not quite as floral as other 2007s. Less tannins and acidity, too.  Drunk: TPF Warre Tasting (Date: 2009-10-02)
Still quite grapey. Very jammy; huge overload of fruit. In the mouth blackberries but it is a complete lack of tannin was most obvious and surprising. Quite floral. Very quaff-able.  Drunk: Decanter, The Symingtons: Half a Century of Superlative Port (Date: 2010-11-14)
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2008 VP Duorum Vinha de Castel Melhor 0.2 PossiblyP
Much more fruit than the 2007. Some floral elements too. Nice round tannins. Will be interesting to see how it develops.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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2008 Crusted Fonseca Bicentenary Limited Edition 2 PossiblyP++
Coravin. Deep purple. Attractive distant cherries on the nose. In mouth, a little sugar, very limited acidity and tannins. Long aftertaste with rounded fruit, cherries maybe.  (Date: 2015-08-03)
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2008 SQVP Graham Quinta dos Malvedos 0.20.2
CertainlyC--
“Work in progress” cask sample. Violets.  Drunk: TPF Malvedos Tasting (Date: 2010-03-22)
Opaque purple. Fading a bit on the edges to dark purple but still very dark. Lovely concentrated blackcurrants on the nose. Quite elegant too. In the mouth, good blackcurrants, again. Quite strong tannins. Very robust but with a gentle edge (iron fist in a velvet glove territory). Good acidity. The sweetness is balanced rather than strong. This is really enjoyable but needs a few more years.   Drunk: Graham 200 Tasting with Anthony and Tom Symington (Date: 2020-12-02)
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2008 White Kopke 0.20.20 PossiblyP++
Very nice: not completely dry. Good aftertaste. Worth trying again.  Drunk: The Port House (Date: 2020-10-29)
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2008 Colheita Palmer 1
Bottled 2021. Drinkable from memory.  (Date: 2022-04-02)
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2008 Colheita Quinta de la Rosa 0.2
Very little time in wood. Only the slightest tawny characteristic. Perhaps worth revisiting but drinking with ruby ports for comparison?  Drunk: BBR Port Walk 2017 (Date: 2017-11-24)
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2008 VP Quinta do Noval 0.2 CertainlyC
Very dark and grapey on the nose. Huge explosion of flowers in the mouth, with some fruit and soft round tannins supporting them. Very good.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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2008 VP Quinta do Vesuvio 0.2 PossiblyP++
“Work-in-progress Cask Sample”. Very dark. Sweet. Tannic. Impossible to drink.   Drunk: TPF Vesuvio Tasting (Date: 2010-02-22)
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2008 LBV Ramos Pinto 1 PossiblyP
Unfiltered. Good porty nose. Loads of eucalyptus, unexpectedly.   (Date: 2017-05-27)
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2008 LBV Tesco (Symington) 5 PossiblyP--
PossiblyP++
PossiblyP++
Filtered. No bottling date. Initially quite good fruit. Perhaps the taste of cherries without the sensation of eating the fruit. Some acidity. Flavour then collapses. Little aftertaste or tannin. Tastes oddly over-decanted from the bottle.  (Date: 2014-09-27)
Filtered. Not very dark. Reddish-purple on edge. Good deep Porty smell on nose. Little fruit. In mouth, initial blackcurrants, well balanced with acidity and tannin. Slight astringency at end. Much better than I was expecting. Very drinkable.  (Date: 2017-02-12)
Lots of sediment despite apparently being filtered. The label said to keep for “2 years”. I’m glad I ignored that! Deep centre fading to dark, rusty edge. Lovely smell. Somewhat distant but concentrated with dark cherries. In the mouth, gentle red fruits. Mostly cherries. Reasonable acidity. The tannins are still present but are gently integrated. Really very drinkable now. Not mature but elegant. I think this is the last bottle. I wish I had a lot more!  (Date: 2021-02-15)
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2008 LBV Vieira de Sousa 0.2 PossiblyP
Drunk: Solar do Vinho do Porto, Lisbon (Date: 2014-11-01)
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2009 VP Alves de Sousa 0.2
Drunk: Decanter: Spain and Portugal at the Landmark Hotel (Date: 2016-02-27)
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2009 SQVP Churchill Quinta da Gricha 1 PossiblyP
Apparently a special blend for the Port Club. Decent amount of sediment. Surprisingly light colour: translucent in the middle, going from a deep red to a light reddish-orange. Nose is good with concentrated red cherries. In the mouth, there is an instant taste of orange but this is immediately followed by a good mixture of blackcurrants and cherries. There are still quite strong tannins and beautifully balanced acidity but the aftertaste is perhaps a touch shorter than I might have hoped. Quite a dry sensation, too which with the tannins gives it an almost Dow-like austerity. Will be interesting to see how this one develops.   (Date: 2020-12-29)
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2009 SQVP Cockburn Quinta dos Canais 0.2 CertainlyC
Extremely floral on the nose. Extraordinary sensation of cut grass; it feels like siting in a meadow. Very soft and approachable in the mouth. Fantastic now, and will be an excellent, though probably young-maturing, Port.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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2009 SQVP Dow Quinta do Bomfim 0.2 PossiblyP
Dense black cherries on the nose. Very dry in the mouth, but perhaps a touch sweeter than I expected. I see that there could be attraction in this but this style is not entirely to my liking.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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2009 SQVP Dow Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira 0.2 CertainlyC--
Violets on the nose. Some heat, too. Fruit not as vibrant as one might expect. Will be interesting to see how this develops. It may need more time to open.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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2009 LBV Dow 1 PossiblyP
Very sweet, simple sugar. Little fruit. Perhaps a very little Dow austerity?  (Date: 2015-12-25)
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2009 SQVP Graham Quinta dos Malvedos 0.2 CertainlyC--
In the mouth, the sweetness is immediately notable, along with an explosion of fruit. Very good, but perhaps a touch less expressive and interesting than the 2009 Quinta dos Canais.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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2009 VP Niepoort 0.2
Black, very grapey on the nose. I found it impossible to change gear at this stage in the evening to give a good report.  Drunk: “Bring a bottle tasting”, TCP (Date: 2011-04-03)
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2009 VP Pintas 0.2 CertainlyC
Passion-fruit. It’s all passion-fruit. Everywhere. Other fruit is very subtle and a strong acidity adds to the tropical, acidic fruit sensation. Quite extraordinary in a Port and very attractive.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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2009 VP Quevedo Touriga Nacional Sample 0.2
Good deep purple colour. Very perfumed nose dominated by violets. In the mouth much more subtle. Surprisingly so, indeed. An odd mixture of initial sugar followed by quite a lot of dryness. Tannins present but not excessively so. The best nose of the samples but not very interesting to drink on its own.  Drunk: Single Varietal Ports (Date: 2011-09-08)
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2009 VP Quevedo Touriga Franca Sample 0.2
Much more dark and opaque than the Touriga Nacional and much more subtle on the nose, which was slightly spirity. In the mouth, lots of rounded cherries and other fruits with some velvety tannins. A long aftertaste, with a strong tannic grip. As with the Touriga Nacional, one would not choose to drink this on its own but the desirability of combining its flavours with the Nacional’s aromas is obvious.  Drunk: Single Varietal Ports (Date: 2011-09-08)
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2009 VP Quevedo Tinta Roriz Sample 0.2
Much less colour in that Touriga Francesca. Some fruit on the nose but gentle. In the mouth sugary round fruit. Very pleasant to drink. Rather inoffensive an unexciting except for a slightly astringent aftertaste. I can see the attraction for using this as a base for a blend of Port with a little of the other varietals to flesh out the bouquet and palate since it was the most pleasant to drink unmixed.  Drunk: Single Varietal Ports (Date: 2011-09-08)
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2009 VP Quevedo Tinta Cão Sample 0.20.2
PossiblyP++
A similar colour to the Touriga Nacional; nice and dark but not quite as dark as the Touriga Francesca. In the mouth loads of hard tannins and green stalks with astringent aftertaste. Not very nice to drink no its own at all. However, I can see how a little of this, added to a blend would really give good structure to the Port. I imagine Tinta Cão is one of the grapes which really provides Port’s longevity.  Drunk: Single Varietal Ports (Date: 2011-09-08)
The second half of the sample bottle tried in 2011 (and then recorked, half-full). Loads and loads of thick sediment. Deep red in the centre, on the edge of translucency; fading to deep orange around the rim. Subdued nose: no spirit or real red fruits but some subtle orange and a degree of freshness, like after Summer rain. In the mouth, it is immediately noticeable that there are no real tannins left; the sweetness is subdued and there is a strong acidity of fresh lemons. However, once the acidity has subsided, the aftertaste is remarkably long; full of caramel, citrus peel and distant fruit. It reminds me of a very good 20 year old tawny (which I suppose is what it might have become).   (Date: 2020-07-01)
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2009 VP Quevedo Susão Sample 0.2
Reasonable colour with a good mixture of fruit and tannins on the palate. Although I was suffering from palate fatigue (this was the 37th wine I tried that evening...) it was clear that this was a nice and round Port and, like the Tinta Roriz could easily be used as a “base” wine to which others could be added to flesh out the bouquet.  Drunk: Single Varietal Ports (Date: 2011-09-08)
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2009 LBV Quinta da Vista Allegre 0.2 PossiblyP++
Very good young LBV.  Drunk: Quinta de S.Bernard, August 2017 (Date: 2017-08-21)
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2009 LBV Quinta do Estanho 0.2 PossiblyP
Drunk: Solar do Vinho do Porto, Lisbon (Date: 2014-11-01)
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2009 LBV Quinta do Noval 0.21
PossiblyP--
Drunk: Decanter: Spain and Portugal at the Landmark Hotel (Date: 2016-02-27)
Unfiltered LBV which I coravined. No bottling date. Deep purple in the middle, fading to purple-red on the rim. Not great on the nose. Some pepper but it feels a little too assertive and disjointed. Quite similar in the mouth. Limited acidity and no noticeable tannins initially. However, quite a lot of grip at the back of the throat which might suggest it will come together in the future.  (Date: 2017-08-30)
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2009 VP Quinta do Vesuvio 0.2 CertainlyC
Nearly a quarter Sousão, this had a spicy nose with very soft red fruit in mouth. Some cherries, again, as might be expected. Fantastic.   Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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2009 VP Warre 0.2 CertainlyC
Soft and supple on the nose, with a good combination of fruit and grapeyness. In the mouth, very supple and soft, with rounded tannins. This may bloom early into a good Port.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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2010 LBV Quinta da Romaneira 0.2
Unfiltered. Very nice and drinkable.  Drunk: Decanter: Spain and Portugal at the Landmark Hotel (Date: 2016-02-27)
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2010 VP Quinta das Lamelas 0.2 PossiblyP++
Tasting of three vintage ports. Bottled after three years rather than two. Very good balance of fruit. Extremely drinkable!  Drunk: Vinologia (Date: 2017-08-28)
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2010 LBV Quinta do Passadouro 0.2 CertainlyC
Dark. Good fruits. Needs more time.  Drunk: BBR Port Walk 2017 (Date: 2017-11-24)
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2010 LBV Quinta do Sagrado 0.2 PossiblyP
Very tight. Strangely not as complex as the ruby.  Drunk: New Douro Tasting (Date: 2016-11-07)
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2010 LBV Royal Oporto 0.20.2 PossiblyP
No!N
Very bland, unfortunately.  Drunk: Christmas Day (Date: 2014-12-25)
Drunk: Christmas 2016 in the Cotswold  (Date: 2016-12-27)
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2011 LBV Berry Bros. 0.2 PossiblyP--
Produced by Quinta do Noval. Dark, austere and tannic. Very closed. Needs more time.  Drunk: BBR Port Walk 2017 (Date: 2017-11-24)
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2011 VP Berry Bros. 0.2 PossiblyP
Berry’s blend made by Charles Symington. From a magnum. Fine but unexciting at the moment. Will be interesting to see how it matures.  Drunk: BBR Port Walk 2017 (Date: 2017-11-24)
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2011 LBV Churchill 0.40.2 CertainlyC
PossiblyP
Very good balance of fruit, age and acidity. Excellent!  Drunk: Bar Douro (Date: 2017-08-10)
Absolutely boiling in the restaurant so not a good opportunity to drink this. Seemed a touch simple compared to what I expected.  Drunk: Bar Douro (Date: 2018-07-21)
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2011 LBV Duorum 0.2 PossiblyP
Drunk: New Douro Tasting (Date: 2016-11-07)
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2011 VP Duorum 0.2 PossiblyP
Very easy to drink. Simple tannins. Will it last?  Drunk: New Douro Tasting (Date: 2016-11-07)
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2011 LBV Ferreira 0.2 PossiblyP
Rather tannic and austere. A nice port but, perhaps, too young for a restaurant.   Drunk: Rafferty's anniversary lunch (Date: 2016-01-30)
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2011 LBV Graham 1 No!N
Unfiltered. Deep colour fading to red/purple. Little on the nose. Some alcohol (but that might be the glass) followed by some deep fruit. In the mouth, extremely simple-strikingly sweet with a sensation like icing sugar. Very little fruit. A little fury tannings. No real acidity. Rather disappointing in its simplicity.   (Date: 2016-12-10)
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2011 LBV Niepoort 0.2
Bottled 2016. From a half.  Drunk: Katherine's Birthday  (Date: 2017-02-04)
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2011 LBV Poças Júnior 0.2
Pretty good: better than expected.  Drunk: Decanter: Spain and Portugal at the Landmark Hotel (Date: 2016-02-27)
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2011 VP Quinta da Romaneira 0.2
Drunk: Decanter: Spain and Portugal at the Landmark Hotel (Date: 2016-02-27)
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2011 LBV Quinta do Crasto 0.20.2
CertainlyC
Drunk: Decanter: Spain and Portugal at the Landmark Hotel (Date: 2016-02-27)
Excellent.  Drunk: New Douro Tasting (Date: 2016-11-07)
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2011 VP Quinta do Noval 0.2 CertainlyC
Opaque purple, fading to red on the edge. Less pronounced fruit on the nose than the 2017 and hardly any grapes. Exceptional elegance in the mouth: blackcurrants and some fresh red cherries. Very tannic but less acidic than the 2017. Endless aftertaste: much longer than the other Ports from QdN in this tasting. Probably not drinking at its best now, but clearly excellent for the future.  Drunk: Quinta do Noval Virtual Tasting with 67 Pall Mall (Date: 2020-06-28)
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2011 VP Quinta do Portal 0.2 PossiblyP
Quite floral. Not massively tannic. Very quaff-able. Slightly reminiscent of the 2007s when young. The tour guide suggested it was the best VP produced by Portal. I was slightly concerned about its longevity.  Drunk: Quinta Tour (Date: 2014-09-06)
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2011 VP Quinta do Sagrado 0.2 PossiblyP++
Excellent classic young VP. Good strong tannins.  Drunk: New Douro Tasting (Date: 2016-11-07)
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2011 LBV Sandeman 0.2 PossiblyP
Filtered. Fine but not exciting.  Drunk: New Year’s Eve Party (Date: 2017-01-31)
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2012 VP Bulas 0.20.2 PossiblyP
PossiblyP--
Tasting of three vintage ports. Very grapey on the nose. In the mouth good fruit and strong acidity but very little tannins. Will be interesting to see how it develops.  Drunk: Vinologia (Date: 2017-08-28)
Portologia (née Vinologia). Fine but not the greatest of complexity compared to the other Vintage Ports.  Drunk: Porto 2020 (Date: 2020-09-14)
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2012 LBV Graham 0.2 No!N
Filtered. Very simple sugar in mouth. No tannins. Very little fruit. Slightly grippy. A little disappointing.  (Date: 2017-12-25)
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2012 LBV Niepoort 0.2 PossiblyP++
A bottle that seems to have been open too long, initially offered in 5cl shots and tiny glasses. However, after a horrendous week and trip a "double" in a wine glass was exactly what was required.  Drunk: Orestone Manor Hotel, Torquay (Date: 2018-06-15)
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2012 VP Quinta de S. José 0.2 PossiblyP
Very light. Quite good acidity but very limited tannins. Drinkable now but I wonder how long it will last?  Drunk: DOC Restaurant (Date: 2017-08-19)
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2012 VP Quinta de la Rosa 0.2
Drunk: BBR Port Walk 2017 (Date: 2017-11-24)
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2012 LBV Quinta do Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo 0.2 CertainlyC
Excellent unfiltered LBV. Very fresh. Good fruit.  Drunk: New Douro Tasting (Date: 2016-11-07)
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2013 Crusted Graham 3 PossiblyP
The cork simply described this as a 2013 Crusted so the Symingtons may have been hedging their bets as to which shipper's name under which it would be sold! Very little sediment. Opaque purple fading to reddish purple. A very good nose. Concentrated dark fruits. Perhaps blackcurrants or cassis? In the mouth, quite sweet. A little fruit. Not very concentrated. Limited acidity and tannins. A gentle aftertaste. For £10 good value for money but reminds me more of a filtered LBV than a blended vintage.  (Date: 2020-08-02)
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2013 VP Poças Júnior 0.2
Light, floral, with good acidity. Reminded me somewhat of the 2007s on release.  Drunk: Decanter: Spain and Portugal at the Landmark Hotel (Date: 2016-02-27)
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2013 VP Quinta das Lamelas 0.2 PossiblyP++
Portologia (née Vinologia). Excellent, deep nose. Really good complexity. Very enjoyable. Best Vintage Port of the night.  Drunk: Porto 2020 (Date: 2020-09-14)
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2013 LBV Quinta de Santa Eufémia 1 PossiblyP
Unfiltered LBV bottled in 2017. Deep red colour, lightening towards the edges. Quite complex on the nose. Not very sweet or fruity but with, perhaps, either some very dark, almost burnt, cherries or a bit of rancio. In the mouth, very tight. Little obvious fruit; a good level of sweetness and quite tannic. Not particularly acidic. Will be interesting to see how this matures (if only I had more than one bottle!).  (Date: 2020-01-12)
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2013 LBV Quinta do Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo 0.2 PossiblyP++
Unfiltered LBV. Lots of grapes on the nose, with good fruit. Quite tannic and acidic. Needs some time to open up. Will then improve.  Drunk: Lunch at the Quinta (Date: 2017-08-22)
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2013 VP Quinta do Noval 0.2
Drunk: Decanter: Spain and Portugal at the Landmark Hotel (Date: 2016-02-27)
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2013 LBV Quinta do Noval 0.2 CertainlyC--
Quinta do Noval Tasting Room, Porto. Unfiltered. Deep purple fading to red. Little fruit on the nose. Mouth has wonderful complexity and backbone. Quite austere and dry but wonderfully structured. This is really good. Perhaps a few more years?  Drunk: Portugal 2021 (Date: 2021-07-03)
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2013 LBV Quinta dos Corvos 0.2 PossiblyP
Lodge tasting. Unfiltered. Purple, fading to reddish purple. Gentle nose with distant fruit. Rounded red cherries in the mouth. Little sugar and quite high acidity. Only limited tannins. Elegant but a short aftertaste. Fine but not a block-buster.  Drunk: Portugal 2021 (Date: 2021-06-26)
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2013 SQVP Sandeman Quinta do Seixo 1 PossiblyP--
Decanted and drunk shortly afterwards. Good fruit on nose and in mouth but no tannins or structure whatsoever. Would probably have placed this into a good Ruby Reserve category rather than a just-released SVQP. Will be interesting to see if it matures.  Drunk: Planet of the grapes (Date: 2017-09-22)
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2014 VP Alves de Sousa Quinta da Gaivoas 0.2 PossiblyP++
Very strong acid and tannin: needs some time before exploring properly.  Drunk: New Douro Tasting (Date: 2016-11-07)
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2014 VP Churchill 0.20.5 PossiblyP
CertainlyC--
A little light compared to the 2004 Quinta de Roriz  Drunk: New Douro Tasting (Date: 2016-11-07)
Dark purple. Little faded around the edges but still opaque in centre. Very fresh on the nose. Mint? Perhaps even eucalyptus? In the mouth, good initial fruit. Strong tannins. Little acidity. This is very good, especially for the year, but needs much more time.  Drunk: Churchill’s Vintage Port Masterclass “E-Tasting” (Date: 2020-05-19)
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2014 LBV Churchill 0.5 PossiblyP
Opaque red fading to colourless by the rim. Little on the nose; slight perfume and perhaps a touch of fruit. Very little fruit in the mouth; low acidity and tannings. Described as “fresh” which is probably fair. Even a touch of mint? Very dry aftertaste. A bit austere for my tastes.  Drunk: Churchill’s Vintage Port Masterclass “E-Tasting” (Date: 2020-05-19)
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2014 Crusted Niepoort 5th Edition 13 PossiblyP++
Good fruit. Limited tannins. Very drinkable.  (Date: 2018-12-26)
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2014 VP Quinta das Tecedeiras 0.2 PossiblyP++
Drunk: New Douro Tasting (Date: 2016-11-07)
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2014 VP Quinta de Sâo José 0.2 PossiblyP--
Good but perhaps not as good as some of the other 2014s.  Drunk: New Douro Tasting (Date: 2016-11-07)
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2014 VP Quinta de la Rosa 0.2 PossiblyP--
Good but perhaps not as interesting or complex as some of the other 2014s.  Drunk: New Douro Tasting (Date: 2016-11-07)
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2014 VP Quinta do Passadouro 0.2 PossiblyP++
Very nice with good tannins.  Drunk: New Douro Tasting (Date: 2016-11-07)
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2014 SQVP Ramos Pinto Quinta do Bom Retiro 0.2 PossiblyP
Drunk: New Douro Tasting (Date: 2016-11-07)
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2015 LBV Churchill 1 PossiblyP++
Unfiltered. Slightly lighter and more mature than I expected: red on the edge rather than purple. A bit more mature in the mouth, too. A little on the dry side. But enjoyable.   (Date: 2021-07-27)
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2015 VP Cockburn 0.2 CertainlyC
Dark, tannic, grapey with good fruit. The best of the young VPs on show.  Drunk: BBR Port Walk 2017 (Date: 2017-11-24)
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2015 VP Cálem 0.2 PossiblyP++
Lodge tasting. Dark purple, fading to a lighter purple. Quite floral on the nose. Violets, perhaps? Strongly grapey, still. Very sweet on first tasting. Only limited fruit in the mouth: blackberries and blackcurrants. Limited acidity. Surprisingly few tannins. Drinkable now: very enjoyable but query longevity.  Drunk: Portugal 2021 (Date: 2021-06-26)
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2015 VP Graham Stone Terraces 0.2 PossiblyP
Really rather disappointing. Quite light, limited tannins and less characterful than I had hoped. A poor second to the Cockburn 2015 of the two 2015 VPs on show.  Drunk: BBR Port Walk 2017 (Date: 2017-11-24)
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2015 LBV Graham 5 CertainlyC
A 200th Anniversary bottling. Filtered. Deep purple, fading a little bit to the edge. The nose is concentrated with different dark fruits, although ever so slightly spirity. In the mouth, there is an immediate hit of grapes, blackcurrants and little cherry. The tannins are remarkably strong for a filtered LBV but not unpleasant: rounded. The acidity is moderate and the aftertaste (which is moderately long) is dominated by cherries. Not obviously sweet. I might mistake it for a drier shipper. The quality, though, is excellent and much better than anything that has been released for £8.99 for some time.  (Date: 2021-01-05)
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2015 VP Heritage 0.2 PossiblyP
Portologia (née Vinologia). Made by Família Correia dos Santos. Good Porty-nose. Good tannins and acidity. Enjoyable.  Drunk: Porto 2020 (Date: 2020-09-14)
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2015 VP Niepoort Bioma Vinha Velha 0.20 CertainlyC++
Wonderful! Absolute perfection!  Drunk: New Douro Tasting (Date: 2016-11-07)
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2015 VP Niepoort 0.20 CertainlyC
Excellent. More classic than the Bioma Vinha Velha.  Drunk: New Douro Tasting (Date: 2016-11-07)
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2015 LBV Quevedo 0.2 PossiblyP
Opaque purple in the centre; red on the rim. Strongly grapey nose with intensive dark fruit like a young vintage port. In the mouth, less fruit-forward than I would normally expect. Some green notes. Fresh light fruits, some flowers and low acidity and tannins. Would be interesting to compare to other LBVs and see it age.  Drunk: Quevedo Virtual White Port Tasting (Date: 2020-07-30)
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2015 LBV Quinta da Devesa 1 PossiblyP
(Date: 2022-07-11)
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2015 VP Quinta de la Rosa 1 PossiblyP++
Deep purple fading. Good nose but floral. Some marzipan. Enjoyable. In the mouth, quite elegant. Low acidity and tannin. Blackcurrants. Very drinkable now.  Drunk: Quinta de la Rosa Virtual Tasting  (Date: 2020-11-24)
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2015 LBV Sandeman 1 PossiblyP
(Date: 2021-01-16)
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2015 Crusted Symington Waitrose № 1 1 PossiblyP++
Deep purple, fading only a very little. Nose has deep, concentrated grapes with some blackcurrants. The mouth gives an immediate hit of fruit which is very concentrated and hard to unpick. Blackberries, perhaps? There are some floral notes and the grapes are very present, too. There is then a strong hit of tannins which are bold, like an old-fashioned VP. Not much sugar or acid. It reminds me of some of the younger Dow’s from the past. Very good Port.  (Date: 2021-03-13)
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2015 LBV Taylor 3 PossiblyP++
PossiblyP++
Filtered. No bottling date but I assume 2019. Fairly solid red throughout. Dark but never quite opaque. Nose is good. Concentrated fruit with some grapes. Like a youngish, light VP. In the mouth, quite light sweetness and acidity. Good fruit- some cherry and red currants. Reasonable amount of tannins. Aftertaste is not particularly long but is nice with receding fruits and sugars. This is pretty good Port. Blind guessing it, I would have said it was a much more expensive bottle.  (Date: 2020-09-05)
Revisiting this a year later, immediately after trying the Graham’s 2015 LBV, the fruit profile is very similar to the last note although it is notably less integrated and a bit more spirity than the Graham’s. However, since that is one of the best filtered LBVs I’ve tried, the comparison is, perhaps, unfair.  (Date: 2021-31-10)
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2016 LBV Ferreira 0.20 PossiblyP
Unfiltered. Quite light on the nose. Elegant in the mouth. Some tannins. Simple fruits. This is enjoyable: I’d drink it again.  Drunk: Lodge Tour (Date: 2023-02-13)
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2016 LBV Messias 10 PossiblyP--
No bottling date. A driven cork and warning about sediment makes me think it is unfiltered. The colour is red, fading quite a lot to the edge. Simple fruit on the nose: cherries; some strawberries. In the mouth, very soft and approachable. Hardly any tannins; limited acidity; some nice fruit although lacking a depth and complexity I might hope. I am really surprised at how young this is compared to how old it looks: would have guessed it was at least 15-20 years old.  (Date: 2022-12-10)
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2016 LBV Quevedo 1 PossiblyP++
Appears to be filtered. Very drinkable: quite dry in what I think is Quevedo’s house style but tasting more like a proper VP than LBV.  (Date: 2021-12-14)
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2016 LBV Quinta da Devesa 1
Unfiltered. Apparently mostly Touriga Franca and Tinta Roiza (35% each) with 15% TN and 15% field blend. Good dark colour. Decent but light nose. Cherries. In the mouth, decently sweet and some tannins. Cherries predominate. A little light. Very drinkable now but maybe not for the long term.  (Date: 2022-06-13)
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2016 LBV Quinta dos Mattos 0.20 CertainlyC
Super dark and tannic. Needs many, many years to mature.  Drunk: Lado (Date: 2023-02-13)
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2016 VP Taylor 0.2 CertainlyC--
Lodge tasting. A comparative tasting with the 2016. Both were excellent but I think the 2017 just edged it.  Drunk: Portugal 2021 (Date: 2021-7-04)
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2017 LBV Churchill 1 PossiblyP
(Date: 2022-05-20)
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2017 VP Fonseca 0.2 PossiblyP++
Deep purple, fading only slightly. The nose is quite elegant: not very grapy, with rounded fruits. In the mouth, immediately sweet. Again, rounded fruits: black cherries, perhaps. The tannins are there but are supportive rather assertive. The acidity is not pronounced. There is a dryness to the finish but I think this more tannin-driven. Of the two ’17s, I preferred the Taylor: this is just a little to shy at the moment for my tastes.  Drunk: David Guimaraens: Taylor’s and Fonseca Ports Virtual Tasting (Date: 2020-11-06)
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2017 LBV Graham 40 PossiblyP++
Not quite as good as the 2015: perhaps just a touch less complex but extremely drinkable and accordingly very, very good value at £6 a bottle(!).  (Date: 2022-10-15)
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2017 VP Quinta de la Rosa 1 PossiblyP++
Deep purple. Fading a bit. Huge unexpected nose of elderflower. Again, very elegant to drink. Low acidity and tannin. Good fruit. Extremely drinkable.  Drunk: Quinta de la Rosa Virtual Tasting  (Date: 2020-11-24)
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2017 VP Quinta do Noval 0.2 CertainlyC
Opaque purple, fading to indigo on the rim. Deep concentrated fruit on the nose. Some grapes, too. In the mouth, stacks of tannins and pronounced acidity. Good balance of red currants, blackberry and other red fruits. Some floral tones, too. Very elegant for a young vintage port with the potential to be excellent.  Drunk: Quinta do Noval Virtual Tasting with 67 Pall Mall (Date: 2020-06-28)
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2017 VP Taylor 0.20.2 CertainlyC--
CertainlyC--
Deep purple, fading slightly. Ever so slightly darker than the Fonseca 2017. Strong nose of young Port: masses of grapes over complex dark fruits. In the mouth, an immediate hit of sugar and fruit, followed by a grip of tannins and some acidity. These are not excessive, however, and an aftertaste soon develops which is long and elegant. This is going to be a very fine Vintage Port.  Drunk: David Guimaraens: Taylor’s and Fonseca Ports Virtual Tasting (Date: 2020-11-06)
Lodge tasting. Very much as before. Probably edged it over the 2016.  Drunk: Portugal 2021 (Date: 2021-7-04)
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2018 SQVP Churchill Quinta da Gricha 0.5 PossiblyP++
Cask sample. Opaque deep purple. Deep fruits on the nose with the inevitable mass of grapes. Very elegant balance of acid and tannins. Very approachable but with some backbone. Interesting to see how it gets on in future.  Drunk: Churchill’s Vintage Port Masterclass “E-Tasting” (Date: 2020-05-19)
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2018 VP Quevedo 0.20.2 PossiblyP++
PossiblyP
A cask sample. Opaque purple throughout. Incredibly concentrated on grapes on the nose. In the mouth, again lots of grapes but less fruit than I might expect. Quite dry, too. Oscar Quevedo suggests violets and orange blossom: I agree. Strong acidity and tannins. Quaffable now. Will be interesting to see how it develops.  Drunk: Quevedo Virtual White Port Tasting (Date: 2020-07-30)
A final blend sample. Quite similar to the cask sample tried a year ago. The nose is perhaps less dominant by grapes. The mouth is much tighter: fewer grapes and really very dry. The acidity well balanced and the tannins a strong but not abrasive or aggressive. There is still a floral element detected last year. Without the flowers we would be into Dow territory. One for the long-term on this showing.  (Date: 2021-10-13)
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2019 VP Quevedo 0.20.2 PossiblyP++
PossiblyP++
Deep purple. Surprisingly light around the edge. Nice nose: deep cherries but a bit spirity. Mouth is nice: very, very dry. Limited fruit. Rounded tannins. Limited acidity. Quite light and elegant. Nice but query longevity.  Drunk: Quevedo Garrafeira Virtual Tasting (Date: 2021-12-09)
Deep purple. Surprisingly light around the edge. Nice nose: deep cherries but a bit spirity. Mouth is nice: very, very dry. Limited fruit. Rounded tannins. Limited acidity. Quite light and elegant. Nice but query longevity.  Drunk: Quevedo Garrafeira Virtual Tasting (Date: 2021-12-09)
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2019 VP Quinta do Noval 0.2 CertainlyC
Quinta do Noval Tasting Room, Porto. Dark centre but a surprisingly red rim. Thick grapy nose. Mouth is immensely tannic immediately with thick red fruits. But it is not excessive and is followed by the structured complexity I might expect from recent Novals. So much better than the Passadouro 2019 which seems simple by comparison. A very very good Port  Drunk: Portugal 2021 (Date: 2021-07-03)
🔗
2019 VP Quinta do Passadouro 0.2 PossiblyP
Quinta do Noval Tasting Room, Porto. Dark centre fading slightly. Complex on the nose but without the heavy grapes of the 2019 Noval. Mouth is elegant with decent sweetness and acidity but only modest tannins. Not sure this is one for the very long-haul.  Drunk: Portugal 2021 (Date: 2021-07-03)
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N/V Ruby Barão de Vilar 1 PossiblyP
Filtered with a t-cork. Deep purple, opaque centre, fading quite dramatically to a purpley-red rim. On the nose, some complex dense red fruits. Dark cherries and blackcurrants. Quite attractive and not too difficult. In the mouth, the blackcurrants predominate: along with a syrupy sugar, this reminds me of drinking Ribena. Followed by a little bit of structure, with somewhat reduces the elegance of the Port, as does the surprising furriness on the back of the tongue. This is extremely one-dimensional Port with none of the Summer-pudding fruitiness of some rubies (such as the Taylor). However, there is also nothing wrong with it which I think is a very good thing since it is quite rare when drinking the lowest category of Port. The heat is not excessive. There is no astringency of bitterness and you can quite happily drink quite a lot of this without further thought. 
🔗
N/V Ruby Berry Bros. Finest “St James’s” Reserve 0.2 No!N
Produced by Quinta de la Rosa. Disappointing: too light and spirity. No fruit.  Drunk: BBR Port Walk 2017 (Date: 2017-11-24)
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N/V Ruby C. Da Silva Amilar 1 No!N

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N/V Ruby Caves de Santa Marta Pink 0.2

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N/V Ruby Churchill Reserve 10.20.52 PossiblyP--

PossiblyP
PossiblyP++
20cl bottles. Tasted rather over-decanted from the start. Probably shouldn't have aged them for so long.  (Date: 2014-09-18)
Drunk: Churchill’s Lodge (Date: 2014-09-09)
One of two 20cl clear bottles. Despite being the same age (c.8 years?) and stored in an identical way, this one has thrown almost all its sediment and appears mature (aged even) whilst the other still looks like a proper ruby. Bright pink / orange colour (completely transparent) fading a little towards the edge. Not much on the nose. A little spirit. Some toffee to the end. Little immediately in the mouth. Toffee again dominates. No tannins or obvious sugar. A long simple aftertaste, again of toffee and caramel. Whilst not designed to be drunk like this and probably properly described as tired, I really rather like it as properly mature Port.  (Date: 2020-07-06)
(Date: 2021-01-11)
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N/V Ruby Cockburn Assured 1 No!N
Standard ruby. 
🔗
N/V Ruby Cockburn 0.2 No!N
Drunk: Macdonald Berystead Hotel Bar 
🔗
N/V Ruby Cockburn Special Reserve 1
One litre “duty free” bottle. Quite simple, slightly green. Disappoing lack of “blockbuster” fruits I hope for in a ruby. 
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N/V Ruby Croft Pink 0.20.2
PossiblyP++
In a cocktail with soda and lime. Perfectly satisfactory!  Drunk: “Life on the Douro” Screening (Date: 2012-04-02)
Quite a deep pink colour. Good fruit on the nose. In the mouth, quite strong fruit with good sweetness and low acidity. It reminds me of half-way between a good young white Port and a ruby. As a cold aperitif it is very good and worth trying again. I should have put my prejudices to one side years ago!  Drunk: Porto 2020 (Date: 2020-09-11)
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N/V Ruby Croft Purple Velvet 1 No!N
1l bottle. Apparently a ruby reserve.   (Date: 2015-04-29)
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N/V Ruby Davy Bin 11 1.2

🔗
N/V Ruby Davy’s Finest Reserve 0.8 PossiblyP--
Purple middle, but translucent. Fades to pink. Nice nose. Slightly spirity. Good dense fruit but mild impact. Perhaps slightly musty? In mouth, rather disappointing. Weak, slightly green. Touch astringent. Very little fruit and that that there is is quite light.  Drunk: Davy’s Tasting at the Woolgate (Date: 2013-11-14)
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N/V Ruby Delaforce Paramount 0.2
5cl bottle. Surprisingly nice.  Drunk: The Crusting Pipe Offline (Date: 2009-05-20)
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N/V Ruby Dow Icon Reserve 0.2 PossiblyP++
Ten-or-so years old. Deeply coloured in the middle. Lightening towards the edge. Still slightly grapey on the noes. A bit spirity, though good dense flavours in the mouth. Very rounded. Fabulous for what it is.  Drunk: TPF “Bring a Bottle” tasting (Date: 2011-03-10)
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N/V Ruby Dow Trademark 1 PossiblyP
Fine.  (Date: 2014-11-22)
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N/V Ruby Encostas de Provezende Quinta dos Espinheiros 0.2 PossiblyP
Apparently aged for nine years, this fell somewhat into the “neither fish nor fowl” category, missing the big jammy fruits of a straight Ruby whilst, on the other hand, not having much in the way of secondary flavours.  Drunk: Quinta’s shop (Date: 2014-09-08)
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N/V Ruby Fonseca Terra Prima 10.2 PossiblyP
No!N++
Between 24-48 hours, quite attractive. Vivid fruits. However, quite deterioration from then on. Unlikely to be better than the LBVs for the same money. 
Restaurant at WOW. Not as good as previously. Fruits were present but there was a strange aftertaste.  Drunk: Portugal 2021 (Date: 2021-06-25)
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N/V Ruby Fonseca Bin 27 0.20.40.2
PossiblyP
PossiblyP
Perfectly drinkable.  Drunk: Tasting with AHB (Date: 2009-06-11)
As before.  Drunk: Wigmore Hall (Date: 2010-02-12)
Fine. As before. Probably not as good as the Terra Prima.  Drunk: Quinta do Panascal tasting (Date: 2014-09-07)
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N/V Ruby Graham Fine Ruby 0.2 PossiblyP
With chocolate desert at a chocolate restaurant - perfect combination!   Drunk: Rabot 1745 (Date: 2014-10-15)
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N/V Ruby Graham Six Grapes 0.2 PossiblyP++
Single glass from a pub menu. Served in a branded glass. Some sediment, unexpectedly. Good fruit. Not quite the complexity I remember from the LBVs. Would be nice to try a proper bottle.  Drunk: Christmas 2021 (Date: 2021-12-23)
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N/V Ruby Messias 0.2 PossiblyP
A glass at Gordon's where it is sold as a house special reserve although, unlike the tawny, they don't even bother decaying it from the bottles into a barrel! Good fruit and perfectly drinkable, there appears to be no reason to drink the LBV instead.  (Date: 2018-12-03)
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N/V Ruby Niepoort Ruby Dum 0.2
Reasonable fruitiness but not quite as bold as one might hope. Not as good as the Tawny Dee.  Drunk: “Life on the Douro” Screening (Date: 2012-04-02)
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N/V Ruby Quady Starboard Batch 88 0.2 PossiblyP--
American Port. Lots of heat on the nose. In the mouth, some nice fruit, with simple sweetness and an unexpected hint of oakiness. Lots of spirit on the finish.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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N/V Ruby Quevedo Reserve 0.2 PossiblyP++
Drunk: Quevedo Lodge (Date: 2014-09-09)
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N/V Ruby Quevedo Rosé 0.20.2
No!N++
Better than many pinks!  Drunk: Quevedo Lodge (Date: 2014-09-09)
Very pale pink. Quite alcoholic on the nose. Light in the mouth. Pomegranate. But bitter aftertaste which is not so good.  Drunk: Porto 2020 (Date: 2020-09-12)
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N/V Ruby Quinta and Vineyard Bottlers Pink Port 10.2 PossiblyP--

Marks and Spencer bottling. Drinking it at cellar temperature, it is rather odd on the nose. It slightly too chemical and synthetic. In the mouth, I notice the sweetness and alcohol the most. To me, the fruit is still apparent and the overall sensation reminds me of a mildly flavoured boiled sweet. 
Marks and Spencer bottling.  
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N/V Ruby Quinta and Vineyard Bottlers El Vino’s Finest Reserve 1 PossiblyP

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N/V Ruby Quinta and Vineyard Bottlers Marks and Spencer’s Finest Reserve 0.82 No!N
No!N
PossiblyP
PossiblyP
CertainlyC
From a 50cl glass decanter. Good fruit on the nose. In the mouth, slightly anemic and slightly hot. Failed to surpass the usual problems with Ruby Ports. 
Drunk: Christmas 2016 in the Cotswold  (Date: 2016-12-27)
Seemed somewhat better than the previous reviews: perfectly drinkable with a reasonable amount of fruit.  (Date: 2018-12-28)
Very much as per the 2018 review. Perfectly drinkable ruby port.  (Date: 2020-04-27)
A bottle destined for Port Negus. Deep purple fading to red. Mild nose. Some spiciness. Some distant fruit. In mouth gentle initial fruit, red currants pre dominating. Limited tannins and acidity. Pretty good ruby Port!  Drunk: Hallowe'en 2020. (Date: 2020-10-31)
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N/V Ruby Quinta da Casa Amarela Reserve 1 CertainlyC
Probably unfiltered; bottled 2008. Extremely attractive; black cherry jam on the nose, blackcurrants predominating in the mouth. Some tannins but not too many. Needs a few hours in the decanter but not too long. 
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N/V Ruby Quinta de la Rosa 10.2 PossiblyP--
CertainlyC
Couple of years old. Bought at the Quinta. Very small amount of very thick sediment. Ok fruit. Bit too spirity.  (Date: 2014-08-17)
Quinta de la Rosa. Good fruit. Extremely high quality. Worth seeking out.  Drunk: Oporto and Douro October 2010 
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N/V Ruby Quinta de la Rosa Lote n. 601 0.2 PossiblyP--
Quinta de la Rosa. Not a great deal of fruit. A little weak, especially compared to the Reserve.  Drunk: Oporto and Douro October 2010 
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N/V Ruby Quinta do Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo CLÃ Special Reserve 0.2 PossiblyP--
Soft fruit on the nose. Similar in mouth but a bit spirity. Fine but unexciting.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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N/V Ruby Quinta do Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo Reserve 0.2 PossiblyP++
Normal reserve. Similar to the CLÃ. Softer fruit, though, and a more rounded elegant wine, with everything falling into place making it an excellent ruby to try.  Drunk: Big Fortified Tasting, London (Date: 2011-04-07)
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N/V Ruby Quinta do Noval Robinson College House Port 0.2 No!N--
Single glass at a dinner. Horrific. 
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N/V Ruby Quinta do Noval Black 0.20.21.2

No!N++
No!N
Nice fruity and grapey nose, very much like a young VP. Then extremely dense and tannic in the mouth. Would be brilliant if it was either sold unfiltered or pre-aged at the lodge, so it would be a bit softer and more mature when drunk.  Drunk: TPF Malvedos Tasting (Date: 2010-03-22)
Some six years since I last tried this, it was a little more approachable with good dense fruits and less tannins. Very drinkable.  Drunk: Decanter: Spain and Portugal at the Landmark Hotel (Date: 2016-02-27)
Compared to first trying this in 2010, there was far less Vintage-Port-like aroma on the nose. In the mouth it was very austere, with little obvious sweetness or fruit. If I had been drinking it blind, I’d have suggested it was a Dow. I struggled to enjoy it this time, unfortunately.  (Date: 2018-08-23)
Served cold which apparently is the recommended method. Quite dark in the middle but fading to red. Light and fruity on the nose. In the mouth, quite assertive with alcohol, rounded red and black cherries and some tannins. Quickly fades to a longish cherry aftertaste. A bit too assertive for my palate.  Drunk: Porto 2020 (Date: 2021-07-03)
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N/V Ruby Quinta do Portal P!nk 0.2 No!N++
As expected!  Drunk: Quinta’s shop (Date: 2014-09-08)
🔗
N/V Ruby Quinta do Sagrado 0.2 CertainlyC
Excellent classic ruby. What ruby should be.  Drunk: New Douro Tasting (Date: 2016-11-07)
🔗
N/V Ruby Quinta do Vale de Dona Maria Reserva 0.2
Drunk: Decanter: Spain and Portugal at the Landmark Hotel (Date: 2016-02-27)
🔗
N/V Ruby Quinta do Vale de Dona Maria Olazabal Finest Reserve 0.2
Drunk: Decanter: Spain and Portugal at the Landmark Hotel (Date: 2016-02-27)
🔗
N/V Ruby Ramos Pinto Adriano 0.2
Drunk: Ramos Pinto and Chocolate tasting, Charbonnel et Walker (Date: 2011-11-22)
🔗
N/V Ruby Sandeman Partners’ (or Founder’s) Port 0.20.2

From a ceramic Don-shaped decanter. Bottled in 1977. Completely oxidized but quite drinkable despite that.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2009 (Date: 2009-12-17)
Quinta do Seixo. Nice solid ruby. Not a great deal of fruit but the alcohol was not unpleasant.  Drunk: Oporto and Douro October 2010 
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N/V Ruby Smith Woodhouse The Queen’s College House Port 1 PossiblyP

🔗
N/V Ruby Symington Middle Temple 0.4 PossiblyP

🔗
N/V Ruby Taylor Ruby Select Reserve 1 PossiblyP
A day in the decanter blew of the spirit. Very little on the nose. On the palate, inoffensive (in a good way). Some alcohol on the back of the throat. A very good Ruby. 
🔗
N/V Ruby Taylor Finest Reserve 0.2 CertainlyC--
Blackcurrants on the nose. Slight grapeyness, too, like a young Vintage Port. Small amount of heat. Quite elegant in the mouth: cherries predominate. Light and well formed: subtle with only the slightest touch of heat which can spoil rubies. I was quite impressed with this which I think is a far better offering than the LBV.  Drunk: Taylor’s and Cheese, Milbank (Date: 2010-12-20)
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N/V Ruby Taylor Fine Ruby 0.2 PossiblyP--
Miniature from a three bottle gift pack. Little fresh fruit on nose and in mouth. Some grapeyness. Surprisingly good for basic ruby and curiously better than the Select Ruby Reserve in the same pack.   (Date: 2015-06-10)
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N/V Ruby Taylor Select Reserve 0.2 PossiblyP--
Miniature from a three bottle gift pack. Nose is quite good; smells of young, fruity Port. In the mouth, disappointingly disjointed. Gentle red fruits are overlaid with astringent sourness and slight bitterness. Very little aftertaste. The basic Ruby was probably better than this.   (Date: 2015-06-10)
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N/V Tawny Barão de Vilar 1

🔗
N/V Tawny Casal dos Jordões 0.2
By the glass at Carnevale Restaurant. Organic blend of Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca and Tinot Barroca. Lightish ruby. Slightly tawny in the mouth, though the bottle seemed to have been open for too long to tell what this would have been like in proper conditions. 
🔗
N/V Tawny Churchill El Vino’s No. 12, Fine Tawny 2
CertainlyC--
At El Vino’s. Good tawny colour. Very drinkable. 
A “one-time” Port from the Port Club. About 17 years old. Completely transparent. Deep orange in the middle which is notably and unusually consistent towards the edge. Drinking cool, the nose is subdued. There is little fruit—fresh or dry—but, perhaps some caramel and maybe even a bit of saffron. The mouth is excellent. It is not immediately assertive but provides gentle flavours of caramel, a memory of Maraschino cherries and limited sugar, acidity and tannins. The aftertaste is good in length and very enjoyable, with more caramel dominating, perhaps again with some cherries in the background. As the wine warms up, the alcohol is a bit more assertive, particularly at the end of the aftertaste but it feels a little bit more structured and acidic with the cherries coming through in a stronger way. I think the alcohol can tend towards the methanol, though, which is less than desirable. Very drinkable. Would happily have a big reserve!  (Date: 2021-07-07)
🔗
N/V Tawny Cockburn Tawny Eyes 1 PossiblyP++
A special edition. Beautifully-decorated cocktail-shaker style bottle. Light bright red in the centre, fading to reddish-orange. Nose is attractive: subtle caramelised oranges. In the mouth, immediate sugar. Very little fruit. Some cherry, maybe? Few tawny elements. Aftertaste is long-ish. Warming and sweet. Very good basic tawny but nothing extraordinary about it.  (Date: 2021-08-07)
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N/V Tawny Croft Reserve 31 PossiblyP++
PossiblyP++
One of the best tasting basic tawnies: very quaffalble as a daily-drinker.  (Date: 2018-12-20)
Red in the middle, fading towards the edge. On the nose, some distant fresh fruit. Perhaps plums? Not too spirity. Not obviously tawny. In the mouth, immediately quite sweet. No real acidity but a strong sensation of oranges immediately after tasting it. Little fruit: perhaps red currants at most. No obvious tannins or tawny secondary characteristic. Short-ish aftertaste which is pleasant. For what it is, this is pretty good.  (Date: 2020-09-28)
🔗
N/V Tawny Croft Fine Tawny 1 No!N++
Quite dark rusty orange mixed with red. Looks more like an aged Vintage Port than a tawny. Nose is spirity but with some complexity. Fresh oranges, maybe, and some burnt sugar. Mouth is spirity. Some fresh cherries. Medium aftertaste. But there is a bitterness and a grippy sensation which is not pleasant.  (Date: 2020-12-11)
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N/V Tawny Cálem Velhotes 0.2
Coimbra. Small glass after a fado show. Impossible to assess.  Drunk: Portugal 2021 (Date: 2021-06-20)
🔗
N/V Tawny Encostas de Provezende Quinta dos Espinheiros 0.2 CertainlyC
Excellent secondary flavours and a long aftertaste. Quite a lot of toffee. Apparently about 25 years old but tasting slightly older than that, this was an excellent example of a Douro Tawny in the style that is otherwise so hard to come by.  Drunk: Quinta’s shop (Date: 2014-09-06)
🔗
N/V Tawny Ferreira 0.20.2
No!N
Served warm in a plastic cup on the steam train. Seemed drinkable in the circumstances...  Drunk: Douro Historic Train (Date: 2017-08-20)
Their reserve tawny. Bit dusty. Very simple on the nose. Quite spirity. No real complexity.  Drunk: Lodge Tour (Date: 2023-02-13)
🔗
N/V Tawny Hedges and Butler 0.2 No!N
“By appointment to His Majesty the King and His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales”, so bottled between 1901 and 1936. Cloudy. Harsh and unpleasant.  Drunk: TPF tasting with Oscar Quevedo (Date: 2010-02-11)
🔗
N/V Tawny Messias Tinto Aloirado 0.2
Half-way between a ruby and a tawny, this appeared to have some old wines blended in. 
🔗
N/V Tawny Morgado 0.6
Nice on the nose; gentle cherry and a mild tawny smell. In the mouth, more cherries, a little sugar, let down by a bit of rancio. Ok in extremis, otherwise not. 
🔗
N/V Tawny Niepoort Tawny Dee 0.2
Good basic tawny, better than the “twin” Ruby Dum.  Drunk: “Life on the Douro” Screening (Date: 2012-04-02)
🔗
N/V Tawny Quinta das Tecedeiras 0.2 PossiblyP++
Young mixture. A good basic tawny.  Drunk: New Douro Tasting (Date: 2016-11-07)
🔗
N/V Tawny Quinta de la Rosa 0.2 PossiblyP--
Drunk: Oporto and Douro October 2010 
🔗
N/V Tawny Quinta de la Rosa Finest Reserve 0.2 PossiblyP--
Drunk: Oporto and Douro October 2010 
🔗
N/V Tawny Quinta do Portal 0.2 No!N++
Free glass of the basic tawny thrown in with a boat trip. Not great.  Drunk: Douro boat trip (Date: 2014-09-08)
🔗
N/V Tawny Réccua 0.20.2 No!N
PossiblyP
Free glass at Douro Museum. Not great.  Drunk: Douro Museum (Date: 2017-08-23)
Food court in Porto, Mercado Bom Sucesso. Served with a tasting of Portuguese cheese. Very limited tawny flavours but, served cold, was attractive enough.  Drunk: Portugal 2021 (Date: 2021-07-04)
🔗
N/V Tawny Sandeman Imperial Reserve 0.2
Quinta do Seixo. Surprisingly “tawny” on the nose for a basic, though the colour was still quite dark. Unfortunately, there was a musty taste which was not entirely pleasant.  Drunk: Oporto and Douro October 2010 
🔗
N/V Tawny Taylor Fine Tawny 0.2 No!N
Miniature from a three bottle gift pack. Pretty much nothing on the nose. Slightly sickly sweet red fruits in the mouth. Merest touch of tawny flavours.   (Date: 2015-06-10)
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N/V 10 Y/O Tawny Azul 0.2 PossiblyP++
First Great Western Pullman dining car.   (Date: 2015-03-12)
🔗
N/V 10 Y/O Tawny Barros 10.2

(Date: 2014-07-30)
Drunk: Decanter: Spain and Portugal at the Landmark Hotel (Date: 2016-02-27)
🔗
N/V 10 Y/O Tawny Churchill 0.20.21
PossiblyP--
Drunk: Churchill’s Lodge (Date: 2014-09-09)
Bar Douro opening. Quite young and fruity but I was, perhaps, a little disappointed by the lack of complexity, especially compared to the (table wine) Churchill Gran Reserva which was the same price and fantastic. Compared a little unfavourably to the Quinta da Silveira tried afterwards.  Drunk: Bar Douro opening (Date: 2016-11-04)
🔗
N/V 10 Y/O Tawny Cálem 0.2 CertainlyC--
Lodge tasting. Rusty red, fading to an almost yellow / orange edge. Nose is a bit spirit but oranges are also present, too. In the mouth, loads of sugar. Some tawny oranges, too. Medium long aftertaste. Unbelievably easy to drink. Very quaffable. I am very impressed. One of the better 10-year-olds that isn’t from a small producer using lots of old stocks.  Drunk: Portugal 2021 (Date: 2021-06-26)
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N/V 10 Y/O Tawny Fonseca 0.20.2 PossiblyP
PossiblyP
Drunk: Uncorked tasting 
Drunk: Quinta do Panascal tasting (Date: 2014-09-07)
🔗
N/V 10 Y/O Tawny Gould Campbell 1 PossiblyP

🔗
N/V 10 Y/O Tawny Graham 20.20.2 PossiblyP
PossiblyP

A solid tawny, but perhaps not as interesting as some of the other options. 
A dark amber in colour. In the mouth, a little acidity, followed by some gentle fruit. The aftertaste started slightly bitter but then faded into a quite long-lasting rose. There was little in the way of tawny secondary flavours, although the primary fruits had faded. Nice, but not a match for some of the other 10-year-olds on the market.  Drunk: ROH Bar 
Drunk: “Life on the Douro” Screening (Date: 2012-04-02)
🔗
N/V 10 Y/O Tawny Niepoort 0.2 CertainlyC
Excellent; by far the best 10 Y/O tried. Smoother than the colheitas of similar age (as I suppose one might expect).  Drunk: Uncorked tasting 
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N/V 10 Y/O Tawny Quevedo 22
PossiblyP
Dark topaz; quite a lot of golden brown, with a hint of red. The Port is also slightly cloudy. On the nose, there is no obvious fruit. There is some heat, but it is pleasant; it reminds me a lot of a good Cognac. The tawny sensation on the nose is light but present. In the mouth, many layers of complexity. There is first a light touch of sugar, followed by some heat (though, it reminds me more of a Cognac than raw Aguardente) and perhaps a slight tankiness due to the bottle being kept open too long. The mid-palate is quite dry for a tawny Port; I don’t have any sensation of the stickiness of some tawnies. There is some fruit, there too. Cherries, perhaps. But it is short-lived because it is quickly overtaken by the aftertaste which is very strong and undoubtedly the best part of this Port. Extremely long and nutty with perhaps a slight memory of the fruit, it lingers in the mouth for much longer than I would expect for a young tawny. An interesting offering. 
Bottled in 2007. Curious colour: orange / pink in the centre fading almost to nothing (perhaps a touch of very-old green). Very, very cloudy though. Nose is quite subdued. The aroma is complex but very distant: some spice, fruit and perhaps some dried citrus. In the mouth, immediately quite sweet with the sugar mellowing into a toffee-like aftertaste which lasts very long time. Good acidity. Very little fruit. A touch astringent on immediate tasting but it then fades. Not really like any other ten-year-old tawny: it reminds me of a non-commercial colheita or similar rarities. Although it is a long time since I last tried it, I don’t think it has been damaged by bottle-aging and perhaps has improved. Would be interesting to see if their current offering is a little more “commercial” in style.   (Date: 2020-08-07)
🔗
N/V 10 Y/O Tawny Quinta da Pedra Alta 2 CertainlyC
Very attractive clear 50cl bottle. Describes itself as “Alta № 10”. Good red / pink in the middle de-saturating to orange round the edge. Slightly subdued on the nose but strong, dried fruits. In the mouth, a little acidity followed by thick and unctuous sugar. No real fresh fruit left and the initial taste is strangely mild. Glacé cherries, perhaps? However, this is followed by two long aftertastes: first quite fruity and then very tawny. I keep having to remind myself that this is only 10 years old. It tastes much more like a 20 year-old and is really rather good.  (Date: 2020-06-02)
🔗
N/V 10 Y/O Tawny Quinta da Romaneira 0.2
Drunk: Decanter: Spain and Portugal at the Landmark Hotel (Date: 2016-02-27)
🔗
N/V 10 Y/O Tawny Quinta da Silveira 0.2 PossiblyP++
Boot and Flogger's house Port. Good complexity. Clearly contains some old stuff which gives lovely butterscotch flavours. Much better than the Churchill from the same night.   Drunk: Boot and Flogger  (Date: 2016-11-04)
🔗
N/V 10 Y/O Tawny Quinta de Marrocos 0.2
Very pale and mature for its age. Highly tawny. Very old for its age. But perhaps needs a little younger stuff blended in to increase the complexity.  Drunk: Delaforce Tasting (Date: 2012-04-24)
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N/V 10 Y/O Tawny Quinta de Val da Figueira 1 CertainlyC--
Shipped to the UK under sail by Port O’Bristol by Xisto! Very attractive colour, almost translucent and luminous pink in the centre, fading through orange to nothing on the rim. Nose is very good. A complex mix of dried fruit, some sweetness and even a little cedar or other wood. In the mouth, more complexity prevails. There is a little fresh fruit with a touch of acidity, then a buttery sensation of toffee. The aftertaste is long but with an intriguing dryness. This is an excellent 10 year old tawny that tastes much older than it is.  (Date: 2020-10-13)
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N/V 10 Y/O Tawny Quinta do Mourão São Leonardo 0.2 PossiblyP
Clear orange colour. Lots of orangey heat on nose. In mouth, some sugar sweetness. Hugely mature for its age. Reminds me slightly of drinking golden syrup. Very nice but perhaps a bit mature for its age.  Drunk: Not VP Tasting II (Date: 2011-07-07)
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N/V 10 Y/O Tawny Quinta do Noval 0.20.2


Drunk: Decanter: Spain and Portugal at the Landmark Hotel (Date: 2016-02-27)
🔗
N/V 10 Y/O Tawny Quinta do Portal 0.2 CertainlyC
Very nice. Quite brown. Good mixture of old and new wines.  Drunk: Quinta do Portal’s Restaurant (Date: 2014-09-06)
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N/V 10 Y/O Tawny Quinta do Vallado 0.20.20.2 PossiblyP
PossiblyP
PossiblyP
Tasting at Quinta do Vallado. Fine but a little unexciting.  Drunk: Quinta do Vallado visit, August 2017 (Date: 2017-08-18)
Orange centre fading to colourless. Looked older than it was. Nose obscured by being served too warm- more spirit than it should be. Some fresh fruit left in the palate with gentle sugar and acidity. Moderately long aftertaste. Very drinkable- better than I remember.  Drunk: Ivy Tunbridge Wells (Date: 2020-07-12)
Drunk: Portugal 2021 (Date: 2021-06-23)
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N/V 10 Y/O Tawny Ramos Pinto 1 PossiblyP

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N/V 10 Y/O Tawny Ramos Pinto Quinta de Ervamoira 10.20.20.2

PossiblyP
Bright orange with a touch of pink. In the mouth, quite attractive: lots of a fruit balancing the tawniness. Perhaps even a bit of rounded tannins? Certainly the very fruit-centred: almost tastes as if it was made from three bottles of tawny and one bottle of ruby. 
Very similar to last time, though spoilt by too much heat and alcohol.  Drunk: Ramos Pinto and Chocolate tasting, Charbonnel et Walker (Date: 2010-11-10)
Drunk: Ramos Pinto and Chocolate tasting, Charbonnel et Walker (Date: 2011-11-22)
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N/V 10 Y/O Tawny Real Companhia Velha Quinta das Carvalhãs 1 PossiblyP++
In a ship’s decanter shaped bottle. Perhaps a bit more mature in colour than I expected. Orange in the middle fading to a clear rim. On the nose, lots of sweet fruit, a bit like a boiled sweet. In the mouth, again quite sweet with a little fruit. Very few tawny flavours. Although it doesn’t really taste much like a 10-year-old tawny, for what it was, I enjoyed it!   (Date: 2014-09-20)
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N/V 10 Y/O Tawny Taylor 20.20.2 PossiblyP
PossiblyP
No!N++

Deep red in the middle, with slight lightening on the edges. Not greatly tawny in the nose. In the mouth, nice well integrated fruit and sugar but, again, only mildly tawny. Some heat at the very end of the aftertaste.  Drunk: Taylor’s and Cheese, Milbank (Date: 2010-12-20)
Restaurant at WOW. Rather disappointing lack of complexity. Felt more in the tawny reserve territory than 10-year-old.  Drunk: Portugal 2021 (Date: 2021-06-25)
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N/V 10 Y/O Tawny Van Zeller 0.2 PossiblyP
Hotel in Monte Gordo. Seemed quite youthful but the bottle had been open too long.  Drunk: Portugal 2021 (Date: 2021-06-14)
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N/V 10 Y/O Tawny Warre Otima 10.210.2 PossiblyP
CertainlyC--
PossiblyP++
PossiblyP--

Orange-red centre. Peachy rim. Very muted nose, perhaps caused by being served cold. Good caramel nose. Not convinced of the nuttiness which Tim Stanley-Clarke described. In mouth initially a pile up of different flavours. Mid-palate: very little; everything dramatically falls away. Then, at the end, it picks up again with a very long nutty aftertaste. The acidity is good on initial tasting, then falls away immediately. I was quite interested about this blend and discussed it with Tim Stanley-Clarke; since I wondered if they’d put something very old in it to give it that long aftertaste. It was certainly more interesting than I remember it from 5 years ago.  Drunk: Davy’s Tasting at the Woolgate (Date: 2013-11-14)
Bought to drink in a hotel whilst working since it appeared to be the most appealing smaller-than-75cl bottle in Waitrose! Very similar to the last tasting. Perhaps a little more mahogany than pink in the centre, fading quite considerably to the rim. The nose is rather mute but that is probably down to the glass. In the mouth, a good mixture of flavours and acidity with a modest aftertaste. Perhaps tasting a little younger than my previous record suggests but extremely drinkable and probably one of the better 10-year-olds I have tried.  (Date: 2017-08-30)
A sample glass before the rest of the bottle became part of the first Bittall experiment. Very light in the glass: transparent tawny in the middle, fading towards a touch of green at the rim. Gives the impression of being much older than it is. Very spirity on the nose and little else. In the mouth, again, a mass of alcohol. Some caramel sugars. A little astringency. Modest aftertaste. Somewhat disappointing compared to previous bottles of the same.  (Date: 2020-06-20)
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N/V 20 Y/O Tawny Barão de Vilar 0.2 CertainlyC
Bottled 2010. Golden red in middle. Slightly astringent on the nose. In mouth, some orangey tawny flavours. Long, slightly nutty aftertaste. Very attractive.  Drunk: Not VP Tasting II (Date: 2011-07-07)
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N/V 20 Y/O Tawny Berry Bros. William Pickering 0.20.2
PossiblyP
Drunk: Berry Bros (Date: 2011-12-01)
Produced by Quinta do Noval. As enjoyable as ever and, strangely, Berry Bros’ do not have appeared to put the price up in recent years making it, at last, good value!  Drunk: BBR Port Walk 2017 (Date: 2017-11-24)
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N/V 20 Y/O Tawny Bulas 0.2 PossiblyP
Drunk: Viniportugal, Libson (Date: 2014-11-01)
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N/V 20 Y/O Tawny Churchill 0.24
PossiblyP++
Drunk: Churchill’s Lodge (Date: 2014-09-09)
Deep amber on the edge with a dark pink to mahogany centre. Much darker than I might expect for a 20-year-old. The nose is gentle. Some spirit. A little distant spiciness: nutmeg and allspice. In the mouth, there is some initial complexity which is hard to unpick with spice and perhaps dried fruit. This is followed by some oranges and a little sugar. The aftertaste is long and attractive: some fruit re-appears; more oranges; a good warming sensation and caramel. Very enjoyable to drink!  (Date: 2021-03-04)
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N/V 20 Y/O Tawny Cockburn 0.21
CertainlyC
Cockburn Lodge. Very nice mixture of fruit and tawny dryness.  Drunk: Oporto May 2009 
Quite a light colour and fading dramatically towards the end. Nose was a little subdued but in the mouth it was fantastic: very little fresh fruit but a good amount of dried ones with just the right amount of acidity and sugar.  Drunk: Cockburn Virtual Tasting (Date: 2020-05-02)
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N/V 20 Y/O Tawny Ferreira Dona Antonia 0.20 PossiblyP--
Nose has a decent complexity. But disappointingly simple in the mouth. Slightly dusty, too. Maybe a bad bottle?  Drunk: Lodge Tour (Date: 2023-02-13)
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N/V 20 Y/O Tawny Fonseca 0.20.20.20.2 PossiblyP
CertainlyC
CertainlyC
PossiblyP--
Drunk: Uncorked tasting 
Golden brown. Slightly musty on the nose. Really quite excellent at fruit. But fell apart to a sugar syrup with some nuttiness quite quickly.  Drunk: Not VP Tasting II (Date: 2011-07-07)
Probably the best Fonseca tawny. Good combination of fruit and tawny flavours. Better than many commercial 20-year-olds.  Drunk: Quinta do Panascal tasting (Date: 2014-09-07)
Burnt orange, fading on the edge. Subdued nose. Toffee, maybe? Almost buttery. Some distant mint. In the mouth, limited fruit. Some sugar. Decant acidity. Only modest dry fruit, though. The aftertaste is moderately long but a touch bitter at the very end. Fine but not as good as many 20 year olds.  Drunk: David Guimaraens: Taylor’s and Fonseca Ports Virtual Tasting (Date: 2020-11-06)
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N/V 20 Y/O Tawny Fragulho 0.5 CertainlyC
Bought at Vinologia: one of a few dusty halves they had left. Bottled in 2011 (i.e. six years before drinking) with a t-cork. The shipper is an independent producer from Cheires (just North East of Sabrosa on the far side of the Pinhão river). Deep brown in the centre with perhaps, in the right light, a mere touch of purple. Fading to nothing at the edge. Very complex on the nose. Quite spicy, perhaps a little spirity. A little round fruit. In the mouth, a fantastically well-balanced combination of red fruits (perhaps red cherries) and golden syrup followed by an extremely long and attractive soft tawny aftertaste. This is really very good: probably the best 20-year-old I have tried.   (Date: 2017-09-18)
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N/V 20 Y/O Tawny Graham 0.210.2
PossiblyP++
PossiblyP
Drunk: “Life on the Douro” Screening (Date: 2012-04-02)
Good mix of fresh and dried fruit. Good complexity. Very enjoyable.  (Date: 2020-01-04)
Orange in the centre but fading to the edge. Limited nose. Some orange and toffee. In the mouth, very unctuous. Limited fruit. Oranges again. Nice long aftertaste. Good but not spectacular.  Drunk: Graham 200 Tasting with Anthony and Tom Symington (Date: 2020-12-02)
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N/V 20 Y/O Tawny Kopke 0.2 CertainlyC
Transparent orange-brown fading a little. No red. Nose is subdued. A bit spirity. The taste is of a much older wine than a 20-year-old. Initially quite dry with no fresh fruit but a touch of acidity, it is followed by a very long nutty aftertaste: hazelnuts in particular. For those who like their tawnies tawny and old this is really good. Would love to compare to some others like the Churchill or Kranemann.  Drunk: DIY Kopke Tasting, NYE 2021 (Date: 2021-12-31)
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N/V 20 Y/O Tawny Kranemann 1 CertainlyC++
Brown centre fading to straw-like yellow on the rim. The nose is concentrated with oranges, some caramel and maybe a hazelnut or two. In the mouth there is immediate fresh citrus (even in to lemon territory) which swiftly fades into an extraordinary mixture of toffee and hazelnut with some glacé cherries which lasts a very long time. I cannot believe that this does not include some very old and very rare wines. If someone said it was a 50-year-old colheita I would have believed them. In a crowded field of 20-year-old tawnies this really stands out.  (Date: 2020-12-25)
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N/V 20 Y/O Tawny Niepoort 0.4 CertainlyC
Also Oporto May 2009. Niepoort Lodge. Much more complex than the Niepoort 10 Y/O. Tasted much older with notably less fresh fruit from the 10 Y/O. Perhaps overpriced.  Drunk: Uncorked tasting 
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N/V 20 Y/O Tawny Quevedo 0.2
Drunk: Quevedo Lodge (Date: 2014-09-09)
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N/V 20 Y/O Tawny Quinta de la Rosa 1 PossiblyP++
Gift in a clear 50cl bottle with a t-cork. Surprisingly light in the middle: orange with a touch of pink; fades through to transparency at the edge. Quite austere on the nose; a little fruit with not a lot else. In the mouth, again rather austere. Almost orange-like in flavour with little immediate sugar or acidity. A very long aftertaste full of caramel follows. This is rather unlike many 20-year-old tawnies I have tried but is very drinkable.  (Date: 2018-11-24)
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N/V 20 Y/O Tawny Quinta do Noval 0.2
Drunk: Decanter: Spain and Portugal at the Landmark Hotel (Date: 2016-02-27)
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N/V 20 Y/O Tawny Quinta do Vallado 0.20.2
PossiblyP
Drunk: Decanter: Spain and Portugal at the Landmark Hotel (Date: 2016-02-27)
Tasting at Quinta do Vallado. Nice: better than the 10 year old but probably would not go out of my way to drink it.  Drunk: Quinta do Vallado visit, August 2017 (Date: 2017-08-18)
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N/V 20 Y/O Tawny Quinta dos Corvos 0.2 CertainlyC
Lodge tasting. Dark brown. Only a touch redder than the 20-year-old white. Distant complexity on the nose of raisins and other dried fruits. Oranges dominate in the mouth with well balanced acidity, sugar and a very long aftertaste. Perfectly poised this is very, very good tawny Port.  Drunk: Portugal 2021 (Date: 2021-06-26)
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N/V 20 Y/O Tawny Ramos Pinto Quinta do Bom Retiro 0.20.2 CertainlyC
CertainlyC
Perfect combination of fresh and dry fruit. Some caramel, touch of nuts. Lovely.  Drunk: Ramos Pinto and Chocolate tasting, Charbonnel et Walker (Date: 2010-11-10)
Drunk: Ramos Pinto and Chocolate tasting, Charbonnel et Walker (Date: 2011-11-22)
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N/V 20 Y/O Tawny Sandeman 0.2
Quinta do Seixo. Quite a lot of colour and fresh fruits remaining for a 20-year-old. Fine but no more exciting than that.  Drunk: Oporto and Douro October 2010 
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N/V 20 Y/O Tawny Taylor 0.20.20.2

PossiblyP
Restaurant in Taylor’s Lodge. Fine, if unexciting.  Drunk: Oporto May 2009 
Bottled 1978. Appearing very old, with greenish rim. Well integrated tawniness; probably the best aged tawny I have tried.  Drunk: Ides of March 2011, El Vino’s (Date: 2011-03-15)
Very much as I remember it. A good mixture of fresh and dry fruit with some residual tannins and a little acidity. However, it still seems more archetypal than exciting.  Drunk: Pousada Viana do Castelo hotel bar  (Date: 2017-08-27)
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N/V 20 Y/O Tawny Valriz 0.20 PossiblyP
Drunk: Lado (Date: 2023-02-13)
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N/V 20 Y/O Tawny Warre Otima 1 PossiblyP
Redish-orange and translucent. Very subdued on the nose, perhaps disappointingly so. Very tidy in the mouth. Little fruit (either fresh or dry) which is a shame. However, afterwards very good balance of acidity and sugar. Long elegant aftertaste.  (Date: 2019-03-30)
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N/V 30 Y/O Tawny Blackett 0.20 PossiblyP
Drunk: Lado (Date: 2023-02-13)
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N/V 30 Y/O Tawny Fonseca 0.2 CertainlyC
Golden brown. Slightly musty on the nose. Really quite excellent at fruit. But fell apart to a sugar syrup with some nuttiness quite quickly.  Drunk: Not VP Tasting II (Date: 2011-07-07)
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N/V 30 Y/O Tawny Graham 0.50.2 PossiblyP++
PossiblyP++
(Date: 2019-12-20)
Café Majestic. As you might expect: good tawny flavours with long aftertaste. Not sure if it would beat the Bulas 1997 colheita from the night before but certainly better than most of the other colheitas tried.  Drunk: Porto 2020 
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N/V 30 Y/O Tawny Niepoort 0.2 CertainlyC
A revelation to me. Not at all the sweet, sticky drink that I was expecting. Very austere and dry. This obviously need to mature in the bottle; perhaps about 5 years to bring it to peak condition. (This was bottled in 2009).  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2010 (Date: 2010-12-16)
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N/V 30 Y/O Tawny Quinta do Vallado 0.2 CertainlyC
Excellent. The best of the aged tawnies from Quinta do Vallado. Curiously darker than the 40-year old; a pale amber which combines a good tawny-like fruit with some aged amber characteristics. Good residual acidity and extremely long after-taste.  Drunk: Quinta do Vallado visit, August 2017 (Date: 2017-08-18)
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N/V 30 Y/O Tawny Quinta dos Corvos 0.2 CertainlyC--
Lodge tasting. Oddly redder than the 20-year-old, and a bit cloudy. The nose is more present and the aromas are a little bit more aggressive than the 20-year-old. The mouth has more pronounced acidity than the other Quinta dos Corvos ports. There is still some red fruit: fresh cherries; together with some more tawny-like oranges. A very long aftertaste. The is extremely enjoyable port but not quite as good as the excellent 20-year-old tawny.  Drunk: Portugal 2021 (Date: 2021-06-26)
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N/V 30 Y/O Tawny Sandeman 11 CertainlyC
CertainlyC
Golden amber with a little orange. Deep caramel citrus on the nose. In the mouth, immediate sweetness, some orange, not much dried fruits.  (Date: 2016-05-15)
For the Jewish ceremony and afterwards. Excellent as before.  Drunk: Wedding! (Date: 2019-05-11)
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N/V 30 Y/O Tawny Taylor 0.2 PossiblyP--
Pinkish. Not as tawny as expected. Very hard to distinguish from the 40-year-old. Rather unexciting and disappointing.  Drunk: Taylor's Lodge (Date: 2014-09-09)
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N/V 30 Y/O Tawny Vasconcellos 0.2 No!N++
Lodge tasting. Beautiful golden colour. Good mixture of acidity and sweetness. Burnt orange. Not massively long aftertaste. Nothing wrong with this but really not as good as many 20 year-olds so very disappointing for a 30-year-old.  Drunk: Portugal 2021 (Date: 2021-06-26)
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N/V 40 Y/O Tawny Fletcher 2 PossiblyP++

Bargain 40-year-old tawny Port: £35 from Aldi. Quite consistently brown, fading a touch to the edge. Quite muted nose. Distant caramel. Also, maybe, some coffee. Perhaps something tropical too? Initial tasting is quite sweet with a very large amount of acidity. Minimal fruits, perhaps even a bit spirity. But this soon passes as the aftertaste is long with oranges, caramel and perhaps even some caramalised nuts. Just what you would expect from a 40-year-old. At half the price of the next cheapest, this is extremely good value. Would be really interesting to try this blind against some 20-year-olds which are in the same price point!  (Date: 2020-12-06)
The colour is as before: consistently brown, fading towards the edge. The nose is less muted than a year ago and feels more assertive with some orange or even lemon. The mouth continues to be quite acidic on initial entry, although I feel there is less of a hit of sugar. After this quickly passes, the long aftertaste remains as before. Interesting to come back to this wine. till remains extremely good value for what it is. But, yet, I am not sure whether I would rush out to buy some more. I suppose I just find the acidity too much; too assertive.  (Date: 2021-11-19)
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N/V 40 Y/O Tawny Fonseca 0.2 PossiblyP
Very brown with slight green edge. Alarmingly cloudy! No real fruit to speak of but surprising acidity. Long nutty aftertaste. Good, but perhaps not as good as one would hope for at this level.  Drunk: Quinta do Panascal tasting (Date: 2014-09-07)
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N/V 40 Y/O Tawny Graham 0.2 PossiblyP
Brown fading to almost green. The nose is complex but distant. Does not give much away. Mouth has good acidity with some oranges (similar to the 20 year old). Good caramel flavours but not particularly sweet. This is a good wine but perhaps not as a good as some other 40 year olds.  Drunk: Graham 200 Tasting with Anthony and Tom Symington (Date: 2020-12-02)
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N/V 40 Y/O Tawny Quevedo 0.2
Drunk: Quevedo Lodge (Date: 2014-09-09)
🔗
N/V 40 Y/O Tawny Quinta da Fonte Nova 0.20 CertainlyC
A deep orange. This was very sweet, very smooth and extremely drinkable. Excellent.  Drunk: Lado (Date: 2023-02-13)
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N/V 40 Y/O Tawny Quinta das Lamelas 0.2 PossiblyP
Tasting of three 40-year-old tawnies. By far the most balanced but perhaps this resulted in a lack of a complexity and aftertaste.  Drunk: Vinologia (Date: 2017-08-28)
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N/V 40 Y/O Tawny Quinta do Mourão São Leonardo 0.2 PossiblyP
Tasting of three 40-year-old tawnies. Good aftertaste of almonds.  Drunk: Vinologia (Date: 2017-08-28)
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N/V 40 Y/O Tawny Quinta do Noval 0.4 CertainlyC++
CertainlyC
Deep red colour. Initially lots of fruit. Followed by extremely long aftertaste combining nuts and Marzipan. Very nice.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2011 (Date: 2011-12-15)
Dark amber fading to a touch of green. Nose is packed with complexity, including a surprising amount of vanilla. Lovely thick mouthfeel. Oranges dominate. Followed but good complexity which is not overly sweet and a long aftertaste. Excellent.  Drunk: Porto 2020 (Date: 2021-07-03)
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N/V 40 Y/O Tawny Quinta do Vallado 0.20.2 PossiblyP
PossiblyP--
A little disappointing after the 30-year-old. Unexpectedly darker than its younger cousin, it had a disappointingly alcoholic taste with an excessive lack of aftertaste.   Drunk: Quinta do Vallado visit, August 2017 (Date: 2017-08-18)
Casa do Rio. Similar to the previous experience: a little disappointing.  Drunk: Portugal 2021 (Date: 2021-06-23)
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N/V 40 Y/O Tawny Taylor 0.2 PossiblyP--
Pinkish. Not as tawny as expected. Very hard to distinguish from the 30-year-old. Rather unexciting and disappointing.  Drunk: Taylor's Lodge (Date: 2014-09-09)
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N/V 40 Y/O Tawny Valriz 0.2 PossiblyP
Tasting of three 40-year-old tawnies. Amazingly long aftertaste of hazelnuts.  Drunk: Vinologia (Date: 2017-08-28)
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N/V VP Unknown 0.2 CertainlyC++
Good colour. Browning round the edge. Green apples on the nose. Slightly bitter in the mouth. Probably not ancient but very old. c.1909-1917, perhaps?  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2008 (Date: 2008-12-18)
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N/V White Churchill Dry White 0.20.20.250.2 PossiblyP--
CertainlyC

CertainlyC

Not completely dry. More “off white”. Not a great amount of fruit and very distant aftertaste (albeit one which was pleasantly nutty). Fine but there are much better offerings these days.   Drunk: Churchill’s Lodge (Date: 2014-09-08)
Glass at Bar Douro opening. In the light of the bar almost a pink colour! Perhaps a touch sweeter than off dry-off sweet, perhaps? Good balance of flavours; some sherry like savoury edges with some fruit. Very good white Port which I'd happily drink again!  Drunk: Bar Douro opening (Date: 2016-11-04)
Very acceptable port and tonic!  Drunk: Bar Douro (Date: 2018-07-21)
In a Port and Tonic at the Wedding Reception. Much better than champagne!  Drunk: Wedding! (Date: 2019-05-11)
Drunk: Portugal 2021 (Date: 2021-06-24)
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N/V White Churchill Sweet Caroline 1 PossiblyP++
Port Club special bottle. Beautiful deep golden colour. Looks quite old. Nose is deeply concentrated with a mixture of subtle tropical and dried fruits. Unexpected edge of cherry, too. In the mouth big initial hit of acidity and sugar. Almost like drinking a Madeira. The mouthfeel is notable. Unctious and thick. The fruits are mostly dried but are well balanced and subtle. Aftertaste is medium. I would probably describe this as a Lagrima and think it is one of the most interesting sweet white Ports I have tried.  (Date: 2021-11-03)
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N/V White Cockburn 0.2
Cockburn Lodge. Nice. More interesting than the Chip Dry.  Drunk: Oporto May 2009 
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N/V White Cockburn Fine White 21 PossiblyP++
PossiblyP
Surprisingly sweet (if not very sweet). Lots of tropical fruit. Slightly surprised this is being marketed for cocktails: would have thought a drier style would have been better. An improvement over last tasting.  Drunk: Cockburn Virtual Tasting (Date: 2020-05-02)
A touch darker than the Graham but only just. A bit spirity on the nose but slightly more complex than the Graham with even some stewed fruits. In mouth, the sugar is immediately dominant. More syrupy but much less fruit, although there are some lychees. Not very floral compared to the Graham and with less acidity, the effect is of a much heavier wine (although this is not necessarily a bad thing). On a blind tasting, the Graham edged this but only just.  Drunk: Cockburn and Graham White Blind Tasting (Date: 2020-07-13)
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N/V White Cálem  0.2 PossiblyP++
Lodge tasting. Rather nice on the nose. Very expressively sweet; lychees, perhaps? Quite nice in the mouth. Some fresh muscat grapes and sweetness, followed by a dry finish. Pretty drinkable, though perhaps better in a cocktail than on its own. Not sure why it is described as dry rather than medium, though.  Drunk: Portugal 2021 (Date: 2021-06-26)
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N/V White Dow 0.2
Port-tonic made with a good-sized glass, topped up with Fever Tree Tonic. Rather nice.  Drunk: Davy’s Tasting at the Woolgate (Date: 2013-11-14)
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N/V White Encostas de Provezende Quinta dos Espinheiros 0.201 PossiblyP++
CertainlyC--
Lovely white: off dry rather than dry or sweet with a good mixture of fruits coming through and some nutty aftertaste. By miles the best white Port I have tried that wasn’t extremely old. The type of Ports the others should be aiming to make!  Drunk: Quinta’s shop (Date: 2014-09-06)
Deep amber in the middle. Fading to a light straw. Maybe even a touch of green. Subdued nose. Quite floral and fresh: elderflowers predominate. In the mouth, it is more of the same. It reminds me of elderflower cordial! I think it has quite a heavy amount of sugar by it wears it lightly: a sensation of icing sugar rather than anything else. The acidity is mild, more oranges than lemons. The aftertaste is of modest intensity but long. This is a finely balanced white Port in a style which is quite unusual. I would love to have some more.  (Date: 2022-08-08)
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N/V White Ferreira 0.20 PossiblyP
Semi-sweet. Little age. Simple fruits. Drinkable.  Drunk: Lodge Tour (Date: 2023-02-13)
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N/V White Fonseca Siroco 0.2 PossiblyP
Pretty decent dry white Port (as dry white Ports go)...  Drunk: Quinta do Panascal tasting (Date: 2014-09-08)
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N/V White Graham Blend № 5 2 PossiblyP
Medium dry blend of Malvasia Fina and Moscatel Gallego bottled 3 months after harvest (!) at 19% ABV. Beautiful decorated bottle; a limited edition of 6,000. Very pale colour. Paler than the Cockburn “Fine White”. Very fruity on the nose. Classic lágrima: tropical fruits (e.g. lychees) with vanilla. Almost coconut. In the mouth, immediately quite simple fruits. Followed by some sugar. A very floral aftertaste. A touch of lemon, too. Moderately sweet. It felt like 90% of a pudding wine but with a Port backbone. Edged the Cockburn in a blind taste on finesse.  Drunk: Cockburn and Graham White Blind Tasting (Date: 2020-07-13)
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N/V White Nicolau de Almeida Leve Seco 0.2 CertainlyC--
First Leve Seco Port I have see: 16.5%. Apparently a single-quinta Port from Quinta do Monte Xisto & a blend of four vintages. A mixture of youth with a touch of age, perhaps the slighest sweetness. Very light, too. Would be good to try properly.  Drunk: Festa (Date: 2022-06-24)
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N/V White Quevedo Moscatel 0.2
Sample from a experimental cask, approximately 40 years old. Probably not real Port as made from Moscatel! As a Moscatel, very nice: lychee; strawberries and other soft fruits predominating.  Drunk: TPF tasting with Oscar Quevedo (Date: 2010-02-11)
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N/V White Quevedo Reserve 0.2 CertainlyC
About 8 years’ old. Colour: clear amber / orange. Subdued nose: some oxidised components and a distant orange peel. Quite sweet in the mouth but not too cloying. Incredible flavour of bitter oranges and orange peel. Almost like a liqueur! Limited acidity with long aftertaste containing more oranges. A few tannins left. Really excellent for an un-aged white.  Drunk: Quevedo Virtual White Port Tasting (Date: 2020-07-30)
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N/V White Quinta da Casa Amarela 1 No!N--
50cl clear glass bottle. The colour is nice; between the darkest straw and the lightest caramel. The nose is also attractive (especially for a white Port). There is quite a lot of fruit; lychees and a touch of orange. Some sweetness too. At back of the nose a slight chemical smell attached to a lot of alcohol. In the mouth an immediate surge of alcohol. The lychee comes eventually, along with some lavender, but this immediately disappears. Then a nasty bitter chemical after-taste. Truly appalling; hopefully a flawed bottle. 
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N/V White Quinta da Pedra Alta 1 PossiblyP
Beautiful 50cl bottle: clear frosted glass with a blind embossed label. Colour is very, very pale: about as “white” as it comes for a Port. Little on the nose; some mild tropical fruits. In the mouth, there is sugar and a little soft tropic fruit. Perhaps a dragon fruit? The mouthfeel is quite extraordinary. It feels thick but not oily. Very little alcohol. Short aftertaste; no tannins and little acidity. Sweet but not quite lágrima sweet. The impression is light and refreshing. This is probably helped by its low ABV (18%). I just wish it had a bit more complexity. If they did a 10 YO version of this, I think it would be fabulous.  (Date: 2020-06-18)
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N/V White Quinta da Vista Allegre Seco 0.4
Makes a pretty good Port and Tonic!  Drunk: Quinta de S.Bernard, August 2017 (Date: 2017-08-21)
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N/V White Quinta de la Rosa 0.20.2 No!N

Drunk: Oporto and Douro October 2010 
Served with tonic. Fine in that context!  Drunk: BBR Port Walk 2017 (Date: 2017-11-24)
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N/V White Quinta do Infantado 0.2 CertainlyC
Glass at Vinoteca. The bottle advertises it as dry / seco; the blackboard in the bar more accurately says it is medium. A light amber with quite a bit of redness, like a pale rosé. Served very cold, there is little on the nose; a little sherry-like alcohol, perhaps. In the mouth, initially medium sweet, with a little saltiness, some almonds, perhaps a tiny distant fruit. Both dry and refreshing and also clearly a Port, this is extremely good and one of the best basic whites I can remember trying.   Drunk: Vinoteca (Date: 2016-01-06)
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N/V White Quinta do Noval Extra Dry 0.2 No!N
Quinta do Noval Tasting Room, Porto. Quinta do Noval Tasting Room, Porto. Very pale. Straw. Nose is oddly spicy. In the mouth some nice fruits, particularly pineapple but a horrible grippy acidity. Pretty dry. Like one of those fashioned whites. Disappointing.  Drunk: Portugal 2021 (Date: 2021-07-03)
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N/V White Quinta do Vallado 0.20.2 PossiblyP++
CertainlyC
Good balance of sweetness and sugar. Very tasty: one of the better basic whites.  Drunk: Quinta do Vallado visit, August 2017 (Date: 2017-08-18)
Casa do Rio. Very much as previously. An enjoyable basic white Port.  Drunk: Portugal 2021 (Date: 2021-06-23)
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N/V White Ramos Pinto Lagrima 1 PossiblyP
In the decanter, light golden colour. In the glass (especially chilled), it is significantly lighter and straw-like. Non-refrigerated, the nose is horrific. Cheap, sweet Chardonnay. Overpowering. In the mouth: hit of the cheap Chardonnay; lots of spirit; long finish of lychees and vanilla takes over. Cool, the nose is more subdued. Reminiscent of Champagne. In the mouth, there a little spirit and long finish of lychees and vanilla. 
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N/V White Ramos Pinto Fine White 0.2
Drunk: Portugal 2021 (Date: 2021-06-24)
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N/V White Real Companhia Velha 0.2 No!N
Quinta das Carvalhãs. Off-dry. Fairly unattractive. Why do they insist on giving out white Ports at tastings?  Drunk: Oporto and Douro October 2010 
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N/V White Rozès 0.2 No!N++
Some darkness in colour suggesting a bit of age. Off dry. Some pleasant flavours but not as good as some of the other offerings.  Drunk: Porto 2020 (Date: 2020-09-13)
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N/V White Sandeman Clipper 0.2 No!N
At least 30 years in bottle. Toxic nose.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2008 (Date: 2008-12-18)
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N/V White Sandeman Apitiv 0.2
Quinta do Seixo. Ok; off-dry. Some lychee and other fruit. An ok white but not one to beat the reds.  Drunk: Oporto and Douro October 2010 
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N/V White Taylor Chip Dry 0.20.20.20.210.2


PossiblyP
No!N--
No!N++
Restaurant in Taylor’s Lodge. Needs to be very chilled. Then acceptable!  Drunk: Oporto May 2009 
Restaurant in Taylor’s Lodge. Truly the only time when it acceptable to drink this!  Drunk: Oporto and Douro October 2010 
Drunk: “Life on the Douro” Screening (Date: 2012-04-02)
As before and before.  Drunk: Taylor's Lodge (Date: 2014-09-09)
Straw colour. The bottle advises drinking it very chilled or in a Port + Tonic. This is sensible advice! Trying a glass of the former before making the later, I am struck by how unattractive this is. Bone dry, it suffers from a lack of fruit to carry its dryness and is just rather unappealing. Whilst I have only drunk this neat before in the rather more attractive surroundings of the Taylor Lodge in Oporto, I cannot remember it being this bad. The Port + Tonic is fine but a poor comparison to one made with a Port from one of the other houses. Very, very disappointing.  (Date: 2019-04-22)
Yeatman Bar. Pale yellow colour. Very little on the nose. Some distant sherry-like notes. Perhaps a little salt, event. Mouthfeel is notable- quite unctuous. No fruit, little acidity. Mid-palate it has some tawny essence and a few tannins but is very gentle. Aftertaste cloys but not from sugar. This is the traditional venue for drinking this Port but there are many better whites these days.  Drunk: Porto 2020 (Date: 2020-09-11)
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N/V White Taylor Fine White 1 No!N
Sold in a cloudy 50cl clear glass bottle. The colour is very, very pale: elderflower cordial territory. Serving it cool there is very little on the nose. A distant sensation which reminds me, unfortunately, of cheap white wine. In the mouth, it is notably sweet with little fruit- perhaps that of apples cooked in syrup but it is very distant. There is gentle acidity and a reasonable aftertaste which is a little bitter. Not as good as other cheap whites like the Cockburn.  (Date: 2021-01-25)
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N/V 10 Y/O White Alves de Sousa Quinta da Gaivoas 0.2 PossiblyP++
Excellent.  Drunk: New Douro Tasting (Date: 2016-11-07)
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N/V 10 Y/O White Kopke 0.5 PossiblyP++
Served very cold. Slightly cloudy golden colour. Very drinkable. Good mixture of fruit, acid and sweetness.  Drunk: Port House (Date: 2019-10-29)
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N/V 10 Y/O White Messias 10 PossiblyP
Described as dry by the label but not bone dry. Quite attractive: showing some age but still with some youth.  (Date: 2022-01-16)
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N/V 10 Y/O White Quevedo 0.2 PossiblyP
A non-commercial cask sample. Darker than the reserve white. More amber-brown. Concentrated toffee on the nose. Very little fruit. Much drier than the reserve white in the mouth. Limited acidity. Sometimes a touch of mint or eucalyptus. Lovely long aftertaste but, unfortunately, with a touch of bitterness. Not as good as the reserve white: just not as expressive and luxurious.  Drunk: Quevedo Virtual White Port Tasting (Date: 2020-07-30)
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N/V 10 Y/O White Quinta da Vista Allegre 0.4 PossiblyP++
Drunk: Quinta de S.Bernard, August 2017 (Date: 2017-08-19)
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N/V 10 Y/O White Quinta de Santa Eufémia 0.2
Vinologia. Clear straw colour. On the nose there is quite a bit of alcohol followed by a vivid sensation of nuts: almonds and peanuts predominating. In the mouth, hard to distinguish from a standard dry white port. A very short taste with a little dry nuttiness with that slightly unpleasant spirity sensation. Less offensive non-chilled than the Taylor Chip Dry.  Drunk: Oporto May 2009 
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N/V 10 Y/O White Quinta do Gaivosa 0.2
Drunk: Decanter: Spain and Portugal at the Landmark Hotel (Date: 2016-02-27)
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N/V 20 Y/O White Kopke 0.2 CertainlyC
A measure darker than the 2003 White Colheita: light caramel, fading to nothing on the edge. Good nose: a little dark sugar. Perhaps some speculoos? The mouth is reasonably sweet: certainly no drier than the tawny. There is a little orange followed by a long caramel aftertaste. This is really good, although not as quaffable as the 2003 White Colheita.  Drunk: DIY Kopke Tasting, Part 2 (Date: 2022-01-02)
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N/V 20 Y/O White Quinta da Devesa 1 PossiblyP--
Very bright orange colour. Little on the nose. Quite sweet. Disappointing lack of complexity.  (Date: 2022-07-23)
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N/V 20 Y/O White Quinta das Lamelas 0.20 CertainlyC--
An aged dry white. Super rare. Really very enjoyable as a change of pace (especially to cleanse the palate within a Port tasting). As a small heresy, might be good in a mixed drink, too...  Drunk: Lado (Date: 2023-02-13)
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N/V 20 Y/O White Quinta de Santa Eufémia 0.2
Vinologia. A lovely light caramel colour; this port shows that it has seen some time in wood. Unfortunately, that was the best bit about this. On the nose, very similar to the 10-year-old, but with the nuts a little stronger. On the palate, extremely dry and with almost no fruit. I don’t think this is up to the standards of the 10 and 30 year olds.  Drunk: Oporto May 2009 
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N/V 20 Y/O White Quinta dos Corvos 0.2 CertainlyC--
Lodge tasting. Brown (!) fading to the edge of green. Wonderful sweet nose. Moscatel-like. Complex tropic fruits in the mouth with a long-ish aftertaste. Not massively complex and not quite as good as the 20-year-old but extremely drinkable and enjoyable.  Drunk: Portugal 2021 (Date: 2021-06-26)
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N/V 30 Y/O White Burmester 0.2 PossiblyP
Drunk: Viniportugal, Libson (Date: 2014-11-01)
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N/V 30 Y/O White Kopke 0.2
Drunk: Decanter: Spain and Portugal at the Landmark Hotel (Date: 2016-02-27)
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N/V 30 Y/O White Quevedo 0.2 PossiblyP
Average age: 38 to 40 years. Definitely brown in colour rather than amber. More similar to the reserve white than the 10-year-old on the nose: very reserved and with little fruit. In the mouth, the immediate hit is very austere and not to my tastes. It then opens up to lovely caramel with a very long aftertaste. But the austerity is problematic for me.  Drunk: Quevedo Virtual White Port Tasting (Date: 2020-07-30)
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N/V 30 Y/O White Quinta da Prelada 0.20 PossiblyP
Drunk: Lado (Date: 2023-02-13)
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N/V 30 Y/O White Quinta de Santa Eufémia 0.20.2
CertainlyC
Vinologia. A dark golden caramel in colour, this was more muted on the nose and mouths than the younger whites. I think this is mostly due to them ageing a fairly dry wine; the aftertaste doesn’t open up into the residual sugar which you would usually expect. The unfortunate consequence of that is that quite a lot of alcohol comes through. However, the aftertaste is long, smooth and creamy.  Drunk: Oporto May 2009 
Light golden colour. Really sweet in the mouth. Candy-floss like. Good caramel let down, perhaps, by a slightly sour mid-palate flavour. However, the aftertaste was excellent and extremely long.  Drunk: TPF Christmas Tasting 2011 (Date: 2011-12-15)
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N/V 40 Y/O White Andresen 1 PossiblyP++
Bottled 2016. Golden caramel in colour with a little fading to the rim. Very good nose- sweet dried orange peel. In the mouth, a moderate amount of sugar with good acidity. Perhaps more fruit then I expected for a 40-year-old, it is followed by the taste of crystalline brown sugar followed by a lengthy aftertaste of rounded fruit. Very good and even good value at about two-thirds of the price of the competitors.   (Date: 2018-09-01)
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N/V 40 Y/O White Quinta do Mourão São Leonardo 0.20 CertainlyC
Drunk: Lado (Date: 2023-02-13)
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N/V 90 Y/O White Quinta do Mourão São Leonardo 0.20 CertainlyC++
Very deep orange. Incredible sweetness but with a hit of acidity. Absolutely gorgeous.   Drunk: Lado (Date: 2023-02-13)
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Individual tasting note links. Update.