Blend All About Wine

Posts Tagged : port wine

Vintage Taylor's is leading the stock market
May 6, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by

Text João Barbosa | Translation Jani Dunne

My father was an artist, a painter. To him, investors were a hybrid of people with Diogenes Syndrome and speculators. However, this didn’t apply to all.

To visit a museum with my father was as fascinating as it was boring. With captivating words, he pointed out what many didn’t even notice. Then, he would gaze at a piece to soak up as much information out of it as possible, and turned…

– Father, will you take long? Can we move on to the next room now?

My father has pieces in many museums, private galleries and with a collection of investors. What annoyed him wasn’t the money, but the dark vaults and post mortem speculation.

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Pablo Picasso in web.guggenheim.org

My friend (father) Manuel Jorge told us about Pablo Picasso children destroying a lot of his work after the Andalusian died, so that the value went up. He was shocked by the cynicism, opportunism, disrespect for the artist and, mostly, for the man.

He divided the investors into two groups: those who publicly displayed their work and those who kept it in vaults. He was hurt mostly by the latter – hurt is the right word.

He convinced me… partly. There is a bit of roguery in buying and capturing unique products whose value or interest aren’t respected, and the added value is what matters. Those are the signature buyers.

The biggest investors are experts and/or people who consult specialists. Yet, there are frauds. Not counterfeit – that crime is easy to spot – but fakes, original work that convinces the eye of excited specialists.

The same happens with wine as it does with art. I have no reservations regarding the business – just like my father – I think I was clear. The business exists – full stop.

I have a friend who surfs the wine business. He doesn’t cheat at all, only does what any businessman wants to do: buy early to get the best price and sell when there is added value.

He isn’t the only one; it’s a simple process and you “only” need initial capital. He buys Bordeaux, Bourgogne en primeur (while still in the barrel) and gets rid of them when the rate is profitable. He saves one or two bottles for himself and keeps the rest of the earnings to buy future harvests.

This buddy of mine is a “good” investor; he enjoys what he buys and makes a profit out of it. The “evil” in other investors is in the eye of the beholder.

Whether they are “good” or “bad”, they look for good deals. It’s good to know that some Portuguese wines are considered safe investments.

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Top 20 Performers in the Rest of the World Index in www.blog.liv-ex.com

The Live-ex Fine Wine 1000 index, in The Drinks Business magazine, has been low, but Taylor’s pushed the sub-index Rest of the World 50 up by 3.2%. The Bordeaux gained 1.1% in value.

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Taylor’s Vintage Port 1994 in www.taylor.pt

The most expensive wine in Rest of the World 50 is a Taylor’s, just like the third, fourth, seventh and thirteenth. Unfortunately, there are no other Portuguese wines within the top 20. The Vintage Port of 1994 by Taylor’s has been leading, having risen by 41.4% between July and February. Number 13 on the list, a Taylor’s 2007, went up in value by 10.3%.

Contacts
PO Box 1311
EC Santa Marinha
4401-501 Vila Nova de Gaia
Portugal
Tel: (+351) 223 742 800
Fax: (+351) 223 742 899
Website: www.taylor.pt

Vintage Taylor’s is leading the stock market
May 6, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by

Text João Barbosa | Translation Jani Dunne

My father was an artist, a painter. To him, investors were a hybrid of people with Diogenes Syndrome and speculators. However, this didn’t apply to all.

To visit a museum with my father was as fascinating as it was boring. With captivating words, he pointed out what many didn’t even notice. Then, he would gaze at a piece to soak up as much information out of it as possible, and turned…

– Father, will you take long? Can we move on to the next room now?

My father has pieces in many museums, private galleries and with a collection of investors. What annoyed him wasn’t the money, but the dark vaults and post mortem speculation.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Taylors-Picasso

Pablo Picasso in web.guggenheim.org

My friend (father) Manuel Jorge told us about Pablo Picasso children destroying a lot of his work after the Andalusian died, so that the value went up. He was shocked by the cynicism, opportunism, disrespect for the artist and, mostly, for the man.

He divided the investors into two groups: those who publicly displayed their work and those who kept it in vaults. He was hurt mostly by the latter – hurt is the right word.

He convinced me… partly. There is a bit of roguery in buying and capturing unique products whose value or interest aren’t respected, and the added value is what matters. Those are the signature buyers.

The biggest investors are experts and/or people who consult specialists. Yet, there are frauds. Not counterfeit – that crime is easy to spot – but fakes, original work that convinces the eye of excited specialists.

The same happens with wine as it does with art. I have no reservations regarding the business – just like my father – I think I was clear. The business exists – full stop.

I have a friend who surfs the wine business. He doesn’t cheat at all, only does what any businessman wants to do: buy early to get the best price and sell when there is added value.

He isn’t the only one; it’s a simple process and you “only” need initial capital. He buys Bordeaux, Bourgogne en primeur (while still in the barrel) and gets rid of them when the rate is profitable. He saves one or two bottles for himself and keeps the rest of the earnings to buy future harvests.

This buddy of mine is a “good” investor; he enjoys what he buys and makes a profit out of it. The “evil” in other investors is in the eye of the beholder.

Whether they are “good” or “bad”, they look for good deals. It’s good to know that some Portuguese wines are considered safe investments.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Taylors-Top-20-Performers-Rest-of-the-World

Top 20 Performers in the Rest of the World Index in www.blog.liv-ex.com

The Live-ex Fine Wine 1000 index, in The Drinks Business magazine, has been low, but Taylor’s pushed the sub-index Rest of the World 50 up by 3.2%. The Bordeaux gained 1.1% in value.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Taylors-Vintage-Port-1994

Taylor’s Vintage Port 1994 in www.taylor.pt

The most expensive wine in Rest of the World 50 is a Taylor’s, just like the third, fourth, seventh and thirteenth. Unfortunately, there are no other Portuguese wines within the top 20. The Vintage Port of 1994 by Taylor’s has been leading, having risen by 41.4% between July and February. Number 13 on the list, a Taylor’s 2007, went up in value by 10.3%.

Contacts
PO Box 1311
EC Santa Marinha
4401-501 Vila Nova de Gaia
Portugal
Tel: (+351) 223 742 800
Fax: (+351) 223 742 899
Website: www.taylor.pt

Porto Fonseca Bicentenary
April 29, 2015 2 comments in Uncategorized by

Text João Barbosa | Translation Jani Dunne

Wines can be classified as good or bad, those with stories and those without, those which have history and those which don’t. Only good wines reach this last level. Longevity allows for historical stories. Frequency establishes a good reputation and high status. Fonseca ports are made of “kindness”, stories, history, reliability and reputation.

Centenaries are a good reason for a toast. The Fonseca company, now part of The Fladgate Partnership group, is celebrating its bicentenary. Coincidentally, another significantly more important date is also celebrated this year.

In the 16th century, a man named Michel de Nostredame became famous for his prophecies, apparently accurate. He divined – believe it or not – the emergence of three antichrists: the first Napoleon Bonaparte and the second Adolf Hitler, whose name is similar to “Hister”, the prophet’s original vision.

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Fonseca’s Port Wines in the-yeatman-hotel.com

I took the liberty of rewriting this “truth” on antichrists: Josef Stalin, Fuminaro Konoe, Hideki Tojo, Mao Tse Tung, Pol Pot and many dictators of lower impact. Napoleon could only be deemed a demon in his era. He held the motto of the French Revolution and spread it – at random – throughout Europe.

Before the “real” Napoleonic war, the War of The Oranges took place, when Spain took over Olivença, in 1801. In 1806, Portugal refused the order to take part in the naval blockade of the British Isles. Hence, it was invaded by Spain and France, and King Dom João VI, his family, the court and the staff escaped to Brazil.

There were three French invasions: one in 1807, then 1809 and 1810.  In what we call The Peninsular War, those invasions were lead by Jean-Andoche Junot, Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult and André Massena. In 1811, Anglo-Lusan (Portuguese) troops kicked out the French and Spanish invaders.

Napoleon Bonaparte was defeated by the British troops, commanded by Arthur Wellesley and allies, on the 18th June 1815 in the Battle of Waterloo. Once the conflict was over, the soldiers returned: Lusitanian Loyal Legion patriots and the traitors of the Lusitanian Legion, who fought for France. Many of the traitors were spared and some even had streets named after them. I don’t understand my country.

The Chinese write recession with two combined characters: danger and opportunity. Business is naturally risky, and in war times, even riskier. The Peninsular War ended on the 10th April 1814, with the Battle of Toulouse. The news didn’t travel fast; it was virtually impossible to keep up-to-date with the army’s moves. Even though a year had gone, starting a business in that context was very risky, especially since the client was in Great Britain and there were still fiend ships at sea.

In 1815, supported by the Monteiro family, João dos Santos Fonseca bought 32 casks of Port Wine. Later, in 1860, the Guimarães family arrived – the anglicised name is Guimaraens – and, later on, the Yeatmans, in the second half of the 20th century.

It still is a family business. Two hundred years later, what can one say? Everything is written in the first two paragraphs.

Contacts
Quinta do Panascal
5120-496 Valença do Douro
Tel: (+351) 254 732 321
E-mail:marketing@fonseca.pt
Website: www.fonseca.pt

Vasques de Carvalho Wines
April 23, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by

Text João Barbosa | Translation Jani Dunne

Cosmic scale aside, ‘a century ago’ is a long way away. Back then, the world was black and white… at least it’s what photographs show. Nonsense aside, reaching that milestone is worth celebrating.

Although not absolutely extraordinary, the truth is few humans get to say they got as far or beyond the one-century-old hurdle. Just a few days ago, Portuguese filmmaker Manoel de Oliveira died at the age of 105. Those who met him say he was very youthful – just like these wines.

The same goes for companies, or for the time a family has lived in a specific location. The moment such a contract is signed is when the story begins. This is a young company, founded in the year 2000, but its roots go back hundreds of years. The Vasques de Carvalho family settled in Vale do Rodo in the mid nineteenth century. They now own twelve acres of old vines, traditionally planted in tiers. Like most Douro farmers, Vasques de Carvalho sold their wine to companies in Gaia. However…

However, not one single year did José Vasques de Carvalho, great grandfather of the current manager, let go of a harvest. He kept everything until 1880. It’s a gem – confirming the vision of this eighteenth-century farmer.

Back to the main point; what can we taste now? Besides Port Wine, Vasques de Carvalho are presenting a wine collection, whose origin is identified as the Douro region. That designation is common to all the wines, as is a very elegant and scented profile. Because the white grapes are bought outside Portugal, I believe the design is oenologist Jaime Costa’s craft, of renowned competence. All the wines are refreshing and elegant.

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Oxum white 2013 in vasquesdecarvalho.com

The 2013 White Oxum encompasses viosinho, gouveio and rabigato grape species – a good conversation starter for passionate oenophiles, who often debate nose and mouth. Jaime Costa, once an army general, uses words like “very mineral, with fruity notes of peach and ripe citrus.” I beg to differ and, in agreement with my tasting partner, would say: delicate without being fragile, with a bouquet of soft jasmine, orange tree blossom and a pinch of lemon. The mouth, unfortunately, is missing something scent-wise. Each chooses one, between these two and other options. All in all… a beautiful wine.

Now, the white is where I mostly disagree with the oenologist, who was persistent on the Douro. To be honest, I find that writing descriptors is dull and I doubt that anybody would buy 0.75 litres of fruits of the forest…

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Oxum red 2012 in vasquesdecarvalho.com

Oxum Red 2012 keeps your appetite keen. Elegant and enjoyable, I feel some Douro in it as well as exceptional elegance. Above it is X Bardos Red 2012 – robust as a knight and pleasant, with remarkable depth in the mouth.

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X Bardos Red 2012 in vasquesdecarvalho.com

The Tawnies we tasted are not alike. Oh, the elegant aromas present in these wines. I did expect the 10-year-old Tawny to stand out more. I believe it could be improved.

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Vasques de Carvalho 10 years Tawny in vasquesdecarvalho.com

Ten years aren’t the same as 40, the comparison being an intellectual exercise. Vasques de Carvalho 40 years is a brilliant wine. Brilliant! Brilliant! Brilliant!

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Vasques de Carvalho 40 years Tawny in vasquesdecarvalho.com

I wish them success, because producers at this level are always welcome. Right, I almost forgot: the company will be selling 750 bottles of the 1880 wine. A few thousand litres of this treasure will remain untouched in the vats. An “all-inclusive” wine, better to taste it for yourself.

Contacts
Vasques Carvalho
Av. Dr. Antão de Carvalho n. 43
5050-224 Peso da Régua
Douro, PORTUGAL
Mobile: (+351) 915 815 830
Tel: (+351) 254 324  263
Fax: (+351) 254 324 263
E-mail: vasquescarvalho43@gmail.com
Website: vasquesdecarvalho.com

Easter Witches and Port
April 22, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by

Text Ilkka Sirén

Easter time is upon us. We Finns are quite talented in taking any religious holiday, remove anything vaguely religious about it and turn it into a big eating and drinking fest. Sure there is people who go old-school but for most people it’s just a long weekend filled with friends and family around a big table having a good time. We do have our fair share of Easter-kitsch, though. Easter bunnies, chicks and chocolate eggs are abundant. The most famous choclate egg is called Mignon and it’s been around since the late 1800. It’s a real empty egg shell filled with almond-hazelnut nougat. Hollow chocolate eggs are nothing compared to this. There is about two million Mignon eggs waiting to be eaten this week, which is quite incredible considering they are all handmade.

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Me and my big brother as Easter witches – Photo by Ilkka Sirén | All Rights Reserved

Speaking of weird Easter traditions. Finnish people also grow grass in their homes during Easter. Not the illegal kind, just your average green ryegrass, in a small bowl which is placed on the table together with some budding tree twigs. It’s supposed to symbolize rebirth of life after winter and the arrival of spring. On top of this there is a tradition of dressing children as witches. Yes, that’s right. It was believed in the old days that during Easter there was witches flying about on their brooms doing all kinds of mischief. Now the kids go door-to-door dressed as witches, whisking willow twigs at strangers to wish them well, for which the kids might receive some candy. A weird mix of Orthodox and pagan traditions. Back in the day big bonfires were also burned to scare the evil witches away. This is still practised even today. As you can see from the picture above; every Easter as a child I used to look like Harry Potter’s grandmother.

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Graham’s LBV 2008 – Photo by Ilkka Sirén | All Rights Reserved

Thankfully my career as Dumbledore was not meant to be. Instead I get to drink this quite magical LBV 2008 from Graham’s and relax with my family. Wine consumption goes up quite a bit in Finland during Easter. Especially red wine which is sold from the monopoly stores about 64% more than on an average week. Consumption of dessert wines also go up a bit which brings me to this port wine. A velvety LBV is an excellent Easter drink. I usually serve some fizzy Moscato d’Asti with lighter desserts like panna cotta. But with heavier chocolate desserts and mämmi, this really strange Finnish dessert, I rather go with a sturdy LBV. 2008 was my first visit to Portugal and I worked the harvest in the Douro Valley. I remember that the summer wasn’t particularly hot, for Portugal that is. For a pale Finnish boy it was like roasting in an oven. It felt like I was maturing much faster than the grapes. When the harvest did start there was some grim weather forecasts but even with some, probably much-needed rains, the vintage quality turned out quite good. Especially with some Single Quintas and LBV’s the level is actually more than good.

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Port and Old Gouda – Photo by Ilkka Sirén | All Rights Reserved

With the firm yet delicate Graham’s LBV 2008 I’m going super classic with the food pairing. Port wine and an old crumbling Gouda cheese is probably my all time favorite. When that cheese breaks down to small salty crystals in your mouth and you wash it down with this rich, fruity port with tons of depth, the end result is pretty much the closest thing to perfection. The port has already a few years behind it and as a LBV it starting to get that really attractive smoothness around the edges but still remain vibrant and delicious. I shall sip this wine with a big fat smile on my face and keep a tight grip on the glass so that the thirsty Easter witches wont steal it.

Contacts
Graham’s Porto
Vila Nova de Gaia
Portugal
Tel: +351 223 776 484 / 485
Email: Lodge: grahams@grahamsportlodge.com
             General: grahams@grahams-port.com
Website: www.grahams-port.com

The Holy Alliance of Cheeseburgers and Port Wine
April 2, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by

Text Ilkka Sirén

Now before you go all “oh no he didn’t”, consider this for a second. Pairing food and wine was never meant to be an impossible task. If we start breaking things into molecular level we risk being bored to death by our own curiosity. I’m here to tell you: keep it simple. For me finding a good food match for wine is an exciting thing and the rules are, there are no rules! Yes, sometimes it can mean you have to take one for the team and try something you probably wouldn’t normally associate with certain wines. In this case a cheeseburger and port wine.

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Cheeseburger and a freshly popped cork – Photo by Ilkka Sirén | All Rights Reserved

Let me make something absolutely clear. I love port wine. I taste all kinds of wines all the time, and beers, and ciders, and spirits and pretty much anything with some <oomph> in it. But nothing comes close to a good port wine. It’s just an incredibly delicious liquid. There is many great food combinations to match with port. Although it’s mainly associated with desserts I think it is much more gastronomically versatile than that. I admit this burger-port match was at first just a semi-intentional attempt to provoke. I have heard people talking about matching things like juicy pepper steak with port. I thought why not something even more casual, like a hamburger. There was a voice inside my head saying this is not going to work. But I have learned to suppress that instinct.

I didn’t want to dance around it. I knew if this was going to work it had to be a cheeseburger. And not just any cheeseburger, a DOUBLE cheeseburger. Port wine and cheese is a well-known combination and one that I enjoy very much. I have always liked more the extremely tasty combination of sweet and savory, rather than going sweet with sweet. Making burgers is usually a bit devil-may-care but choosing good ingredients is essential for this match to fully succeed. Good beef with a touch of black pepper. Proper cheddar cheese, none of that pre-sliced crap. Additionally I made my own chipotle mayo to bring some nice spiciness to the mix. Pickled red onions for the acidity to give the burger some much needed zing. Always keeping in mind the very definition of a good burger: you have to be able to eat it with your hands.

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Ferreira LBV 2009 – Photo by Ilkka Sirén | All Rights Reserved

For the port I chose Ferreira LBV 2009. I wanted something approachable but with some good backbone. This wine is insanely flavorful. I love the mouthfeel, the texture and the upfront fruit with a spicy finish. The wine for this task can’t be no wallflower. It needs to have some character and this wine has just that. Not only is it good value for money, it’s also a very good example of a good LBV port.

So, how was it? Was it good, really? Yes it was. It might not be the fanciest combination but it was one of the most delicious wine and food combinations I’ve had in a while. If you like cheeseburgers (who doesn’t, right?) and port wine (duh!) you will like this combination. If the burger is well made. Just put a gag on your inner wine snob and enjoy something simple but very tasty food. The idea is to lower the bar for experimenting with different foods. That said, you should always keep the bar high for quality. Try it and if it’s not for you, try something else. In the end it’s all about having fun.

The Javali (wild boar) terroir…
June 17, 2014 no comments in Uncategorized by

Text João Pedro de Carvalho

The Douro has been one of Portugal’s wine regions with more media coverage lately, where there are many Quintas of undeniable historical importance in the sector of Port Wine and that most recently have gained notoriety as producing still and sparkling wine (table wine). Trying to discover a latest project that distinguishes itself above all by the quality of table wines without having the weight of history falling back on their vineyards will not be easy but won’t be impossible either.

Proof of this is the Sociedade Agrícola Quinta do Javali, a family-owned company founded in 2000 with the objective of producing and marketing (it exports 80% of its production) their own wines DOC Douro and Port. Located on the left bank of the Douro River in Nagoselo do Douro, São João da Pesqueira (Cima Corgo). The Quinta do Javali saw 10 of its 20 hectares being replanted with the grape varieties of the region: Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, Tinto Cão, Tinta Barroca and Touriga Nacional.

The owner and winemaker, José António Mendes is passionate about his work, you can see the brightness in his eyes when the conversation shifts and we are talking about their wines. While we are tasting the new releases from Quinta do Javali, António explains that he tries to do all the work in the vineyard, avoiding interfering with the winery, the yeasts are indigenous, the wines are all made of mill with foot treading and combine power with an incredible freshness. We don’t find here easy wines with the capacity of an immediate satisfaction, they require patience, showing a greater density, layers of flavors and aromas, freshness with structured tannins still present that makes decanting almost compulsory.

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Quinta dos Lobatos 2013 | Quinta do Javali Reserva 2011 | Quinta do Javali Vinhas Velhas 2011 – Photo by João Pedro Carvalho | All Rights Reserved

Quinta dos Lobatos 2013 (DOC Douro)
Just launched on the market, austere with lots of mature fruit, nuts with some jam, but all very clean, spicy, note of herbs, fleshy, wins with time in the glass. Mouth full of force and freshness with the fruit to explode with flavor, dryness in the end, black pepper, minerality with a very good finish.

Quinta do Javali Reserva 2011 (DOC Douro)

Spends 18 months in barrel, more impressive than the Quinta de Lobatos, more integrated barrel despite the might of the cocoa and tobacco, shows fruit jam, floral and sweet spices. Mouth with elegance allowed by tannins wrapped in structure dominated by mature fruit, fresh, conqueror with less austerity.

Quinta do Javali Touriga Nacional 2012 (DOC Douro)

With a very limited edition (600 bottles) the wine is a provocation to the senses, fruit marked by freshness and great quality, lightweight marmalade, the perfume of violets and herbs, tobacco, pepper, complex, ambitious, compact and provocative. Mouth full of freshness and flavor, tasty, fills the entire palate in a wide structure in a grand finish.

Quinta do Javali Vinhas Velhas 2011 (DOC Douro)

This wine is a true juggernaut. Arrives in breathtaking quality, dominates us completely and shows in the nose all the good austerity of the Douro. Firm structure and very good wood that sustains without excesses (20 months in barrel), fruit very clean and juicy with balsamic, spices and notes of vanilla, dark chocolate. Huge force and complexity, with layers of aromas and flavors, firm without shaking, it feeds on time in the glass or decanter, grows, gains new forms but always tense, always new. In the mouth it is fresh and broad, fruit that is chewed, tasty, energetic and great dryness in the long and persistent finish.

Quinta do Javali Special Cuvée 2012 (DOC Douro)

This wine is a taste of luxury, softer and more delicate than the Vinhas Velhas, conquests by finesse, complexity and at the same time follows the same energy so characteristic of the wines of this Quinta. The most striking is the delicate and beautiful floral perfume that shows next to blackcurrants and raspberries very fresh and clean, almost flavors in HD, almost rounded corners with a smoked touch and some vanilla. In the mouth it shows a beautiful freshness, great harmony with a huge presence on the palate, very long finish.

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Quinta do Javali LBV Port 2007/2008/2009 – Photo by João Pedro Carvalho | All Rights Reserved

Quinta do Javali Tawny 20 Years (Porto)
The wine has delicate harmony and a good dose of freshness, you can tell that it does not have the same complexity that comes from a blend with older wines as other 20 Years for sale on the market do. Good dried fruit, candied orange, caramel, all wrapped in a very pleasant long final.

Quinta do Javali LBV Port 2009 (Porto)

Tasting of LBV 07, 08 and 09, the latter was the one that stood out the most, in spite of all of them being at a very good quality level. The 2009 stood out by the greed of fruit with its presence, freshness of a broader set and juicier than the others. In the mouth more presence of jammy fruit, chocolate and mild spices fresh and long finish.

Contacts
Sociedade Agrícola Quinta do Javali
Apartado 71
5130-909 S. João da Pesqueira
Email: antoniomendes@quintadojavali.com
Site: www.quintadojavali.com

Single Harvest Tawnies of excellence!
April 22, 2014 no comments in Uncategorized by

Text João Pedro de Carvalho

Quinta do Noval is one of the great Port houses. It not only produces the most famous Vintage Port of them all, the legendary ‘Nacional’, it is also the only big name producer whose top wines are exclusively single vineyard (i.e., “Quinta”).

The Quinta do Noval history dates back to 1715, when it was first listed on the land registries of its time. The area of one hundred and forty-five hectares, which dominates the Pinhão Valley (Cima Corgo) constitutes the essence and soul of Quinta do Noval. In 1894 (after its devastation by phylloxera) it was purchased by the distinguished Port shipper António João da Silva. Da Silva breathed new life into Quinta do Noval, replanting the phylloxera-ravaged one hundred and forty-five hectare vineyard (entirely classified letter A) onto American rootstocks. In 1925, a very small section at the heart of the Noval vineyard (two hectare) was selected to attempt to retain the indigenous Portuguese vines on Portuguese rootstock (Nacional) as an experiment. The first wine to be made and sold from these young vines was the Quinta do Noval Nacional Vintage 1931, arguably the most sensational Port of the XXth century.

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Quinta do Noval © Blend All About Wine, Lda

António João Silva’s work was continued by his son-in-law, Luiz Vasconcelos Porto, who led the company for 30 years and retired in 1963. Author of a vast program of innovations: he transformed many of the narrow older terraces into the broad terraces that are such a distinctive feature of Noval with their whitewashed staircases. The first stencilled bottles were introduced by Noval in the 1920s; Noval in 1958 was the first house to introduce a late-bottled vintage: 1954 Quinta do Noval LBV and pioneered the concept of Old Tawnies with an indication of age (10, 20 and over 40 years).

In exceptional years certain lots of wine with great ageing potential are put aside to spend their lives maturing in barrels. At a given stage, Noval decides to bottle a part of a vintage. The rest is kept in casks where the wine will mature into a new expression at a later stage. Increasingly rare, these wines combine refinement and elegance and are the supreme expression of the old Tawny Ports, and as a Vintage Port will take the specific characteristics of the harvest year. Legislation requires a minimum ageing period of 7 years in casks. At Quinta do Noval, Colheitas are commercialized after maturing for 10 to 12 years.

António Agrellos, the Technical Director of Quinta do Noval since 1994 and one of the greatest Port wine blenders led us on a fantastic tour of some of the best Quinta do Noval Colheitas.

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Quinta do Noval Colheita 2000 © Blend All About Wine, Lda

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Quinta do Noval Colheita 1995 © Blend All About Wine, Lda

Quinta do Noval Colheita 2000

Displays all the class of a young Tawny, full of life, teen spirit, conquering us by its vitality and presence. Shows an attractive complexity with an intense and mature bouquet, candied fruit, youthful, clean and invigorating. Sweet and complex on the palate, elegant structure, with a persistent finish.

Quinta do Noval Colheita 1995

A tawny port in the path to adulthood, in a new fuller dimension, more evolved and of greater complexity and profundity. Very well defined set of aromas with a beautiful complexity, caramel, dried fruits (Walnuts and hazelnuts), sweet spice, candied fruit (orange, lemon, peach). Medium body, elegant, light greasiness with good acidity, lingering finish.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Quinta-do-Noval-Colheita-1976

Quinta do Noval Colheita 1976 © Blend All About Wine, Lda

Blend-All-About-Wine-Quinta-do-Noval-Colheita-1971

Quinta do Noval Colheita 1971 © Blend All About Wine, Lda

Quinta do Noval Colheita 1976

A very temperamental wine, born in the Punk Rock era, wrapped in rebelliousness and certainly the most exotic from this session in the best Ramones style. Hey! Ho! Let’s go! The Anthology. With a very good complexity, cigar box, resin, dried fruit, caramel. Medium-bodied and deliciously concentrated in the mouth, smooth as silk, with hints of spice. Long finish.

Quinta do Noval Colheita 1971

“Saudade” expresses a very peculiar feeling, when we miss something we like. This wine is one of those things. Pure sex appeal, beautifully complex, spices, butterscotch, raisins and dried fruits, some honey and tea aromas. The mouthfeel is amazingly rich yet elegant, wonderful freshness with exotic spice, long and persistent finish. A wonderful wine!

Blend-All-About-Wine-Quinta-do-Noval-Colheita-1964

Quinta do Noval Colheita 1964 © Blend All About Wine, Lda

Blend-All-About-Wine-Quinta-do-Noval-Colheita-1937

Quinta do Noval Colheita 1937 © Blend All About Wine, Lda

Quinta do Noval Colheita 1964

As in 1964 the Beatles or The Rolling Stones fans leaped and shouted with enthusiasm, tasting this wine I felt like doing exactly the same thing. Intriguing and at the same time a conqueror, highly refined and delicate aroma, nutty, raisins and soft undertones of caramel, old cask. Almost velvet in the mouth, bold and tasty with great freshness for its age, very long finish. Spectacular!

Quinta do Noval Colheita 1937

The year 1937 was marked by the coronation of King George VI of England, at the same time the San Francisco Bay’s Golden Gate Bridge was inaugurated and J. R. R. Tolkien published The Hobbit. Only a wine such as this could honor events like these. A remarkable old tawny, amazing complexity, dried fruit, great definition, wonderful richness, spices, marmalade, old wood, cigar box. Luxurious palate that melts with a very good integrated acidity which gives a perfect balance, layers of flavor leading to an endless and seductive finish.

Contacts
Quinta do Noval Vinhos, SA
AV. DIOGO LEITE, 256
4400 – 111 VILA NOVA DE GAIA
Portugal
Tel: (+351) 223 770 270
Fax: (+351) 223 750 365
E-mail: noval@quintadonoval.pt
Website: www.quintadonoval.com

Tasting of Dated Tawnies (10, 20, 30 & 40 Years Old) and Single-Harvests (1982, 1969 & 1952)
April 21, 2014 no comments in Uncategorized by

Text Olga Cardoso | Translation Teresa Calisto

Graham’s belongs to the Symington Family Estates and was founded in 1820 by W&J Graham. Over the years, it has developed a remarkable reputation as one of the largest Port wine producers.

If wine is a form of art, then dated Port wines are surely one of its purest expressions. From the art of ageing, the art of cooperage and the art of blending, the most ravishing dated Tawnies are born. Being amongst the most challenging types of Port, they are very demanding on their makers and producers. They are the result of expertise and knowledge, of patience and minutia, of dedication and surrender.

To find the right balance between elegance and finesse – a result of prolonged ageing in barrel – while at the same time preserving the freshness and fruity flavor is the mission of the enologist and the combination that gives these wines all their structure and longevity. Dated Tawnies are above all unique and intellectual wines, that challenge our senses and stimulate our reason.

I am an unabashed admirer of Single Harvests Tawnies (Colheitas), wines that express the excellence and magnitude of just one year. At this gathering, I tasted three Colheitas: 1982, 1969 and 1952. Decades of evaporation give Colheitas great concentration, almost transforming them into an essence, yielding a deep and intense dried fruits aroma and a dense and unctuous taste, full of rich and complex flavors.

Colheitas Ports are noble and exquisite wines, true symbols of prestige and tradition. Personally, these are wines that excite, move me and send me into another dimension! These wines carry the weight of history; they enclose in themselves the dreams of men and with each sip reinforce the pride of being Portuguese!

Blend-All-About-Wine-Grahm's-Tasting-Dated-Tawnies-The-Wines

10, 20, 30 & 40 Years Old Tawnies © Blend All About Wine, Lda

10 Years Old Tawny Port, Douro

It was awarded two Decanter World Wine Awards Gold Medals and several Silver Medals from other prestigious competitions. It is in fact, one of the best wines in its category. It has a caramelized bouquet with intense nutty, dates and dried figs flavors. The rich and ripe fruit, laced with noticeable hints of honey, give it a mellow palate with a smooth and silky finish.

20 Years Old Tawny Port, Douro

A delicate and intense aroma reveals the presence of dried fruits, nuts and hazelnuts, in an exquisite and attuned mixture with orange zest. Round and concentrated in the mouth, balanced and harmonious, it has a long and elegant finish. In this wine you will find all that is expected from a 20-year-old Tawny.

30 Years Old Tawny Port, Douro

Complex and magnificent, it reveals layers of dried fruits, orange zest, honey and peach jam. Full, rich and very clean in the mouth. The honey and caramel flavors are evident giving it an intense and velvety texture. Concentrated, with remarkable acidity it has a long and strikingly persistent finish.

40 Years Old Tawny Port, Douro

With a color that already presents some greenish hues, due to the age of the wines that gave it life, this tawny has an intense and complex nose with significant depth.  Caramel, pralines, honey and even chocolate flavors are evident. The mouth is dense, voluminous and portentous. The balanced acidity and marked length, give it a prolonged and exquisite finish.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Grahm's-Tasting-Dated-Tawnies-The-Wines-2

Single Harvest 1952 & 1982 © Blend All About Wine, Lda


1982 Single Harvest (Colheita), Douro

Graham’s celebrated the birth of HRH Prince George of Cambridge with a Special Edition Port Wine. A Single Harvest Tawny Port from 1982, the year the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were born. Aged for over 30 years in oak barrels at Vila Nova de Gaia’s Graham’s 1890 Cellars it was bottled from only six barrels selected by Charles Symington, head taster and enology director. Rich in dried fruits, with caramelized oranges and dried figs accents, it is velvety in the mouth, with silky tannins and spicy flavors. It has a long, sweet and deliciously persistent finish.

1969 Single Harvest (Colheita), Douro

This is a special bottling Port of only six casks from the 1969 harvest, each cask producing just 712 numbered bottles. Charles Symington tasted each of the 21 casks from 1969 that are still maturing in the Graham’s cellars and selected the six he found exceptional.

The nose is a true explosion of aromas. Nuts, caramel, cinnamon, some glaze and even tobacco leaves brought me back to an extraordinary visit to a cigar factory in Havana. The mouth is intense and seductive, showing crystalized fruits and exotic spices sending me now back to my long walks through the Tunis and Marrakesh medinas. Complex and concentrated, this Colheita has an intense, focused and powerful finish.

1952 Single Harvest (Colheita) – The Diamond Jubilee Port, Douro

This Port wine of exceptional quality was especially selected to commemorate HRH Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee. Bearing witness to the British sovereign’s six decades of reign, this was the wine chosen for the royal toast at the end of the commemorative lunch, which makes it a true pride for the Symington Family that so wisely chose to launch this Single Harvest wine associated with such a noble event.

With extraordinary aroma intensity, it reveals dried fruits, delicate Morrocan dates, orange zest and spicy flavors of nutmeg and clove. The mouth is intense and majestic, with notable freshness and sharp acidity. A true hymn to balance and structural harmony.

For some an adagio, for others an allegro vivace, this Single Harvest is above all a unique and aristocratic tremendously deep and complex wine. A grand and enigmatic Port, full of hues and nuances. A great exemplar of Douro’s and Port’s wine excellence.

Contacts
Graham’s Porto
Vila Nova de Gaia
Portugal
Tel: (+351) 223 776 484 / 485
Email: grahams@grahams-port.com
Website: www.grahams-port.com

Tasting of Dated Tawnies (10, 20, 30 & 40 Years Old) and Single-Harvests (1982, 1969 & 1952)
April 21, 2014 no comments in Uncategorized by

Text Olga Cardoso | Translation Teresa Calisto

Graham’s belongs to the Symington Family Estates and was founded in 1820 by W&J Graham. Over the years, it has developed a remarkable reputation as one of the largest Port wine producers.

If wine is a form of art, then dated Port wines are surely one of its purest expressions. From the art of ageing, the art of cooperage and the art of blending, the most ravishing dated Tawnies are born. Being amongst the most challenging types of Port, they are very demanding on their makers and producers. They are the result of expertise and knowledge, of patience and minutia, of dedication and surrender.

To find the right balance between elegance and finesse – a result of prolonged ageing in barrel – while at the same time preserving the freshness and fruity flavor is the mission of the enologist and the combination that gives these wines all their structure and longevity. Dated Tawnies are above all unique and intellectual wines, that challenge our senses and stimulate our reason.

I am an unabashed admirer of Single Harvests Tawnies (Colheitas), wines that express the excellence and magnitude of just one year. At this gathering, I tasted three Colheitas: 1982, 1969 and 1952. Decades of evaporation give Colheitas great concentration, almost transforming them into an essence, yielding a deep and intense dried fruits aroma and a dense and unctuous taste, full of rich and complex flavors.

Colheitas Ports are noble and exquisite wines, true symbols of prestige and tradition. Personally, these are wines that excite, move me and send me into another dimension! These wines carry the weight of history; they enclose in themselves the dreams of men and with each sip reinforce the pride of being Portuguese!

Blend-All-About-Wine-Grahm's-Tasting-Dated-Tawnies-The-Wines

10, 20, 30 & 40 Years Old Tawnies © Blend All About Wine, Lda

10 Years Old Tawny Port, Douro

It was awarded two Decanter World Wine Awards Gold Medals and several Silver Medals from other prestigious competitions. It is in fact, one of the best wines in its category. It has a caramelized bouquet with intense nutty, dates and dried figs flavors. The rich and ripe fruit, laced with noticeable hints of honey, give it a mellow palate with a smooth and silky finish.

20 Years Old Tawny Port, Douro

A delicate and intense aroma reveals the presence of dried fruits, nuts and hazelnuts, in an exquisite and attuned mixture with orange zest. Round and concentrated in the mouth, balanced and harmonious, it has a long and elegant finish. In this wine you will find all that is expected from a 20-year-old Tawny.

30 Years Old Tawny Port, Douro

Complex and magnificent, it reveals layers of dried fruits, orange zest, honey and peach jam. Full, rich and very clean in the mouth. The honey and caramel flavors are evident giving it an intense and velvety texture. Concentrated, with remarkable acidity it has a long and strikingly persistent finish.

40 Years Old Tawny Port, Douro

With a color that already presents some greenish hues, due to the age of the wines that gave it life, this tawny has an intense and complex nose with significant depth.  Caramel, pralines, honey and even chocolate flavors are evident. The mouth is dense, voluminous and portentous. The balanced acidity and marked length, give it a prolonged and exquisite finish.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Grahm's-Tasting-Dated-Tawnies-The-Wines-2

Single Harvest 1952 & 1982 © Blend All About Wine, Lda


1982 Single Harvest (Colheita), Douro

Graham’s celebrated the birth of HRH Prince George of Cambridge with a Special Edition Port Wine. A Single Harvest Tawny Port from 1982, the year the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were born. Aged for over 30 years in oak barrels at Vila Nova de Gaia’s Graham’s 1890 Cellars it was bottled from only six barrels selected by Charles Symington, head taster and enology director. Rich in dried fruits, with caramelized oranges and dried figs accents, it is velvety in the mouth, with silky tannins and spicy flavors. It has a long, sweet and deliciously persistent finish.

1969 Single Harvest (Colheita), Douro

This is a special bottling Port of only six casks from the 1969 harvest, each cask producing just 712 numbered bottles. Charles Symington tasted each of the 21 casks from 1969 that are still maturing in the Graham’s cellars and selected the six he found exceptional.

The nose is a true explosion of aromas. Nuts, caramel, cinnamon, some glaze and even tobacco leaves brought me back to an extraordinary visit to a cigar factory in Havana. The mouth is intense and seductive, showing crystalized fruits and exotic spices sending me now back to my long walks through the Tunis and Marrakesh medinas. Complex and concentrated, this Colheita has an intense, focused and powerful finish.

1952 Single Harvest (Colheita) – The Diamond Jubilee Port, Douro

This Port wine of exceptional quality was especially selected to commemorate HRH Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee. Bearing witness to the British sovereign’s six decades of reign, this was the wine chosen for the royal toast at the end of the commemorative lunch, which makes it a true pride for the Symington Family that so wisely chose to launch this Single Harvest wine associated with such a noble event.

With extraordinary aroma intensity, it reveals dried fruits, delicate Morrocan dates, orange zest and spicy flavors of nutmeg and clove. The mouth is intense and majestic, with notable freshness and sharp acidity. A true hymn to balance and structural harmony.

For some an adagio, for others an allegro vivace, this Single Harvest is above all a unique and aristocratic tremendously deep and complex wine. A grand and enigmatic Port, full of hues and nuances. A great exemplar of Douro’s and Port’s wine excellence.

Contacts
Graham’s Porto
Vila Nova de Gaia
Portugal
Tel: (+351) 223 776 484 / 485
Email: grahams@grahams-port.com
Website: www.grahams-port.com