1975 Taylor (Fladgate) Porto Vintage, Portugal, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1975
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$300.00USD

This was decanted for about 2.5 hours prior to serving.  Very nice showing.  Ruby in color with just slight browning, clear and bright.  The nose shows some age but also some youth left.  Cherries, chocolate covered raisins, and a bit of dust.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this has a nice layered complexity.  Drinking mature but not over the hill.  Layers of cherries and cranberries with slight milk chocolate.  Tasty.  This is the kind of Port that is probably better to drink on its own and contemplate life, but it did work well with chocolate tiramisu.  It probably should be consumed in

1997 Fonseca Porto Vintage, Portugal, Douro, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1997
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$75.00USD

Decanted for about 6 hours prior to drinking.  This is a good if not great declared vintage.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose has milk chocolate, cherries, and raspberries.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is sweet with chocolate covered raisin notes.  Very tasty.  Some complexity.  Solid finish.  This is drinking very well now and should probably be consumed over the next decade though it will certainly have something ot offer after that.  Drinks well on its own, it would work well with a chocolate cake.  

2000 Taylor (Fladgate) Porto Vintage, Portugal, Oporto, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2000
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$98.00USD

From a 375ml bottle.   At age 20, even from a half bottle, this is drinking great.  No hurry though, especially from a full sized bottle.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with chocolate covered cherries and raisins.  On the palate, this is sweet but not cloying.  Slightly viscous.  Lots of cherries cordial candy flavors.  Some warmth if not heat.  Deep and complex, it slowly unwinds in the glass.  Long finish.  Delicious on its own, this worked with blue cheese but chocolate is another fine choice.  It will easily last another fifteen to twenty years if well stored.  

2007 Cálem Porto Vintage, Portugal, Douro, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2007
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$40.00USD

This was a new Port house for me.  Purple in color, some brown swirls.  The nose is dusty with cherries and slight milk chocolate.  On the palate, more black cherries.  Slightly sweet.  Viscous.  Some warmth, not hot.  Nice finish.  This worked very well with a molten chocolate cake for dessert.  

1994 Warre Porto Vintage, Portugal, Douro, Oporto, Port, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1994
Score: 
94
Grade: 
Current Price: 
$60.00USD

This is drinking quite well.  Opened (it needed a Durand) and poured.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose is great with black raspberries, slight coffee grounds and dark chocolate.  On the palate, this is slightly sweet.  Chocolate covered raisins with raspberries and black raspberries.  A touch of char.  Full bodied.  Deep and complex but most of all delicious.  Slight warmth on the finish.  It went quite well with a brownie.  No hurry, this has at least a decade.  

NV Graham Porto Six Grapes Reserve, Portugal, Douro, Wine Review

Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$16.00USD

This is a great value in Port wines.  Is it an amazingly complex Port?  No, but its also less than $20.  It is a tasty and warming beverage that is a crowd pleaser.  Purple in color.  The nose has chocolate, raspberries and slight raisins.  On the palate, this is more like chocolate covered cherries.  It is viscous and slightly sweet.  There is some depth and complexity.  Warming on the finish.  This is great on its own, but use a small pour as there is a lot of alcohol.  It will also work great with a chocolate dessert.  

1970 Borges & Irmão Porto Alto Douro, Portugal, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1970
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+

This was a new producer for me, but 1970 was an excellent year for vintage Port and they need to be drunk.  Garnet in color with some browning, a bit hazy and dull.  The nose is nice with tart cherries.  A little bit of smoke as well.  On the palate, this is nice but past prime.  Cherries with some alcohol.  A hint of raisins.  OK finish.  Certainly worth drinking and a nice wine to have a small glass of at the end of an evening.  

2000 Cockburn Porto Vintage, Portugal, Duoro, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2000
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$65.00USD

This is in a great place right now.  Mature but still fresh with good fruit.  Purple/ruby  in color.  The nose has chocolate, cherries, raisins and slight alcohol.  On the palate, the chocolate covered cherries predominate but some raisin and a but underneath char.  slight heat but just barely.  Sweet but not a lot.  Long finish.  No hurry on this, it has a while but at a very pretty stage.  Great on its own, it will work with cheese, or chocolate desserts.

NV Sandeman Porto 30 Year Old Tawny, Portugal, Wine Review

Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$75.00USD

This is a very nice Tawny that, considering it is a 30 year, is a nice value.  Light brown with orange swirls in color, clear and bright.  The nose has some toffee, figs and slight raisin notes.  On the palate, this is slightly sweet.  Viscous.  Enough acidity.  Long finish.  This will, of course, last a long time.  It is great on its own but would work with dried fruit desserts that are not too sweet.  

2007 Carmel Vintage, Israel, Judean Hills, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2007
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$50.00USD

This is a "Port" like wine from Israel.  We served it at our Seder with a flourless chocolate tort and it was an excellent match.  This is made from Petite Sirah grapes.  Purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries, dark chocolate, alcohol and raisins.  On the palate, this is sweet but not cloying.  It does have a fair amount of heat but it settles a bit with air.  Some depth.  It is a very interesting wine and proved popular at the table.  Our wines were limited to Kosher and from Israel, so this was a nice find.  Perhaps a bit pricey, but so it goes.  

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