2007 Vintage Port Cask Samples inc Sandeman, Fonseca, Quinto do Noval++

WINE TALK
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Okay, I remember reading Cris Whetstone say something to the effect “Andy drinks more port in a month than I will in my lifetime”. Well, sipping these cask samples over 2 days, I can easily say I have had more Port in the last 3 days than I have had in my lifetime. Here’s the set: these were open 4 days prior to Traci and I trying them (Andy has been following them since day 1). First day blind so we got to discuss them before unveiling. I took my notes on my night number 2 (day 5 of being open). You can take these with a grain of salt since I have ZERO experience with vintage port cask samples. My notes will be in order of the wines tasted.

2007 Quinto do Noval - nose shows a little grapey with nice cassis fruit, stone, flowers/orange blossom and a little violet. The palate is rich and dense with toffee, chocolate, more cassis and chewy tannins and high acidity. Given the tannin and acid profile, along with the density of fruit, I would believe this should age well. 93++

2007 Romaneira - never heard of this property before (doesn’t say much though). Nose shows a little more simple than the Noval. Chocolate, cassis and blackberry. On the palate a little mushroom compote, underbrush, milk chocolate with rich fruit but a trace of heat at the back end. Good enough acid that this should drink well in the near to mid term…basically drink this 5-15 years out while you wait for the likes of Noval, Sandeman, etc., to start to come around. 88-91

2007 Quevado - another I hadn’t heard about. The nose is the least expressive of the samples showing a little earth and blackfruit. On the palate, some heat, wet stone, high acid with some nice but somewhat subdued dark rich fruit. If the fruit holds up and the acid subsides this could be a little sleeper of a wine. 88-91

2007 Sandeman - this was awesome. Nose is rich black fruit, plum, toffee and fig while the palate boasts big chewy tannins and amazing acidity cloaking tremendous tar, mint, fig and black fruit. I gotta believe this is something that should easily age 30-40+ years and be awesome…if I were a Port buying man, I’d load up on this. 95-97pts

2007 Fonseca - very disappointing and apparently this is consistent with 2 other cask samples my bro has had. Simple nose with some plum and a fairly simple experience on the palate as well…hmmm…did something go wrong here?

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nothing like being a “pusher” of Port and forcing my brother to drink lots of it. And a rare chance for him to try them as young cask samples to boot [dance-clap.gif]
As Tony found out some of these can be monsters when they are young, hard, tannic, and acidic beasts. I was glad he got to try some that were at both ends of the spectrum score wise. It really allows one to see what makes a great Vintage Port and one that will only be a mid-term ager at best.

Quevedo is a small producer with vineyards in the Douro Superiour. While they don’t have a long track record as a bottler yet, they are doing some really good things. A producer to watch out for in the coming years for sure. One note, they were also the first to have a blog. Oscar Quevedo, although very young, has a very good knowledge of port and keeps the blog up to date regularly.

Quinta da Romaniera is most famous for it’s 1,000 Euro a night hotel on their Quinta. It’s a Quinta that has been around for decades, but was really in disrepair until it was purchased by Christian Seely (Quinta do Noval) and some other investors not to long ago, who then built the expensive hotel. While I’ve not had any old VP’s from this house, they have produced some nice older Colheita’s. Their VP’s are still on the up swing, and although not top notch yet with Christian at the helm I’m sure it’s only a matter of time.

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Aren’t you supposed to be keeping the streets of BP safe today???

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Nice notes guys but at the age of 53 I have decided to stop buying new vintages of port, however I’m always on the lookout for a 63. [wink.gif]

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on my lunch break neener

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Steve - I’ll look around the house here and see if I can free up a 63. I see a couple of empty bottles… [rofl.gif]

Andy - bring an appetite home from the job!

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Don’t let that stop you. Some of these are very tasty when young, say less than 10-15 years on them.

'63, that’s easy…next time I’m in your area or you come down here let me know and we can meet up.

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I already hid them from you…and rekeyed the wine fridge [wink.gif]

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I’ve always wanted to meet both you and Tony, I’ll probably be down there sometime in the next year. I’ll bring my bike and a case of wine.

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Thanks for the notes Tony!

One general vintage question: Has the 2008 vintage been officially decared as a non-VP year? Lauren and I both love port and 2008 is our wedding year.

Thanks,
Mike

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No it is still to early. If it happens, it won’t be until around March of next year. based on prior history I highly doubt 2008 will be a “general declaration” (where the majority of producers declare it as a VP). However, I have no doubt that there will be some Single Quinta Vintage Ports produced from smaller and larger producers.

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Just let me know…wine and riding, nothing better.

(disclaimer: drinking while riding is dangerous, you could spill your wine [wink.gif] )

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Steve - bring the bike. I just went out with my old team today and while I hung on the big climbs, the longer, flatter climbs at break neck speeds left me with both lungs left out on the road…

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Tony, I still think I need to train like hell just to keep up with you. I did 50 miles today at 16.7 mph and came home and took a long nap.

Oh Andy, if your ever up here visiting Roy…give me a call.