Right, so as I mentioned in my previous TN report on Borgogno Rivata wines, I was on my way to pick up and double-decant my Vintage Port from an offsite for our BYOP (Bring Your Own Port) night, when I was stopped by some people who wanted me to drink wine. Yes such is my life.
Anyways, I made it to my friend’s house in time and, as planned, we had a good bunch of Port. Everyone had brought a bottle, a few also some extras. Like me; I brought some Juhfark I had opened earlier but hadn’t finished yet, and poured it blind.
All in all, we had a great bunch of superb Ports - a few were among some of the best I’ve had in a long time. I’ve said this before many times, but I guess I need to reiterate it again: Kopke truly is an outstanding shipper when it comes to Tawny Ports!
The porty lineup - unfortunately missing the unfortified extras we had.
We also had a little bit of something to nibble on, like these lovely chocolate fondants as prepared by the host couple.
- NV Quinta das Lamelas Porto +40 Years Old White - Portugal, Douro, Porto (7.12.2024)
A white port where the average blend age at the time of blending was somewhere between 50 and 60 years. 19,5% alcohol.
Evolved, translucent and slightly hazy syrupy-brown color with a faint sickly greenish-yellow hue and a colorless rim. The nose doesn't feel super open or expressive but nevertheless very complex with layered aromas of syrupy molasses and oxidative nuttiness, some caramel tones, a little bit of dried tropical fruits and Sultanas, light woody notes of mahogany, a hint of sweet spice, a lifted touch of arrack and a faint whiff of smoke. The wine feels sweet, complex and silky on the palate with a full body and complex, mellow flavors of caramel and oxidative nuttiness, some raisiny notes of Sultanas, a little bit of dried apricot, light woody notes of mahogany, a hint of maple syrup and a touch of arrack. The wine comes across as richly-textured and quite warm with a somewhat soft and fat overall feel, thanks to the rather modest medium acidity. The finish is rich, long and slightly warm with a sweet aftertaste of wizened peaches and dried pineapple, some oxidative nuttiness, light arrack tones, a little bit of dusty old furniture, a raisiny hint of Sultanas and a touch of maple syrup.
A delicious, complex and beautifully evolved White Port with lots of depth and nuance of flavor. The only things the wine is lacking in was its aromatic intensity and lack of acidity - I would've gladly rated the wine even higher had it shown more sense of structure and firmness, as the wine came across as a bit flabby and blowzy in our tasting of a dozen or so different Port wines. A fine and immensely delicious effort all the same, highly recommended.
(94 points) - 1976 Barros Porto Colheita - Portugal, Douro, Porto (7.12.2024)
I don't know if our bottle was a Colheita or some other bottling, since it just said "Barros 1976 Vieilli en Fût", stenciled on the bottle. Bottled in 1984, after approximately 7-8 years of aging. 20% alcohol.
Luminous, quite translucent and rather pale maple syrup color. The nose feels quite savory, old and a bit tired. At first the bouquet seemed quite underwhelming and somewhat hot, but it gradually opens up with air to reveal aromas of oxidative nuttiness and old dusty wood, some caramel tones, a little bit of bruised quince, light notes of arrack, a hint of dried flowers and a touch of brown spices. The wine feels silky, sweet and mellow on the palate with a full body and rich, resolved flavors of prunes and bruised quince, some oxidative nuttiness, a little bit of butterscotch, light raisiny notes of Sultanas, a hint of fig jam and a touch of warm exotic spices. The overall feel is quite soft and sound, thanks to the medium-to-moderately high acidity and no perceptible tannins. The finish is old, sweet and quite persistent with a rich, mellow aftertaste of roasted nuts and dusty wood, some pruney tones, a little bit of boysenberry jam, light raisiny notes of Sultanas, a hint of toffee and a touch of bruised quince.
A tasty but also quite old and tired Tawny. Usually people consider Tawnies quite indestructible - if they are already oxidized during their élevage, how can they go south after that? Well, in our tasting of Port wines, this bottle seemed much older and more tired than any other Tawny Ports we had. Even when the bottle was freshly opened, it felt more like a bottle that had been open for a few years. This was good - at times even quite delicious - but it was obvious this should've been drunk decades ago. Tawny Ports really don't get much better with additional aging.
(91 points) - NV J.W. Burmester Porto Over 40 Years Old Tordiz Tawny - Portugal, Douro, Porto (7.12.2024)
I don't know if this differs from the regular "Tordiz 40 yo Tawny" since the label's text ("Mais de 40 Anos") suggests the blend is older than 40 yo. The "Tordiz" name comes from the source of the vineyards - near the confluence of Torto and Mendiz rivers. A blend of different vintages of which the average age is above 40 years, blended into an ancient cask from 1864 and left to marry for a short period of time before bottling. 20% alcohol. Lot 2105, bottled in 1993.
Dark, a bit murky and somewhat opaque mahogany brown color. The nose feels rich and sweet-toned with aromas of oxidative nuttiness, some alcohol heat, a little bit of burnt sugar, light dried-fruit notes of raisins and prunes, hints of dusty wood and loose tobacco, a touch of smoke and a whiff of arrack. The wine feels intense, hot and quite sweet on the palate with a moderately full body and tertiary flavors of syrupy molasses, some oxidative nuttiness, light sweet notes of raisins and dried apricot, a little bit of arrack, a woody hint of mahogany and a touch of exotic spices. The overall feel is starting to dry up with age, losing richness and vibrancy. However, the high acidity lends a good amount of freshness and intensity to the wine. The finish is rich, sweet and complex with a long, somewhat hot aftertaste of oxidative nuttiness, some dried-fruit notes of raisins and prunes, a little bit of woody bitterness and burnt sugar, light syrupy nuances of molasses, a hint of brown spices and a touch of tobacco.
An aged, complex and quite intensely-flavored Tawny that is starting to lose richness and vibrancy to bottle age. The wine is obviously sweet with its high residual sugar, and its relatively high acidity lends it a good sense of freshness and intensity, but flavor-wise the wine is getting somewhat dried-up and woody with a bit gruff overall feel. I enjoyed the sense of complexity and acid-driven freshness here, but even then it seems the wine has lost some of it energy and vibrancy. I can imagine this must've been a very impressive effort closer to its bottling date.
(93 points) - 1991 Niepoort Porto Colheita - Portugal, Douro, Porto (7.12.2024)
A blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinto Cão, Tinta Francisca, Tinta Amarela, Sousão, Tinta Roriz and other local varieties from +60 yo vineyards. Fermented and fortified in lagares, aged in old 550-liter pipes for 16 years, bottled in 2007. 20,5% alcohol, 112 g/l residual sugar, 4,2 g/l acidity, 0,71 g/l VA and pH 3,79.
Pale, limpid coppery color. The nose feels sweetish and quite seductive with layered aromas of syrupy molasses and raisiny dark fruit, some fragrant notes of dried flowers, a little bit of mahogany and dusty old wood, light spirituous notes of alcohol, hints of caramel and maple syrup, a nutty touch of slivered almonds and a whiff of dried apricot. The wine feels rich, sweet and complex yet also surprisingly fresh on the palate with a full body and sweet, intense flavors of prunes and raisiny dark fruit, some syrupy notes of molasses, a little bit of mahogany and dusty old wood, light caramel tones, a hint of wizened ripe figs and a touch of peppery spice. The high alcohol lends a little bit of warmth to the palate, while the overall feel is surprisingly firm and structured with the quite high acidity and gentle, slightly grippy tannins. The finish is warm, fresh and slightly grippy with a very long and complex aftertaste of prunes and oxidative nuttiness, some raisiny tones, a little bit of almond paste, light perfumed notes of dried flowers, a sweet hint of almond paste and a touch of volatile lift.
A delicious, nuanced and seductive Colheita with wonderful sense of complexity and freshness. Not a super impactful wine, this is more about subtlety, freshness and slightly understated complexity - however, even next to some very impressive Tawny Ports, this wine easily holds its own. A very lovely effort that probably might've shown a bit more vibrancy and intensity sooner after its bottling date, but is still drinking really wonderfully. At 18,36€ for a 0,375-liter bottle, this has baan a steal.
(94 points) - 1963 Kopke Porto Colheita - Portugal, Douro, Porto (7.12.2024)
20% alcohol, 160 g/l residual sugar. Bottled in 2012.
Very evolved and quite pale mahogany color with a deeper core and a limpid amber-yellow rim. The nose feels evolved, powerful and very complex with aromas of roasted walnuts, some dried apricots, light syrupy notes of molasses, a little bit of dark raisiny fruit, a spirituous hint of alcohol, a touch of caramel sauce and a whiff of wild honey. The wine feels rich, concentrated and sweet on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of raisins and prunes, some apricot marmalade, light oxidative notes of roasted walnuts, a little bit of of honey and molasses, a hint of coffee chocolate and a creamy touch of vanilla custard. The moderately high acidity feels sufficient to keep the overall impression balanced and even somewhat fresh, despite the sweetness and sense of concentration. The finish is juicy, sweet and complex with a very long aftertaste of raisins and oxidative nuttiness, some pruney tones, a little bit of caramel, light honeyed nuances, a hint of dried stone fruits and a touch of warm brown spices.
A fantastic, delicious and wonderfully balanced Colheita that shows remarkable sense of concentration, flavor intensity and even quite good freshness for such a sweet, evolved Tawny. As Tawnies don't really benefit from bottle aging, I really don't see much point in aging these, but then again - I'm sure this wine is not going to fade away in the next decade or two, either. Drink or keep. Not particularly affordable at 100,20€ for a 0,375 bottle, but arguably manages to deliver for the price. Very highly recommended.
(96 points) - NV Kopke Porto 50 Years Old Tawny - Portugal, Douro, Porto (7.12.2024)
A blend of oxidatively aged Port wines made with traditional red Port varieties. The different vintages are blended together to create a wine that is in average a 50-year old blend - mainly a select few vintages that have been aged for exceptionally long, along with some younger vintages to bring some freshness and flesh out the more tertiary wines. 20% alcohol, approximately 145 g/l residual sugar, 5,6 g/l acidity and pH 3,5. Bottled in 2023.
Deep, luminous mahogany color with a concentrated coppery core and a burnished golden rim. The complex nose feels deep, powerful and quite dark-toned with rather concentrated aromas of prunes and raisiny fruit, some dried figs and wizened boysenberries, light mahogany tones, a little bit of syrupy molasses, a perfumed hint of dried flowers, an oxidative touch of roasted nuts and a whiff of arrack. The wine feels sweet and concentrated yet at the same time remarkably fresh on the palate with a rather full body and intense flavors of prunes and cherry marmalade, some oxidative notes of chopped and roasted nuts, a little bit of maple syrup, light fragrant undertones of dried flowers and roasted brown spices, a hint of burnt sugar bitterness and a touch of dried dates. Unsurprisingly there are no perceptible tannins, but the wonderfully high acidity keeps the overall feel very fresh, firm and structured. The finish is sweet, rich and complex with a very persistent and intense aftertaste of prunes and raisins, dusty old wood, some oxidative notes of roasted nuts, a little bit of syrupy molasses and burnt sugar bitterness, light maple syrup notes, dried-fruit hints of Sultanas and dried apricots and a creamy touch of vanilla custard.
An exceptional Tawny with so much of everything and nothing in excess. This was an absolutely stunning example of oxidatively aged Port where the sweetness, sense of concentration, wonderful freshness and impressive complexity all come together so seamlessly. So very highly recommended.
(98 points) - 1968 Taylor (Fladgate) Porto Vintage Quinta de Vargellas - Portugal, Douro, Porto (7.12.2024)
A single-quinta Port made when no Vintage is declared and with fruit sourced exclusively from the Quinta de Vargellas estate. Bottled in 1971. 21% alcohol.
Evolved, fully translucent pomegranate color with a pale brick-red rim. The nose feels rich, evolved and so seductive with complex aromas of wizened red plums and ripe cherries, some peppery spice, light rustic notes of old leather and dusty old wood, a little bit of boysenberry jam, a fragrant hint of dried flowers, a spirituous touch of alcohol, and a whiff of dried figs. The wine feels sweet, silky and textural on the palate with a rather full body and intense flavors of dried dates and raisiny dark fruit, some boysenberry jam, light cherry marmalade tones, a little bit of peppery spice, a hint of old leather and a touch of sour cherry bitterness. The overall feel is wonderfully structured, thanks to the high acidity and quite resolved yet still pretty firm and grippy medium-plus tannins. The rich finish is juicy, slightly sticky and moderately grippy with a sweet, intense and remarkably persistent aftertaste of wizened blueberries and black cherries, some boysenberry jam, light peppery tones, a little bit of almond paste, light dried-fruit notes of dark raisiny fruit and dried dates, a hint of tobacco and a touch of dried flowers.
Although this was "just a single-quinta Port" and not a "proper" Vintage Port, this was still an extraordinary VP at full maturity - which probably was not a surprise, since I've often heard Port geeks say how Vargellas can often be on par with Taylor's VP's if the vintage just doesn't happen to be catastrophic. This vintage definitely managed to effortlessly reach the levels of any good Vintage Port and then some. I feel the wine has reached its plateau of maturity ages ago, so it isn't going to get any better with additional aging, but at the same time I feel the wine is holding just fine and it is not going to fall apart anytime soon. Easily among the best old Vintage Ports I've tasted, be it VP or SQVP - doesn't matter.
(97 points) - 1994 Fonseca Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto (7.12.2024)
A blend of traditional Port varieties from Quinta de Santo António, Quinta do Cruzeiro, and Quinta do Panascal; all located in the Cima Corgo sub-region of Douro. The grapes have been foot-trodden in lagares and the grape must is fortified after approximately 48 hours of fermentation. Aged in oak for approximately 18 months, bottled unfined and unfiltered in 1996. 20,5% alcohol.
More or less fully opaque blackish-red color that doesn't look young nor particularly evolved. The nose feels quite subtle, rather dry and savory for a Port and pretty attractive with nuanced aromas of ripe blackberries and boysenberries, some peppery spice, light spirituous notes of alcohol, a little bit of sun-baked earth, sweeter hints of wizened dark fruits and raisins, a hint of loose tobacco, a touch of fragrant Asian spices and a whiff of blueberry jam. The wine feels sweet, silky and surprisingly airy (for a Vintage Port) on the palate with a full body and nuanced, layered flavors of wizened black cherries and dark plums, some raisiny tones, a little bit of peppery spice, light savory notes of meaty umami, a hint of boysenberry jam and a touch of tobacco. The overall feel is not young nor particularly evolved, but nevertheless moderately hot. The rather high acidity and quite grippy tannins make the wine come across as pretty firm and muscular. The lengthy finish is rich, powerful and quite sweet with an intense aftertaste of boysenberry jam and prunes, some dried dates, a little bit of peppery spice, light savory notes of meaty umami, a hint of wizened black cherries and a touch of black tea. The wine ends on a moderately hot and quite grippy note.
A bold, structured and still relatively youthful Vintage Port that shows quite little age for its 30 years of age. The wine doesn't come across as young anymore, but structurally the wine feel still rather unresolved and the fruit department is still wonderfully vibrant and relatively youthful. Wonderful sense of harmony, structure and flavor intensity here; this is among the best Fonsecas I've tasted. Drink now or over the next handful of decades - it feels like this wine has been built for the long haul and there is still quite a bit of mileage in the tank. Very highly recommended.
(95 points) - 1999 Quinta do Noval Porto Vintage Quinta do Marco - Portugal, Douro, Porto (7.12.2024)
Quinta do Marco's vineyards were located right next to Quinta do Noval's vineyards on the part closest to Pinhão, but were absorbed into the large, continuous Quinta do Noval estate vineyards when Noval acquired the quinta. Noval has released this separate sub-quinta bottling of Quinta do Marco three times since they acquired the quinta: in 1983, 1989 and 1999. The fruit is sourced exclusively from the vineyards formerly belonging to Quinta do Marco and then trodden by foot in granite lagares, then the fermentation is arrested at 20% ABV by fortification and the wine is moved to age in large oak casks. This wine was bottled at the age of approximately two years. 20% alcohol.
Deep, quite opaque and slightly evolved blackish-red color with a pale rusty rim. The nose feels sweet, sunny and fragrant with somewhat evolved aromas of raisins and wizened dark plums, some blueberry tones, a little bit of roasted coffee beans, light boysenberry jam notes, a hint of dried dates, a spirituous touch of alcohol and a whiff of dried flowers. The wine feels silky, textural and rather hot on the palate with a full body and sweet flavors of prunes and dried dates, some raisiny tones, a little bit of ripe bilberries, light boysenberry jam notes, hints of coffee and tobacco and a touch of overripe fig. The structure relies more on the rather high acidity than on the supple, moderately resolved medium tannins. The finish is sweet, relatively evolved and somewhat grippy with a long, layered aftertaste of dried dates and overripe figs, some pruney tones, a little bit of raisiny dark fruit, light evolved notes of meaty umami, a hint of tobacco and a touch of blueberry jam.
A lovely, tasty and attractive Single-Quinta Vintage Port. Not showing the intensity, structure and complexity of many "proper" Vintage Ports, but a delightful effort all the same. With its somewhat evolved overall feel and dried-fruit flavors, I'd say this bottling is more or less at its peak and any further evolution is going to be quite limited - the wine might develop somewhere from here, but I doubt it is going to get any better in quality. A fine wine that delivers for the price at just 31,50€.
(92 points) - 2000 Niepoort Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto (7.12.2024)
A blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinto Cão, Tinta Francisca, Tinta Amarela, Sousão, Tinta Roriz and other local varieties from +60 yo vineyards. Fermented and fortified in lagares, aged in old oak toneis for 2 years, bottled in 2002. 20,5% alcohol, 103 g/l residual sugar, 4,2 g/l acidity, 0,24 g/l VA, pH 3,59 and total SO2 44 mg/l.
Somewhat evolved dark reddish-maroon color that permits a little bit of light through. The nose feels rich, sweet-toned and slightly evolved with aromas of ripe black cherries, some raisiny tones, a little bit of dark plummy fruit, light spirituous aguardente notes, a developed hint of meaty character, a fragrant touch of dried flowers and a whiff of cigar. The wine feels sweet, vibrant and quite youthful on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of strawberry jam and ripe raspberry, some tart lingonberry tones, a little bit of tobacco, light raisiny notes savory hints of earth and cigar box and a touch of peppery spice. The wine feels pretty firm and muscular with its high acidity and quite grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is long, slightly warm and rather grippy with an intense, sweet-yet-savory aftertaste of blueberries and boysenberry jam, some peppery tones, a little bit of plum compote, light meaty nuances, a hint of ripe strawberry and a touch of tart, red-toned hint of lingonberry.
A terrific Vintage Port that is slowly cruising into its optimal drinking window. The wine seemed much more evolved in the nose, suggesting full maturity, but on the palate it became obvious that the wine was still surprisingly youthful and fresh with still lots of potential for future development. Starting to exhibit some tertiary nuances on the palate as well, but most likely the wine will develop some additional depth and complexity with further aging. At the moment the wine is still a bit straightforward, but also showing impressive intensity of flavor and bright freshness for a Vintage Port almost quarter a century old. Lovely, stuff, let this wait for another decade or so. Highly recommended.
(94 points) - 2003 Croft Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto (7.12.2024)
The first vintage made traditionally with food-trodden grapes in lagares since 1963. 20,5% alcohol, 92 g/l residual sugar and 4,45 g/l acidity.
Dense, fully opaque blackish-red color that doesn't look young nor aged. The nose feels dull, dusty and quite indistinct with vague sweet aromas of dark forest fruits and a little bit of boysenberry jam. The wine feels dull, dusty and understated on the palate with a full body and sweet, muddled flavors of dark forest fruits, some dusty notes of TCA, a little bit of earth and a hint of boysenberry jam. The wine is quite high in acidity with ripe, rather resolved tannins. The finish is short, sweet and a bit grippy with flavors of dusty earth and indistinct dried dark fruits.
A dull, corked bottle. Disappointing.
(NR/flawed)
The extras:
- 2017 Kreuzberg Bin 17 - Germany, Ahr (7.12.2024)
A blend of Acolon and Dornfelder that are vinified like a Vintage Port. Once the wine reaches approximately 65-80 g/l residual sugar, the fermentation is halted by fortifying the wine with grape brandy. Aged in used (1-3 yo) oak barriques. Bottled in 2019. 18% alcohol. AP number -088 21 19. Tasted blind.
Youthful, moderately translucent black cherry color. The nose feels sweet, very expressive and noticeably atypical for a Port with rich aromas of toasty oak and dark raisiny fruit, some cherry marmalade, light fragrant notes of vanilla, other baking spices and mulled wine, a little bit of strawberry jam, a spirituous hint of alcohol and an oaky touch of toffee or Bourbon-like caramel. The wine feels sweet, quite soft and rather oaky on the palate with a full body and lush flavors of strawberry jam, some cherry marmalade, light tart cranberry tones, a little bit of ripe raspberry, oaky hints of chocolatey mocha character and toffee, a hint of dark raisiny fruit and a touch of ripe bilberries. The overall feel is pretty round and mellow, thanks to the medium acidity and the soft, gentle tannins. The finish is sweet, round and slightly grippy with a long, lush aftertaste of vanilla and cloves, some boysenberry jam, light cherry marmalade tones, a little bit of chocolatey mocha oak, a hint of overripe strawberry and a touch of toffee.
A rather polished, soft and modern Vintage Port emulation that doesn't really feel like a Vintage Port due to its lack of structure and quite pronounced - at times even rather dominant - oak influence. I guess this is an easy and approachable example of somewhat Port-ish fortified wine for people who'd love to have something vaguely Port-y but the wine doesn't necessarily have to be similar to an actual Port. However, to a Port purist like me, this is rather disappointing stuff. Not bad per se, but I just don't enjoy wines where the true flavors and aromas of the wine are masked away by the oaky tones. It's hard to believe that the wine is aged only in old oak barrels, since it is so heavily oaky, but I guess once-used barrels can still impart quite a lot of oaky tones. Compared to the more impressive and considerably more Vintage Port-like Ahr 6 (another Vintage Port emulation from Ahr), this left a somewhat lukewarm feeling. Hopefully the wine will lose those heavily oaky tones as it ages and evolved - although I don't expect this wine to be able to age as long and gracefully as true Vintage Ports.
(87 points) - 2014 Tornai Juhfark Nagy-Somló Friss - Hungary, Balaton, Nagy-Somló (5.12.2024)
100% Juhfark from Somló. 11% alcohol.
Luminous, medium-deep and slightly evolved golden yellow color. The nose feels moderately evolved and surprisingly Riesling-like with aromas of ripe lemony citrus fruits, some developed honeyed or waxy tones, a little bit of cantaloupe, light tertiary notes of oat biscuits and chopped nuts, a mineral hint of wet rocks, a petrolly touch of diesel and a whiff of something smoky. The wine feels brisk, bone-dry and zippy on the palate with a light-to-medium body and crunchy flavors of lemony citrus fruits and cantaloupe, some sweeter honeydew melon tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light evolved nuances of beeswax, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of dried stone fruits. The focused, incisive and quite racy acidity makes the wine feel very lively and structured. The finish is fresh, lively and crunchy with a rather long and pretty much bone-dry aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits and sharp Granny Smith apple, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of steely minerality, light perfumed notes of white flowers, a hint of cantaloupe and a touch of tangy salinity.
A refreshing, brisk and crunchy little white that comes across as surprisingly Riesling like. Maybe the wine is not that Somlói in character, but it is still wonderfully zippy and balanced - and also holding up wonderfully for its 10 years of age. Although there are some evolved nuances already, the overall feel is still that of a relatively young wine, which makes me think that this wine could actually evolve and improve for a bit further from here. Although I still wouldn't call this a grand vin I was still very positively surprised how much the wine had improved since my last taste almost 7 years ago, when the wine just felt like a simple, acid-driven everyday white. This has been a real bargain at just 7,40€. Recommended.
(90 points) - 2018 Clos Triguedina Cahors - France, Southwest France, Cahors (7.12.2024)
Typically a blend of Malbec (85%), Merlot (10%) and Tannat (5%). 14,5% alcohol.
Dense, inky and fully opaque blackish-red color with a youthful blueish hue. The nose feels juicy, dense and somewhat modern with aromas of bilberries and boysenberries, some toasty oak spice, a little bit of chocolatey mocha character, light inky tones, a hint of vanilla and a touch of elderberries. The wine feels ripe, dense and a bit warm on the palate with a full body and quite rich flavors of sweet bilberries and boysenberries, some toasty mocha tones, a little bit of vanilla, light inky notes, a hint of elderberry juice and a woody touch of savory spice. The structure relies more on the ample, firm and quite extracted tannins than on the medium acidity. The finish is rich, juicy and grippy with a long aftertaste of boysenberries, some plummy tones, a little bit of elderberry juice, light inky tones, oaky hints of mocha and vanilla and a touch of blueberry jam.
A rather modern and a bit too ripe Cahors that is more about big, juicy fruit and impactful oak than about finesse or nuance. I hope the wine would pick up some elegance as it aged, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Not really my kind of wine.
(86 points)
Posted from CellarTracker