This was our Christmas Port this year.
Decanted around 1.30PM.
+0h
A very dark red colour coming into the decanter, with only the slightest brown bricking. Some bottle stink but other than that classic Taylor on the nose. Slightly spirity, dried tobacco, prunes, fresh and dry. On the palate: mainly closed. Spirity and hard, some red, fresh fruit and dried cherries. Long finish with coffee and kirsch. This definitely needs a lot of time to open.
+3.5h
Sniffing from the glass with the dregs, I got the impression that this bottle might be corked, but I don't get that from the port in the decanter. Although, there are some slight dusty notes, like dried leather and dried tobacco, but it's not off-putting. It's now much darker on the palate than at the first taste, with dark fruit showing, semi-dried cherries, prunes and raisins. Long dry and full finish with fresh chilipeper, cocoa and mocha. Loads of grip and notable tannins.
+8.5h
More fresh fruit now on the palate, and even darker than before. The slight dusty tones are still there on the nose, and we're wondering whether this port suffers from a light cork infection or not. It's a little bit distracting, but not in a way that it makes the port undrinkable. On the contrary, this is one of the youngest and more powerful showings of this port in a long time. This would deserve 94 points, had it been completely OK, but now 92 points.
1987 Taylor Vargellas
-
RonnieRoots
- Fonseca 1980
- Posts: 1981
- Joined: 08:28 Thu 21 Jun 2007
- Location: Middle Earth
-
RonnieRoots
- Fonseca 1980
- Posts: 1981
- Joined: 08:28 Thu 21 Jun 2007
- Location: Middle Earth
Day 2:
+17h
The port was poured back into the (cleaned) bottle yesterday evening and kept in the cellar. Now on cellar temperature, it is quite clear that the bottle is corked.
+19h
On room temperature, the corky aromas are less aparent, and this is still very much an enjoyable drink. It is more distracting than yesterday though.
This must have been the first time that I came across a bottle that was corked, but still very enjoyable to drink. Usually I'm very sensitive to cork infection and such a bottle would have ended in the sink.
There's still a little bit left in the bottle that I'll keep to see how it develops over the days.
+17h
The port was poured back into the (cleaned) bottle yesterday evening and kept in the cellar. Now on cellar temperature, it is quite clear that the bottle is corked.
+19h
On room temperature, the corky aromas are less aparent, and this is still very much an enjoyable drink. It is more distracting than yesterday though.
This must have been the first time that I came across a bottle that was corked, but still very enjoyable to drink. Usually I'm very sensitive to cork infection and such a bottle would have ended in the sink.
There's still a little bit left in the bottle that I'll keep to see how it develops over the days.
