2000 Fortnum and Mason

Tasting notes for individual Ports, with an index sorted by vintage and alphabetically.
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Tasting notes for individual Ports, with an index sorted by vintage and alphabetically.
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Alex Bridgeman
Graham’s 1948
Posts: 14880
Joined: 13:41 Mon 25 Jun 2007
Location: Berkshire, UK

2000 Fortnum and Mason

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

Purchased on 13th May 2019 from Fortnum & Mason at £20 for a half bottle (and consumed at Hawksmoor Air Street taking advantage of their Monday Night Wine Club corkage rate of £5 per cork.

Made for Fortnums by Niepoort, but not known whether this is the same blend as the regular Niepoort Vintage Port.

A wonderful rich red colour, opaque centre and a narrow rim. A terrific nose of wild raspberries and sage leaves, untamed and exuberant. Gentle flavours on entry, with the fruit dominating before the acidity and a massive wave of tannins take over. These fade back again to reveal the raspberries promised by the nose and a fabulous sweet but slightly woody liquorice root. The complexity and youth of the palate is a real surprise from a half bottle.

The power shows again on the aftertaste; initially full of overwhelming ground black pepper heat before releasing the finish of dark dried sour cherry, black chocolate and stunning acidity yet with the fragrance at the end of the five minute finish of fresh cut grass.

What an amazing Port! Something of a steal at this price. 93/100. Drunk 13-May-19.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
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Alex Bridgeman
Graham’s 1948
Posts: 14880
Joined: 13:41 Mon 25 Jun 2007
Location: Berkshire, UK

Re: 2000 Fortnum and Mason

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

I should have said this was decanted approximately 30 minutes before I tasted it.

If anything, with a couple of hours in the glass it became bigger and more brutal than when first poured.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
winesecretary
Fonseca 1980
Posts: 1900
Joined: 15:35 Mon 13 May 2019

Re: 2000 Fortnum and Mason

Post by winesecretary »

On the basis of your TN, I (well, my girlfriend on my behalf) acquired half a dozen halves of this from Fortnum's yesterday. Had one with the cheese last night. It was indeed pretty splendid, ready to go but with life comfortably to continue for another decade. The cork I extracted was branded Niepoort Secundum, so it is DN's 'other' vintage port.
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Alex Bridgeman
Graham’s 1948
Posts: 14880
Joined: 13:41 Mon 25 Jun 2007
Location: Berkshire, UK

Re: 2000 Fortnum and Mason

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

winesecretary wrote: 10:24 Sat 18 May 2019 On the basis of your TN, I (well, my girlfriend on my behalf) acquired half a dozen halves of this from Fortnum's yesterday. Had one with the cheese last night. It was indeed pretty splendid, ready to go but with life comfortably to continue for another decade. The cork I extracted was branded Niepoort Secundum, so it is DN's 'other' vintage port.
Firstly I'm delighted you bought some and agreed with my thoughts on its quality. And secondly I really appreciate you sharing the branding on the cork - I didn't get to see the cork when it had been pulled from the bottle.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
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