NV Smith Woodhouse Tawny 20YO (bottled 2019)

[Andy Velebil]

I can't believe I've never had this Port before nor do I know anyone else who's had it, I couldn't find a tasting note here or on TPF. Bottled in 2019 and only made for the USA market. The color is quite pale, more like a 30 year old tawny. A mix of honey, oranges and toffee nose. Soft sweet entry quickly gives way to an orange marmalade, old wood varnish, honey, maple and spices. I'm quibbling when I say the finish started a little slow, but gained in length with air. This is a darn good 20 year old tawny and drinks above its price point.
92 Points

[JacobH]

That’s an interesting bottle. It’s made me have a look at other minor Symington labels and their tawnies. They seem to do a 10-year-old for all of them (“all” being GC, QH & Martinez). The only other 20-year-old I can see is a Martinez, although the only place I can see that sells it is in Hong Kong.

Does much Smith Woodhouse get sold in the states? I’m interested as to why they decided to see it under this label out there.

[Andy Velebil]

That’s an interesting bottle. It’s made me have a look at other minor Symington labels and their tawnies. They seem to do a 10-year-old for all of them (“all” being GC, QH & Martinez). The only other 20-year-old I can see is a Martinez, although the only place I can see that sells it is in Hong Kong.

Does much Smith Woodhouse get sold in the states? I’m interested as to why they decided to see it under this label out there.

I believe Quarles Harris and Martinez are no longer being made. QH was mainly for Trader Joe's here and I haven't seen them sell any for a couple years now, which leads me to believe it's currently on hiatus. Martinez 20 is also sold here in the USA. But I think this label is also being put into hiatus as the Symington's retail arm in the states now has it discounted. I know the Sym's have said they've put almost all (or all?) their Ports without a designated Quinta into hiatus, just too many SKU's to deal with.

The SW 20 year is about $60, which is about $10 more than Taylor's or Graham's. Given the quality of it and the very small production, it is worth the extra $10.

[JacobH]

I believe Quarles Harris and Martinez are no longer being made. QH was mainly for Trader Joe's here and I haven't seen them sell any for a couple years now, which leads me to believe it's currently on hiatus. Martinez 20 is also sold here in the USA. But I think this label is also being put into hiatus as the Symington's retail arm in the states now has it discounted. I know the Sym's have said they've put almost all (or all?) their Ports without a designated Quinta into hiatus, just too many SKU's to deal with.

I hadn’t realised this but it looks like you are right. The Symingtons’ website suggest the last QH, GC & Martinez VPs were in 2007, although there is a note on the 2011 declarations thread that there was a 2011 QH for Trader Joe’s. The last SW was a 2016. Not sure if they are still making the SW LBV since, from memory, that was released rarely and very late.

I’m slightly surprised they’ve given up making vintages from these shippers since I thought their names were sufficiently historic for them to be well-known outside Port-drinking circles. I would have thought they could have sold some to collectors, much in the same way that some Fonseca carried on producing some very small quantities Quinta do Panascal even in years that they did a Guimaraens*. But you are right: the ranges of Ports they are now making is very large indeed, especially with all sorts of “special editions” (e.g. the Six Grapes River Quintas) and the super-premium VPs.

[* I may have got this the wrong way around!]

[Mike J. W.]

I think I may have come across a few bottles of the 20 yo SW tawnies the other day, but I wasn't really paying attention. I'll have to double back and check.

[Glenn E.]

although there is a note on the 2011 declarations thread that there was a 2011 QH for Trader Joe’s.

Yes. I brought a case of it to London for Julian. It was a BOB for TJ's that year, and is a superb wine.

TJ's had several sales on QH Port during that time frame. I picked up 1977 and 1994 (and of course 2011) for IIRC $40 each. I later saw QH11 "on sale" at K&L Wines in CA for $80/bottle and had to laugh, because they'd clearly purchased it all from TJ's and were reselling it for double.

[JacobH]

Was it advertised as a “Quarles Harris”? I’m interested in why a BoB would go out under that label rather than Symington Family Estates.

[Glenn E.]

Was it advertised as a “Quarles Harris”? I’m interested in why a BoB would go out under that label rather than Symington Family Estates.

I should have been clearer. It was effectively a BOB for TJ's because it wasn't distributed to anyone else. It otherwise looks exactly like a normal Quarles Harris Vintage Port.