ThePortForum.com

[url=http://www.theportforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=14020#14020]Here[/url] jdaw1 wrote:

IS Wine wrote:Barros LBV 2001, $24 (incl tax)
Rainha Santa 1994 vintage port $48 (incl tax)
Rainha Santa 10Y tawny $28 (incl tax)

How can I know whether the LBV is or isn’t filtered (bottle says nothing). And does anyone have an opinion on Rainha Santa 1994 vintage port?

[url=http://www.theportforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=14042#14042]Here[/url] AHB wrote:I know nothing about the Rainha Santa but am interested to learn more.

Bravely bold Sir Robin rode forth from Camelot.
He was not afraid to die, O brave Sir Robin!
He was not at all afraid to be killed in nasty ways,
Brave, brave, brave, brave Sir Robin!

Bravely, bravely, I decided to take one for the team. Oh, the courage!

So decanted early afternoon Sunday, the label saying “Bottled by Forrester & Ca†, and the 45mm-long cork lengthwise-branded a capitalised version of “Forrester Vintage 1994†. So that’s where that illustrious name has landed!

Sampled a few hours later, and a few hours after that. Very very dark, still with some purple hue. On colour alone I could have believed it to be a big big house. Sunday’s nose was still closed, though blackberries and prunes showed. To taste, horrible. A tannic monster needing another decade in the cellar, or, more time efficiently, a day in the decanter.

Today, the nose showed nothing new — some of yesterday’s blackberries and prunes, perhaps. But the taste is so peppery: this could be the spiciest vintage port I have ever sampled. Medium weight, with a slightly hollow mid-palate. Needs another half decade at least in the cellar. Very reasonable at the price.

Richard Mayson's "Port and the Douro" states that Forrester & Ca. is the name under which Offley bottles its ports. Rainha Santa is a second label of Offley.

A very nice surprise, and proof of the fact that Offley's VP's are often very good value for money. And apparently, the second label ports can be of good quality as well.