1995 Churchill Quinta da Agua Alta
Posted: 04:26 Tue 10 Jun 2008
(This one was predominantly drunk around +6 to +8 hrs after decanting.)
Overall, a mediocre port that likely won't improve much with age. It's cherry notes were best at +4, and there was an interesting taste of caramel as it neared the two-day mark. The alcohol overwhelmed it throughout. Fortunately, it was inexpensive. Unfortunately, I used that as an excuse to buy 4 bottles (this was only #1). There are pictures, but I'm not really motivated to post them at the moment.
+0 hrs Nose shows a lot of heat and cherries. The color is pale red, it started showing brick red within 15 minutes. The flavor has a lot of heat, then mint, then dried cherry beneath that.
+2 hrs Nose is closed. The appearance is cloudier (and remained so until the decanter was empty). The flavor is now strongly of cherries and the heat has faded. No tannins and very sweet. The mint has gone.
+4 hrs nose and taste are strongly of cherries, with a hint of smokiness. This was the wine's peak.
+6/+8 hrs Flavor is diminishing (Tipsiness is increasing).
+15 hrs Alcohol (heat) still strong, fruit up front then long burn
+31 hrs Alcohol still strong, fruit fading, taste is thinning
+43 hrs Alcohol faded. Fruit has come back a bit, but not all the way. A Caramel flavor has developed. This was something of a second wind for this port.
+49 Nose: Cherries + Alcohol, Color: Still no change. Taste: Alcohol, with a faint cherry/porty background. Tastes entirely worn out at this point.
Overall, a mediocre port that likely won't improve much with age. It's cherry notes were best at +4, and there was an interesting taste of caramel as it neared the two-day mark. The alcohol overwhelmed it throughout. Fortunately, it was inexpensive. Unfortunately, I used that as an excuse to buy 4 bottles (this was only #1). There are pictures, but I'm not really motivated to post them at the moment.
+0 hrs Nose shows a lot of heat and cherries. The color is pale red, it started showing brick red within 15 minutes. The flavor has a lot of heat, then mint, then dried cherry beneath that.
+2 hrs Nose is closed. The appearance is cloudier (and remained so until the decanter was empty). The flavor is now strongly of cherries and the heat has faded. No tannins and very sweet. The mint has gone.
+4 hrs nose and taste are strongly of cherries, with a hint of smokiness. This was the wine's peak.
+6/+8 hrs Flavor is diminishing (Tipsiness is increasing).
+15 hrs Alcohol (heat) still strong, fruit up front then long burn
+31 hrs Alcohol still strong, fruit fading, taste is thinning
+43 hrs Alcohol faded. Fruit has come back a bit, but not all the way. A Caramel flavor has developed. This was something of a second wind for this port.
+49 Nose: Cherries + Alcohol, Color: Still no change. Taste: Alcohol, with a faint cherry/porty background. Tastes entirely worn out at this point.