NV Quinta de Santa Eufemia White 30YO
Posted: 22:59 Sun 24 May 2009
NV Quinta de Santa Eufémia 30 Year Old White
Drunk at Vinologia in Oporto, May 2009,
Bottled in an attractive 50cl clear bottle. In a nice touch, the 10-year-old has bronze metalic printing, the 20-year-old silver and the 30-year-old gold. In a nicer touch, the label also has braille!
The second oldest white to come out of the Santa Eufémia estates [sic; there are two]; the oldest being a 1972 Colheita euphemistically called "Very Old Reserve" to get around the IVDP! A dark golden caramel in colour, this was more muted on the nose than its younger brethern, with the characteristic almonds and peanuts not showing to any great degree. In the mouth, again this is quite muted compared to what I would usually expect from a Port. I think this is mostly due to them aging a fairly dry wine; the aftertaste doesn't open up into the residual sugar which you would usually expect. The unfortunate consiquence of that is that quite a lot of alcohol comes through. However, the aftertaste is long, smooth and creamy which appeals to me.
This is certainly a good wine and worth trying if you get the chance. However, I think it is a mistake to approach it as if it were a normal tawny, or even in the same family as the Dalva White Colheitas as the dryness makes this a very different drink.
Drunk at Vinologia in Oporto, May 2009,
Bottled in an attractive 50cl clear bottle. In a nice touch, the 10-year-old has bronze metalic printing, the 20-year-old silver and the 30-year-old gold. In a nicer touch, the label also has braille!
The second oldest white to come out of the Santa Eufémia estates [sic; there are two]; the oldest being a 1972 Colheita euphemistically called "Very Old Reserve" to get around the IVDP! A dark golden caramel in colour, this was more muted on the nose than its younger brethern, with the characteristic almonds and peanuts not showing to any great degree. In the mouth, again this is quite muted compared to what I would usually expect from a Port. I think this is mostly due to them aging a fairly dry wine; the aftertaste doesn't open up into the residual sugar which you would usually expect. The unfortunate consiquence of that is that quite a lot of alcohol comes through. However, the aftertaste is long, smooth and creamy which appeals to me.
This is certainly a good wine and worth trying if you get the chance. However, I think it is a mistake to approach it as if it were a normal tawny, or even in the same family as the Dalva White Colheitas as the dryness makes this a very different drink.