ThePortForum.com

I was asked to organise a Port tasting by the Northern Ireland Wine & Spirits Institute, and decided that it would be worthwhile to taste some wood-aged categories that are harder to find in Ireland. So, after much research and many, many emails, we ended up with the following line-up (supplier in brackets):

• First pour - A comparison of some younger tawnies
  • Niepoort Senior Tawny
  • Niepoort 2001 Colheita (both supplied by Robb Brothers, Northern Ireland)
  Second pour - Two contrasting 20 Year Old Tawnies
  
  • Sandeman (Stevens Garnier)
  • Andresen Royal Choice (ex-cellars)
  Third pour - Aged Whites
  
  • Andresen 10-Year Old White (ex-cellars)
  • Andresen 20-Year Old White (ex-cellars)
  Fourth pour - Older Colheitas
  
  • Kopke 1984 Colheita (Weingalerie, Berlin)
  • The Port Society 1974 Colheita (The Port Society)

• Review of the evening as a whole

Lovely colour, a deep peachy-orange, with a tinge of salmon around the edge. In the nose it has light spiciness and soft-fleshed fruit - I thought it was like spiced plums with clove and cinnamon, and a good dose of cedar too. In the mouth, the soft fruit grows from a juicy entry to a big mid-palate, with heat entering in the long, lingering finish. Seville orange liqueur notes carry on through the the finish. Very satisfying, the sweetness is carried with a neat, clean acidity that keeps this fresh and light. Very good 20YO.

20% opacity, orange-brown sunset. More subdued nose, but consistently vanilla and some burnt orange. In the mouth, less balance and structure, feels fiery. Treacle to start then quick to some acidity.