Decanter Spain & Portugal Tasting, 27ii16

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JacobH
Quinta do Vesuvio 1994
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Decanter Spain & Portugal Tasting, 27ii16

Post by JacobH »

Decanter’s most recent big tasting was one of Spanish and Portuguese wines at its usual location, the Landmark Hotel, London.

Massively more Spanish (61 producers) than Portuguese (19), it was also a little bit more “conventional” than I might have desired. For example there were as many Rioja producers as Portuguese and only one of each of sherry (Valdespino: which had best fino I can remember); Alicante; and Madeira (Justino’s). That said, there were some big Spanish regions about which I knew almost nothing beyond their names and that they probably involved tempranillo (e.g. Bierzo, Toro) and I don’t think I’ve ever tried more than one Cava in one go before.

In terms of Port, there were about 25 available from a very interesting selection of smaller players: Kopke, Cálem, Barros, Poças Júnior, Romaneira, Noval, Niepoort, Vale Dona Maria, Crasto, Vale Meao, Vallado, Gaivosa, and Alves de Sousa. As you might expect they were mostly a selection of the latest LBVs, VPs, and 10 and 20 year old tawnies with an occasional more exciting one (e.g. the Kopke 30-year-old white). You couldn’t, also, hope for a better selection of people presenting: Dirk Niepoort, Christian Seely and Christiano van Zeller.

I have to confess that having spent 2 hours spitting Spanish wines, I rather mis-paced myself when it came to the serious business of trying (and swallowing) the Port. I therefore don’t really have very many helpful notes. Or memories. But nevermind: of the Ports that particularly impressed me were the Poças Júnior 2013 VP which rather reminded me of the 2007s on release; and the 30-year-old white from Kopke (especially since, despite the lady on the stand’s protestations, it must, surely have been cobbled together from barrels they have bought from the Douro). It tasted like quite a serious tawny and the white-ness was almost Madeira-like in its lack of relevance to the finished wine.

I was rather hoping to run into a few :tpf:’ers here but, alas, it was not to be. Hopefully next time!

-Jacob
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jdaw1
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Re: Decanter Spain & Portugal Tasting, 27ii16

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Welcome back. And if you wish to see TPF’ers, you know what to do.
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jdaw1
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Re: Decanter Spain & Portugal Tasting, 27ii16

Post by jdaw1 »

JacobH wrote:(Valdespino: which had best fino I can remember)
This fino?
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JacobH
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Re: Decanter Spain & Portugal Tasting, 27ii16

Post by JacobH »

jdaw1 wrote:And if you wish to see TPF’ers, you know what to do.
Yes, fair enough. I will have a look at my diary!
jdaw1 wrote:
JacobH wrote:(Valdespino: which had best fino I can remember)
This fino?
Yes: that’s it. Apparently it is the only single-vineyard one left and the only one which is fermented in wood not steel. Lea and Sandeman also have it in halves and full bottles.
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flash_uk
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Re: Decanter Spain & Portugal Tasting, 27ii16

Post by flash_uk »

JacobH wrote:
jdaw1 wrote:And if you wish to see TPF’ers, you know what to do.
Yes, fair enough. I will have a look at my diary!
Jacob

Some upcoming tastings you could sign up for:

The night before the BFT (21 April)
66@50 (19 May)
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JacobH
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Re: Decanter Spain & Portugal Tasting, 27ii16

Post by JacobH »

flash_uk wrote:
JacobH wrote:
jdaw1 wrote:And if you wish to see TPF’ers, you know what to do.
Yes, fair enough. I will have a look at my diary!
Jacob

Some upcoming tastings you could sign up for:

The night before the BFT (21 April)
66@50 (19 May)
Thanks: I will certainly have a look.
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