1988 Smith Woodhouse Madalena

Tasting notes for individual Ports, with an index sorted by vintage and alphabetically.
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Tasting notes for individual Ports, with an index sorted by vintage and alphabetically.
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Alex Bridgeman
Graham’s 1948
Posts: 14879
Joined: 13:41 Mon 25 Jun 2007
Location: Berkshire, UK

1988 Quinta da Madalena vintage port

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

When the weather gets hot and humid, I don't stop drinking port but do switch to younger and more fruity port that drinks well from the fridge. This is one such example.

Mid red colour, little bricking. Lovely nose of warm and rich blackcurrants. Very dense texture in the mouth, not thick but very full-bodied. Lovely sweet blackcurrant flavours with the tannins soft and gentle, more acidity than I remember but this did soften over the evening. Very pleasant aftertaste. A little short, but one which was very enjoyable when it was present. An easy and straightforward port to be savoured and which will still be drinking extremely well in 10 years, if not more. 88/100. Drunk on 25 July with 4 hours in the decanter.

It's also worth noting that this was still drinking extremely well from the fridge 3 days later.
Last edited by Alex Bridgeman on 09:43 Thu 28 Aug 2008, edited 1 time in total.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
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Alex Bridgeman
Graham’s 1948
Posts: 14879
Joined: 13:41 Mon 25 Jun 2007
Location: Berkshire, UK

Some pictures of the Madalena

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

I did take some pictures of the Madalena 1988 when I was decanting it.
Image
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Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
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Alex Bridgeman
Graham’s 1948
Posts: 14879
Joined: 13:41 Mon 25 Jun 2007
Location: Berkshire, UK

Re: 1988 Quinta da Madalena vintage port

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

And a picture of the colour of the port in the glass. You can clearly see how deep and unevolved the colour is.
Image
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
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jdaw1
Cockburn 1851
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Re: 1988 Quinta da Madalena vintage port

Post by jdaw1 »

Thank you for the pictures.
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DRT
Fonseca 1966
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Re: 1988 Quinta da Madalena vintage port

Post by DRT »

AHB wrote:more acidity than I remember but this did soften over the evening.
I think your previous encounter was with a bottle of this that had been decanted at least 24 hours you this might be typical. I will have to pop one soon to find out. Is this from the batch we bought from http://www.halifaxwinecompany.com ?
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
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Alex Bridgeman
Graham’s 1948
Posts: 14879
Joined: 13:41 Mon 25 Jun 2007
Location: Berkshire, UK

Re: 1988 Quinta da Madalena vintage port

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

It is one of the bottles we bought from Halifax - very nice it was too!
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
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