1977 Dow

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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JAC
Cockburn’s Special Reserve
Posts: 30
Joined: 17:36 Fri 19 Mar 2010

1977 Dow

Post by JAC »

This one's getting off to an inauspicious start. Obvious signs of seepage, and half of the cork ended up in the bottle.

Decanted 14:00. Thin and medicinal. No noticeably unpleasant smells, but a noticeably unpleasant, bitter aftertaste. The color is more amber than red and surprisingly transparent.

D+4: Somewhat better. The bitter aftertaste is giving way to heat.

D+6: The heat's gone, leaving little complexity and a taste of overripe fruit.

Drunk 26 March 2010.
Last edited by JAC on 00:06 Mon 29 Mar 2010, edited 1 time in total.
JAC
Cockburn’s Special Reserve
Posts: 30
Joined: 17:36 Fri 19 Mar 2010

Re: 1977 Dow

Post by JAC »

Here's the label:
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The cork did not cooperate:
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Seepage?
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Yeah.
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Alex Bridgeman
Graham’s 1948
Posts: 14880
Joined: 13:41 Mon 25 Jun 2007
Location: Berkshire, UK

Re: 1977 Dow

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

Note to self - minimum of a six hour decant required.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
JAC
Cockburn’s Special Reserve
Posts: 30
Joined: 17:36 Fri 19 Mar 2010

Re: 1977 Dow

Post by JAC »

I wouldn't argue with the 6 hour decant time, but keep in mind that this bottle showed signs of oxidation (it looked more like Madeira than vintage Port) and probably isn't a good guide on what to expect from a bottle in good condition.
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KillerB
Taylor Quinta de Vargellas 1987
Posts: 2425
Joined: 22:09 Wed 20 Jun 2007
Location: Sky Blue City, England

Re: 1977 Dow

Post by KillerB »

Patently a bad bottle caused by the seepage, the colour of this is indicative of the cork having failed a long time. You did the right thing to open up, it would have been a crying shame to wait another ten years to find it in an even more deteriorated state. Good to see the next one was in good shape.
Port is basically a red drink
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