1994 Smith Woodhouse

[jdaw1]

A horizontal of 1994 and a G83 were tasted at Bordeaux Index, 10 Hatton Garden EC1N 8AH on Tuesday 4^th March 2014, in the presence of Richard Mayson, as arranged by Michael Schuster of MichaelSchusterWine.com.

Links:

• Review of the evening as a whole;
• 1994 Quinta do Crasto (#1);
• 1994 Smith Woodhouse (#2);
• 1994 Gould Campbell (#3);
• 1994 Ramos Pinto (#4);
• 1994 Martinez Quinta da Eira Velha (#5);
• 1994 Martinez (#6);
• 1994 Niepoort (#7);
• 1994 Quinta do Noval (#8);
• 1994 Quinta do Vesuvio (#9);
• 1994 Dow (#10);
• 1994 Warre (#11);
• 1994 Graham (#12);
• 1994 Fonseca (#13);
• 1994 Taylor (#14);
• 1983 Graham;
• Arrangements on MichaelSchusterWine.com;
• Arrangements on ThePortForum.com.

[jdaw1]

SW94. Dark purple-red, 80% opaque. Slight mustiness on the nose, also the SW signature of lemon. Palate had dark plum and lemon. Very soft, mid weight, mid length. Needs 5+ years.

[flash_uk]

Very excited to be posting my first tasting note!

80% opacity, dark red, slight clouding on rim, some legs. Nose, whisky (?!) some pepper, spice with dark fruit, plum, behind then rubber. Initially some heat and acidity, falling away to a more velvet long tingly finish with some tannin at the end. Not much structure.

[jdaw1]

Very excited to be posting my first tasting note!

Team excitement — this behaviour is much encouraged.

[DRT]

Dense black fruit - some mint on the finish - good port.

***

[djewesbury]

24 hour decant. 75%, minor pinkishness in a dark ruby, small rim. Nose has spirit, not huge fruit, spice, otherwise quite closed. Mouth has soft plum juice, juicy finish, some dry cedar late on, but not a great deal more. Tight, austere. When JDAW said lemon, enthusiastically, I tasted it again, and lo, at the front of the mouth I thought there might be a little lemon.

[Alex Bridgeman]

Deep red, younger on the rim than the Gould Campbell; narrow rim. Closed on the nose, showing very little. Sweet fruit, lots of gentle tannins supporting the palate with good persistence. The fruit persists throughout the palate despite the power of the tannins. A long finish, full of dried red peppercorns and charcoal tannins that accompany the fruit. This doesn't have the density of fruit of some of the other 1994s, but is a very nice port. 87/100. 23 hour decant.