Tue 24 November 2020 - A Tasting with Sophia Bergqvist

[JacobH]

Struggled to find as I very seldom come across this brand. Found out the agent is JN Wines and managed to get Quinta De La Rosa 2018 and LBV 2015. Have never tasted anything from this company.

This reminds me that when I was buying the wines for our wedding I had to get the de la Rosa ones over from Northern Ireland from JN Wines: I think we could have got the de la Rosa tinto in GB but only from Berry’s where the price was outrageous (something like a 30% premium on JN Wines). It’s odd that they have such a substantial contract to producer Waitrose-branded wines / Ports (and similar ones with Harvey Nicks and Berry’s etc.) but so little makes it here exclusively under their own name.

[Alex Bridgeman]

Struggled to find as I very seldom come across this brand. Found out the agent is JN Wines and managed to get Quinta De La Rosa 2018 and LBV 2015. Have never tasted anything from this company.

This reminds me that when I was buying the wines for our wedding I had to get the de la Rosa ones over from Northern Ireland from JN Wines: I think we could have got the de la Rosa tinto in GB but only from Berry’s where the price was outrageous (something like a 30% premium on JN Wines). It’s odd that they have such a substantial contract to producer Waitrose-branded wines / Ports (and similar ones with Harvey Nicks and Berry’s etc.) but so little makes it here exclusively under their own name.

Perhaps a topic to raise with Sophia on the 24th?

[Axel P]

Great topic. Had a telefone chat with Ana Rosas today and she also could not explain why there is no 66 RP. It was a tough time for the company, they had to sell certain Quintas and focussed on Tawnies.


Very sad

[Andy Velebil]

I've found two bottles for the tasting at a store near me, 10 yr tawny and a regular tawny. I bought both for the tasting.

only one (regular tawny) showed on their inventory but they also had one bottle of the 10 yr when I arrived. Double win for a producer that isn't easy to find in my parts.

[rich_n]

Good news! It seems I've managed to persuade my local wine shop to ship over a bottle of the 2014 LBV from their other store location. It should arrive on Tuesday afternoon so if that works out I will be drinking that. Otherwise I'll be sampling something of a different brand.

[Axel P]

I have a vast range of Sophia's Ports, but think that I will retaste 2011 as no one else does.

Maybe I will "coravin" a glass of 94 afterwards.

[Alex Bridgeman]

Good news! It seems I've managed to persuade my local wine shop to ship over a bottle of the 2014 LBV from their other store location. It should arrive on Tuesday afternoon so if that works out I will be drinking that. Otherwise I'll be sampling something of a different brand.

Excellent, I'll put the 2014 LBV on the list as the wine you'll be drinking. If it doesn't arrive in time then at least you might get to hear a litle more about it.

[Alex Bridgeman]

I've updated the list of what people will be drinking, missing only Will and Mike C.

Those of you I do not regularly email, please drop me a private message with your email address so I can invite you to the Zoom call with Sophia on Tuesday.

[rich_n]

Good news! It seems I've managed to persuade my local wine shop to ship over a bottle of the 2014 LBV from their other store location. It should arrive on Tuesday afternoon so if that works out I will be drinking that. Otherwise I'll be sampling something of a different brand.

Excellent, I'll put the 2014 LBV on the list as the wine you'll be drinking. If it doesn't arrive in time then at least you might get to hear a litle more about it.

Thanks Alex.

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[Axel P]

I think Sophia would be impressed by the lineup we are having in total. Time to get over Covid and have a proper glass of everything in good company.

[Alex Bridgeman]

The Zoom link and invite has just gone out to everyone. If anyone has not received it, check your junk and then post here to say it's not arrived.

[idj123]

Could I change horses please? Was in Waitrose today and purchased a bottle of the Waitrose blend 2017 VP and so I will opt for that instead (as I don't believe that anyone else has).

[JacobH]

Could I change horses please? Was in Waitrose today and purchased a bottle of the Waitrose blend 2017 VP and so I will opt for that instead (as I don't believe that anyone else has).

You shouldn't have said that! Now I'm going to have to make an emergency trip to Waitrose for [my essential shopping and] a 2017 to add to the 2015...

[idj123]

Could I change horses please? Was in Waitrose today and purchased a bottle of the Waitrose blend 2017 VP and so I will opt for that instead (as I don't believe that anyone else has).

You shouldn't have said that! Now I'm going to have to make an emergency trip to Waitrose for [my essential shopping and] a 2017 to add to the 2015...

Not in the 20% and 25% discounts I mention elsewhere but I didn't think that £34.99 was too bad.

[Alex Bridgeman]

Could I change horses please? Was in Waitrose today and purchased a bottle of the Waitrose blend 2017 VP and so I will opt for that instead (as I don't believe that anyone else has).

Sure, no problem at all.

Sophia already has a list of who is drinking what so I think it best if you mention on our call that you have an extra (or different) bottle.

[uncle tom]

I've rather neglected this section of the forum over the past few months..

..I do have a couple of bottles of old De la Rosa LBV that Sophia sent over at the beginning of the year - waiting for a tasting occasion that has not been possible to arrange yet.

[Alex Bridgeman]

I've rather neglected this section of the forum over the past few months..

..I do have a couple of bottles of old De la Rosa LBV that Sophia sent over at the beginning of the year - waiting for a tasting occasion that has not been possible to arrange yet.

Tom, I'll email you the Zoom link

And please reply to my earlier email, and text...!

[JacobH]

Could I change horses please? Was in Waitrose today and purchased a bottle of the Waitrose blend 2017 VP and so I will opt for that instead (as I don't believe that anyone else has).

You shouldn't have said that! Now I'm going to have to make an emergency trip to Waitrose for [my essential shopping and] a 2017 to add to the 2015...

Not in the 20% and 25% discounts I mention elsewhere but I didn't think that £34.99 was too bad.

It explains why the 2015 was £10 off at £25: they were obviously trying to clear it out before stocking the new vintage! I think we will run all four wines (2 × DOC and 2 × VP) through the coravin: should make for an entertaining tasting!

[Axel P]

Much looking forward to seeing you all tonight. Will be a tough wine of the night choice

[Alex Bridgeman]

Please could you post here the time when you decant your wine for this evening’s tasting. Seeing Rich and George post elsewhere made me realise it would be nice to have a record.

I decanted my 1997 VP at 08.30.

[Axel P]

Popped the corc at 10, will decant the 2011 now.

[Andy Velebil]

I have two tawny’s so no pre decanting needed.

[rich_n]

Please could you post here the time when you decant your wine for this evening’s tasting. Seeing Rich and George post elsewhere made me realise it would be nice to have a record.

I decanted my 1997 VP at 08.30.

I decanted the 2014 LBV at 10:30pm last night.

[uncle tom]

I'm going to save the sample bottles for a future occasion when they can be properly shared.

As no-one else seems to be opening one, I'll pop a Rebello '66..

[akzy]

2015 VP (waitrose) decanted at 9;15 am this morning.

[forest26]

1992 QdlR decanted at 16:00 (a little late).

[jdaw1]

AHB, NAC, JDAW, GEAG, SCD, PW will all have Tawny, 1988VP, 1994VP, 2015VP(Waitrose).

ParcelForce have failed: SMS said 09:15 to 10:15; at 15:03 delivery was attempted to the wrong address.

A modest bottle from a larger company will fail to substitute.

[nac]

AHB, NAC, JDAW, GEAG, SCD, PW will all have Tawny, 1988VP, 1994VP, 2015VP(Waitrose).

ParcelForce have failed: SMS said 09:15 to 10:15; at 15:03 delivery was attempted to the wrong address.

A modest bottle from a larger company will fail to substitute.

Apologies for the failure of my logistics supplier. I shall attempt to get a refund of the carriage charge.

[uncle tom]

Rebello '66 decanted 6.30

[Axel P]

I received my La Rosa parcel this morning...

[Axel P]

Thank you Alex for organising.

Great to see you all again. Miss you. Stay safe.

Much looking forward to our next glas together.

[PhilW]

Many thanks also to both Alex for organising, and for Neil for arranging and sharing some ports for this tasting - much appreciated, thank you both.

[Andy Velebil]

Wonderful seeing everyone. And thanks to Alex for organizing!

[rich_n]

Thanks Alex for organising, it was a lovely evening. Great to catch up with you all, hopefully we'll have another one in December if possible.

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[winesecretary]

That was a great fun evening, with informative and amusing commentary from Sophia and the audience, and some delicious ports. It was lovely to see you all.

[Justin K]

Thanks Sophia and Alex, a great introduction to Quinta De La Rosa Wines and Port. Definitely looking out for them now. Enjoyed the night.

[Alex Bridgeman]

Out of interest, is there anyone in particular people would like to have join us for a tasting? No promises, but we can always ask.

[jdaw1]

A day late, but nonetheless…

Rs88: dark red, 70% opaque. Thin nose, lacking fruit, with a hint of saccharine. Palate sour and acidic. Sweetness remains; no fruit. Long, but of nothing. Sorry, not liked.

Rs94: red, pink at edge, 70% opaque. Nose not strong, with red grape and sweetness. Plata starts soft, then a mite little Tayloresque grit. Red grape, dry but not very dry, and long with that same red grape. I think this style of Port used to be called “feminine”. I think the ParcelForce delay has left this one-decanted: it might have been more complex yesterday.

Ws15: dark dark red, 80% opaque. Palate very sticky, with blackcurrant and, behind, red grape. Despite the stickiness mid-weight, most of its strength being early and mid. This is lovely for drinking now.

[idj123]

A big thank-you to Alex for organising and to Sophia, who is always engaging.Continuing to drink the 2017 tonight and it's softening out lovely. Will be going back to Waitrose to buy more...

[winesecretary]

@ Alex - Would be really nice to get Johnny Graham out to play. The 2000 Churchill was absolutely gobsmacking when I had it early this year.

[JacobH]

We really enjoyed this evening. Thank you very much to Alex for arranging it and for Sophia for taking part.

One of the few good things about 2020 has been the number of online events with people in the Port industry and think Sophia was more interesting than almost anyone else I have heard.

We tried the 2016 Tinto, 2016 DouROSA, 2015 Waitrose Blend VP and 2017 Vintage Ports.

I like the 2016 Tinto a lot which seems to me to be quite a serious wine that needs some more age. Although it is a similar blend, the DouROSA always seems to be a touch simple by comparison.

I really enjoyed both the 2015 and 2017 Vintage Ports, although I don’t think you could describe either of them as possessing traditional Vintage Port characteristics. Both have lovely noses (marzipan on the 2015 and elderflower on the 2017) but very little obvious tannin or acidity. They are also missing the classical “grapyness” that is often present on young Vintage Ports. It will be interesting to see if they have the long term staying power or not. But it also seems perfectly acceptable to drink them young, now.

Incidentally, when I asked Sophia about her views on the QdlR “house style” for Port, she said that she looked to making them on the drier side. Has anyone come across a wine maker who says they like making their Ports on the “sweeter side”? I don’t think her’s have a notable dry finish to them (as might be the case with, say, Dow, Noval or Churchill) and I am beginning to wonder whether there is an element of the champagne industry to this, where people are reluctant to admit they like the sweetness in the wine and think saying that it is drier makes it sound more sophisticated?

[JacobH]

Out of interest, is there anyone in particular people would like to have join us for a tasting? No promises, but we can always ask.

Many years ago, I spoke to the lady who ran Quinta do Infantado (Paula Roseira, perhaps?) who I thought was really interesting: they were probably the first Quinta to go independent in the modern era; they’ve done a whole load of interesting experiments (like single-varietal Port, I think) and have quite a different approach to Port making. I’d love to have a proper chance to hear about their history. Does anyone know anyone there?

I’d also be interested to hear from someone who is responsible for a more tawny-centric house. Like the chaps who are running Quinta do Mourão but I don’t think I’ve met any of them.

[nac]

Out of interest, is there anyone in particular people would like to have join us for a tasting? No promises, but we can always ask.

Echo George’s idea for Churchill.
What about Vale Donna Maria or Wine & Soul?

[Axel P]

I’d also be interested to hear from someone who is responsible for a more tawny-centric house. Like the chaps who are running Quinta do Mourão but I don’t think I’ve met any of them.

I am currently in line organising something with them. If successful, I will certainly let you know.

All best

Axel

[benread]

@ Alex - Would be really nice to get Johnny Graham out to play. The 2000 Churchill was absolutely gobsmacking when I had it early this year.

I thought the QdlR was quite similar in style to Churchill’s. Both are houses I have tried properly for the first time and both I have enjoyed a lot. I think dryer styles are my preference it seems!


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[JacobH]

I’d also be interested to hear from someone who is responsible for a more tawny-centric house. Like the chaps who are running Quinta do Mourão but I don’t think I’ve met any of them.

I am currently in line organising something with them. If successful, I will certainly let you know.

That would be great! Fingers crossed...