Aged Ruby/Tawny

[smisse]

Hi All,

I came accross an interesting sale of 25 yr old ruby and tawny ports. These are the standard ports which you can find in all supermarkets but have been untouched for at least 25 years.

Ports included are:
Van Zellers - Tawny
Van Zellers - Ruby
Croft - Fine Tawny
Kopke - Reserve Tawny
Smith Woodhouse - Tawny or Ruby (I doubt it is the Lodge Reserve but it does show 2 words before "port")

Does any of you has experience with non vintage port ageing in bottles for that long? Do they improve over time or not at all?

Dries

[JacobH]

Does any of you has experience with non vintage port ageing in bottles for that long? Do they improve over time or not at all?

We debated this not long ago, and the thread from them might be of interest.

I think it firmly depends on what you like in your Port. I’ve quite liked the few bottle-matured Rubies and Tawnies that I’ve had, as I think it takes the young edge of these Ports, but that might not be to everyone’s taste. Ideally they become smoother and mellower but I think some people regard that as undesirable tiredness!

There also seems to be quite a bit of bottle variation so I wouldn’t pay very much for these bottles (if you are buying them individually, I think the same cost as a new one is a reasonable price--although that may horrify the auction junkies who would buy them for almost nothing!).

Incidentally, I would avoid aged basic whites at all costs

[uncle tom]

Strange timing Dries, as this weekend I am drinking a Noval 10yr that was bottled in 1984...

The wine is exceptionally smooth, was quite pale when first decanted (but has since darkened) - and is perfectly clear. There was a modest amount of fine gritty sediment.

While I don't have a new bottle to compare it to, I would be very surprised if a fresh bottling was as smooth as this. There is no evidence of tertiary characteristics.

I don't have any more of the '84 bottling, but do have a couple that were bottled in '85; so if someone would like to bring a fresh bottle of 10yr Noval to an offline, I will match it with an oldie to compare.!

Tom

[RonnieRoots]

For my liking, filtered rubies and tawnies do not get better with age in the bottle. They will change, but not necessarily for the better. They might still be drinkable as well, but that's pretty much a question of luck. I would say, try them if they are dead cheap. But if they are not... leave them.

Non-filtered species are a completely different story, and I must say that I haven't got a clue if the Van Zellers ruby is filtered or not, same for the Kopke reserve.

[Alex Bridgeman]

It's the sort of thing that is worth buying and trying if the price is right. Only after you have tried them will you know whether the changes which occur with extra bottle age are ones which you enjoy or not.

Do you like your colheita freshly bottled or older bottlings? Do you like your (late bottled) vintage port young or old?

[Andy Velebil]

Ronnie and Alex are spot on. If the price is cheap I'd buy them as curiosities, just so you could experience what an aged basic Port is like. The best part of wine collecting is trying old and obscure bottles.

As for me, I'm with Ronnie. I've yet to see one significantly improve with time in bottle. In my experience they tend to get very soft and simple, with some aged notes coming through. Still enjoyable though if you approach it with the right mind.

[smisse]

Thanks for the feedback all.
I'll leave these then since they are not cheap enough to take the risk (8EUR/bottle- min 10 bottles).
I have still a 10yr old 10yr old which I will try soon and compare with a new one