1970 Martinez

[jdaw1]

Links:

• Review of evening as a whole;
• 1970 Martinez;
• 1980 Graham;
• 1982 Croft;
• 1990 Warre Cavadinha;
• 1991 Fonseca Guimaraens;
• 1991 Quinta do Noval;
• 1991 Quinta de Roriz;
• 1991 Smith Woodhouse;
• 2003 Colmaça;
• 2003 Vale Dona Maria;
• 2005 Osborne LBV;
• NV Dow’s Icon Reserve;
• Planning and arrangements;
• Placemats.

[Alex Bridgeman]

Gentle red colour, showing maturity; 50% opaque. A slight smell of VA or perhaps bake on the nose initially, but this blew off with time in the glass to leave cloves and cinnamon and red cherries. Rich entry, mouthfilling fruit that is just starting to dry out but still has a big presence. Swallowing reveals red cherry and a lovely cedar bite before a long finish. Delicious port. Guesses were Graham 1970, Warre 1983, Croft 1983, Taylor 1977 and Graham 1977. 90/100. Decanted 3 hours.

[RAYC]

A great, beautifully mature wine with nice gentle complexity and plenty of secondary characteristics. Smooth and long. In my opinion the one true 90-pointer of the evening for current drinking purposes.

Will be on the look-out for this.