Bad Brandy?

[Axel P]

Sometimes when I am tasting Ports (Tawnies and Vintage Port) I do encounter a brandy-taste which I am a) not happy about and b) which seems that the Brandy has not at all integrated in the Port. At first I thought that the respective producer did something wrong at the Port-making-process, but last year in the Douro things became more obvious to me.

It all began with a aguadente-tasting that Bento Amaral, the IVDP chief's taster organised with me. The task was to taste 7 different aguadentes and pick the one that should not be used for Port. In this tasting it was fairly easy for me to get this one out as it possesed the exact flavors that disturbed me over the years in the various Ports, thinking something went wrong in the Port-making-process.

Later at my stay in the Douro I could confirm this with David Guimaraens who is extremely keen to choose the correct Port for each of the Ports that his company produces (he did his master thesis on this subject when studying in Australia)

So - sitting here over a bottle of Cockburn 75, which has exactly this phenomenon - I though sharing this experience and getting some feedback might not make the faulty bottles better, but understand the whole subject more.

Axel

[Andy Velebil]

Prior to the producers being able to source their own brandy they had to buy it from the IVP (now IVDP). I don't recall what year that changed, anyone know? My understanding is in the past, and prior to the change, it was quite hard at times to get top notch brandy for the upper end Ports.

And there are varying qualities of brandy which are priced accordingly. I was told to make Pink Port TFP had to end up using the same top quality brandy they use for their best VP's. Hence one reason why it's a bit expensive but also why it doesn't come off as being overly alcoholic.

[mosesbotbol]

Was it 1972 which had bad brandy and had to be dumped?

[Axel P]

Dont know about the 70s, but I believe it was a year between 1910 and 1920 when they used the Kartoffelschnaps from Germany which ruined the whole lot.

I still feel gulty about this.

Axel

[DRT]

Dont know about the 70s, but I believe it was a year between 1910 and 1920 when they used the Kartoffelschnaps from Germany which ruined the whole lot.

I still feel gulty about this.

Axel

I've never heard that story. Please expand!!

Derek

[Cynthia J]

I just happen to have been reading my Richard Mayson on this very subject this evening... according to him, the industrial alcohol incident affected 1972, 1973 and 1974, and although harmless the Casa do Douro bought up large quantities of the affected wines. He also says the state monopoly on aguardente continued to 1990.

[Axel P]

It was told by some producers (cant recall by whom exactly) and when I mentioned this at the IVDP everybody was nodding so I suppose the also know about it. Since it was German aguadente I did not want to go into this too deep in order to avoid being the guy to mock for the rest of the day. But I will continue this story when I find out more.

Axel

[g-man]

It was told by some producers (cant recall by whom exactly) and when I mentioned this at the IVDP everybody was nodding so I suppose the also know about it. Since it was German aguadente I did not want to go into this too deep in order to avoid being the guy to mock for the rest of the day. But I will continue this story when I find out more.

Axel

I wonder if it was an individual house,

I recall reading that the casa do douro wasn't formed until the 30s by Salazar which probably meant it wasn't an industry wide thing.

[Axel P]

Gman,

my impression was something like "the whole harvest was ruined".

I will find out more and let you guys know.

Axel

[DRT]

Axel,

Was this something to do with the first world war?

It seems logical that at some point between 1914 and 1918 there would have been a German influence on the alcohol available in mainland Europe. It would be fascinating to get to the root of this story as it is not something that seems to be well known in the Port world.

Derek