ThePortForum.com

I was meant to go to Portugal with friends. On the Sunday five days before my intended departure a child caught covid, and by the Wednesday I had the lurgy. My holiday didn’t happen.

A mystery sample was sent to me. It came in a 5cl bottle, filled to the top so very little air. As I was ill, it was refrigerated at 2°C. Five weeks later, today Tue 26 Oct 2021, I being well, at 3pm it was removed from the fridge, and at 6pm opened and poured into a glass.

TN: Red to dark red. 60% opaque. Lovely strong nose, bitterness and dark cherries. Palate big and soft, the same bitterness and dark cherries showing strongly mid to late. Large and full, with dry grip very late. Long aftertaste. This is proper Port. Lovely. And the 2°C holding seems to have held it in a good state.

I thank DRT for sending, who revealed it to be Quinta das Liceiras Vintage 1993 from a half bottle. I was surprised, and can truthfully say that it showed identically to every other 1993 VP and every other Quinta das Liceiras that I have tasted. (Yes, you have guessed.)

I too had the chance to taste a blind sample from this half bottle, although mine was tasted merely sixteen hours after it was decanted. I was also extremely surprised when I found out what this delicious glass of Port in front of me was.

Quinta das Liceiras 1993, from half bottle. Served blind. A lovely mature red colour, 70% opaque - just what mature Vintage Port should look like. Lovely cedar wood and redcurrant jelly on the nose. The beauty and elegance of the wine shows on the entry. Absolutely delicious, balanced and beautifully mature, blending mature dried red fruit with dates and figs. The figs and dried redcurrant blossom on the aftertaste, turning slowly to a delicious cranberry on the long finish. Absolutely fabulous. 92/100. Served blind, was guessed to be Cockburn 1960. Decanted 16 hours.

These are excellent tasting notes. I am glad the tradition of posting odd things to Julian continues!

Alex: I presume you can buy a Cockburn 1960 for a similar price to a 1993 Quinta as Liceiras. Which one would you choose?

The samples tasted by jdaw1 and AHB were from this half bottle, which was decanted at 22:00 on 23rd September...
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I did not take a tasting note at the time but was very surprise by the quality of this Port, which is from a virtually unknown Quinta and from perhaps the worst vintage in recorded history. I am very pleased to still have 23 half bottles

JacobH wrote: ↑17:36 Tue 26 Oct 2021I am glad the tradition of posting odd things to Julian continues!

So am I.

I think the lesson here is that even the worst year in the Douro can produce quality vintage Port.

MigSU wrote: ↑20:41 Tue 26 Oct 2021I think the lesson here is that even the worst year in the Douro can produce quality vintage Port.

Agreed. I had believed that 1993 was full of soggy mould, with one dodgy declaration for the birthdays. But I was wrong: actually “proper Port”.

jdaw1 wrote: ↑20:47 Tue 26 Oct 2021

MigSU wrote: ↑20:41 Tue 26 Oct 2021I think the lesson here is that even the worst year in the Douro can produce quality vintage Port.

Agreed. I had believed that 1993 was full of soggy mould, with one dodgy declaration for the birthdays. But I was wrong: actually “proper Port”.

Does anyone know the winemaker for this Port? Would be interesting to find out how they managed to do it when everyone else clearly struggled.

I too tried this blind. From memory it was advanced in color, a touch simple but still had some pleasant fruit and mostly resolved tannins. If memory serves, I guessed it to be older than it’s true age by a decent margin with the comment of in a good spot to start enjoying. A real treat to try such a rare Port from a horrible year. I agree, someone always makes a decent port even in a bad year.