NV Edward Sheldon Ruby
Posted: 21:10 Tue 10 May 2022
Edward Sheldon is a wine merchant based in Shipston-on-Stour, established in 1842 and still trading today. The shop sits above a warren of old vaulted cellars which not only holds case after case of wine but also little bit of vinous history - like a boot and flogger machine. What I particularly like about Edward Sheldon Ltd is that the current owners don't sell online - if you want to buy wine from them, you have to visit the shop. And I strongly recommend you do, Their selection of wine is superb, prices are consistently within a few pounds of Wine-Searcher Pro UK low, the owners are very welcoming and you can wander round the cellars (or join one of their organised cellar tours). When I visited I was like a kid in a sweet shop so they made me a cup of coffee to sip while I wandered round choosing what to buy. One purchase was this bottle, I was curious to see how the current version performed of the historic brand "Edward Sheldon Hunting Port". Purchased for £12.75.
A standard ruby Port bottled specially for Edward Sheldon Ltd by Quinta & Vineyard Bottlers Lda. It is a soft red colour, having lost the youthful purple but with no signs of bricking so by eye I judge the wine to be a blend with an age of 8-10 years; opaque at the centre with a medium rim. The nose brings a lovely and generous violet and raspberry, perfume and sweet red fruit. The balance on the palate is wonderful. The fruit sits within a perfect basket of soft and ripe tannin on a cushion of gentle acidity. The tannins are so well balanced with the fruit that even as the fruit builds up on the mid-palate, so the tannins develop to match. The palate is mid-weight, the fruit elegant and very nicely mixing black and red. The aftertaste is all about a mouthful of fruit slowly fading to leave a very, very long liquorice root and blackcurrant which lasts longer than it takes to write this tasting note. This is wonderful value for money; I shall be buying more when I next visit! 90/100. Drunk 10-May-22. Decanted 2 hours.
A standard ruby Port bottled specially for Edward Sheldon Ltd by Quinta & Vineyard Bottlers Lda. It is a soft red colour, having lost the youthful purple but with no signs of bricking so by eye I judge the wine to be a blend with an age of 8-10 years; opaque at the centre with a medium rim. The nose brings a lovely and generous violet and raspberry, perfume and sweet red fruit. The balance on the palate is wonderful. The fruit sits within a perfect basket of soft and ripe tannin on a cushion of gentle acidity. The tannins are so well balanced with the fruit that even as the fruit builds up on the mid-palate, so the tannins develop to match. The palate is mid-weight, the fruit elegant and very nicely mixing black and red. The aftertaste is all about a mouthful of fruit slowly fading to leave a very, very long liquorice root and blackcurrant which lasts longer than it takes to write this tasting note. This is wonderful value for money; I shall be buying more when I next visit! 90/100. Drunk 10-May-22. Decanted 2 hours.
