ThePortForum.com

Neil C. arranged, at the Boot and Flogger, a horizontal of 1997s, the first since a 1997 Maturity Evaluation on 16th June 2014.

Links:

• Review of the evening as a whole;
• 1997 Burmester;
• 1997 Quinta do Noval;
• 1997 Quinta do Noval Silval;
• 1997 Taylor;
• 1997 Fonseca;
• 1997 Croft Quinta da Roêda;
• 1997 Dow;
• 1997 Graham;
• 1997 Gould Campbell;
• 1997 Warre;
• 1997 Vesuvio;
• 1997 Smith Woodhouse;
• 1997 Quarles Harris;
• 1997 Martinez;
• 1997 Sandeman Vau;
• 1997 Ramos Pinto;
• 1997 Val da Figueira;
• 1997 Osborne;
• Planning and arrangements;
• Food order;
• Placemats (and in list of placemats).

Pre-tasting note:
Bottle supplied by WillW for this tasting.
Cork very soft, but came out in more or less one piece.
Double decanted at 0600 on morning of the tasting.
Some fine sediment.
Condition OK.

Dark brick red, 90% opaque. Floral tones to the sweet black cherry fruit nose. Delicious sweet redcurrant cordial fruit on the palate, at the lighter-bodied end of the scale of the wines at this tasting, but it still has a good tannic core sitting in the redcurrant. Slightly harsh aftertaste but this gives way to a fine and long fruit finish. This is drinking very well and should continue to do so for the next decade or two. 90/100.

Spicy cherries on the nose. Very spicy and tannic on the palate but with plenty of cherry fruit to carry it. Very young. Intriguing.

A beautiful garnet. Hint of rubber on the nose. Lushly fruited wine, fully ready.

55% opacity, dark red, slightly cloudy. Dryness and slightly raisined.