Wed 2nd November 2022 - Taylor Terra Feita vertical and friends

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akzy
Warre’s Otima 10 year old Tawny
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Wed 2nd November 2022 - Taylor Terra Feita vertical and friends

Post by akzy »

We had a vertical of the modern age Taylor Terra Feita.

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Wine of the night

1st place - 91 Terra Feita (11 points)
=2nd - 01 Vargellas (10 points)
=2nd - 95 Vargellas (10 points)
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akzy
Warre’s Otima 10 year old Tawny
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Re: Wed 2nd November 2022 - Taylor Terra Feita vertical and friends

Post by akzy »

As seen by the scoring, a very tight race. Nothing particularly stood out but decent, if not, mediocre wines. As GEAG noted, this is one of the most unusual tastings we've had in the sense that the youngest wines scored very strongly. The older ones have fallen off which doesn't give much hope if you want these to stand the test of time.

In dual years (i.e. Vargellas and Terra Feita), the scoring shows the team most often preferred the Vargellas. Whilst I found the structure for pleasing for the Vargellas the palate for the Terra Feita's I did find the flavour came through stronger (especially in the 01 Terra Feita with a lovely fruity blackcurrant followed by a hint of almonds).

A thorough enjoyable evening and many thanks to GEAG for organising this. A special thanks also to NAC, Taylor Fladgate Partnership, Mentzendorff, Corney & Barrow for procuring the 91 Terra Feita which was the wine of the night.
Also great to have two new faces join (even if I did drag one of them myself).
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flash_uk
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Re: Wed 2nd November 2022 - Taylor Terra Feita vertical and friends

Post by flash_uk »

Many thanks to George for organising, also great to see new faces -welcome!

With the exception of the most young on show, I found that almost all of these ports fell into one of two camps, based on acidity. Either the acidity was slightly to the fore, driving something of a lack of balance to the port, or, the acidity had receded, leaving a flabby and generally flat one-dimensional port. Other things of note: surprised by both the '87s...not sure these bottles are representative; the TF91, both '95s and the '01s all scored well, so perhaps 20-30 years old is the window for these single quintas. I suspect GM87, 95, 01 would have fared well also.

Finally, in my book even the best on show here don't come close to a declared vintage. Those port bonds that offer the single quinta in non-declared years...no.
winesecretary
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Re: Wed 2nd November 2022 - Taylor Terra Feita vertical and friends

Post by winesecretary »

A revised version of the scores once Simon had untangled his 1987s - the 1987 TTF now has no votes.
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winesecretary
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Re: Wed 2nd November 2022 - Taylor Terra Feita vertical and friends

Post by winesecretary »

I am grateful to all of you for your contributions to this learning experience. This was a delightful opportunity to see everyone again but the port was moderate. I found it difficult to score and my points were distributed from the oldest to the youngest. But collectively we can say with some certainty that these are ports best drunk from 15 to 30 years old. I do not think I have ever attended a port tasting where half the top six were 21 or younger.
PhilW
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Re: Wed 2nd November 2022 - Taylor Terra Feita vertical and friends

Post by PhilW »

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PhilW
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Re: Wed 2nd November 2022 - Taylor Terra Feita vertical and friends

Post by PhilW »

Thanks to George for suggesting and organising this, and everyone else who helped. While there were no real star wines in this tasting, it was interesting to compare the two vineyards across a range of ages.

The '91s and '95s were certainly the best of the wines on the night; there was some debate as to whether the single quinta wines might perhaps have less aging potential, thus the older ones having passed their peak, or else whether it might simply be that the wines improved again after the lack-lustre '80s; I suspect this will continue to be a good topic for debate. I generally preferred the Feita over the Vargellas in the years that both were made; the Vargellas seemed to typically have more backbone but less flavour and slightly hotter, while the Feitas were generally softer with more delicate complexity.

I also tried a couple of quick experiments with a handy syringe... I made a quick blend of the TV+TF for both the '91s and '95s; in '91 I preferred the TF over my Taylor blend; in '95 I thought my Taylor blend was about equal with the two separate wines. Both attempts were a simple 50/50, and I suspect I could have improved both with more time and wine, but perhaps best to leave the TF '91 as is; but the '95 could perhaps have made a better, blended wine. I did also make a TF-all-vintages-crusted blend using a very small (equal) amount of each TF present; the blend was enjoyable, but nothing special; which generally reflected the wines of the evening.

Overall an interesting evening for port geekery; the food was also particularly good on this evening, as well as the excellent company.
winesecretary
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Re: Wed 2nd November 2022 - Taylor Terra Feita vertical and friends

Post by winesecretary »

I second Phil's analysis that (my paraphrase) Vargellas provides the backbone and heat and Terra Feita provides the lush fruit.

I also think that I would prefer Taylor's full vintage, in any vintage from the 80s or 90s, to any of these - the much-vaunted TV87 included (although the 1983 only slightly above the TV91 in quality, and less reliable).
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Glenn E.
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Re: Wed 2nd November 2022 - Taylor Terra Feita vertical and friends

Post by Glenn E. »

It is shocking to me that TV87 did not win this tasting by a landslide. Here in the US it is generally considered one of the top 3 Ports of the 1980s, and while yes the 1980s were a down period for TFP that particular Port was not. TV87 is difficult to find in the US (for a reasonable price, and sometimes at all), but I buy them every time I can find them. It is an outstanding Port. I must assume that your bottle was slightly off, as tied for 7th out of 15 would have only barely seemed reasonable to me if the tasting had been of the best 15 Ports from the 80s and 90s. Amongst only TV and TTF? Inconceivable!

I find no fault with the rest of the rankings. Both '95s are excellent, as is '91 TF. It seems that I need to find and try an '01 TF now, too!

A most excellent tasting. I wish I could have been there!
Glenn Elliott
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flash_uk
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Re: Wed 2nd November 2022 - Taylor Terra Feita vertical and friends

Post by flash_uk »

winesecretary wrote: 17:50 Fri 04 Nov 2022I also think that I would swap Taylor's full vintage, in any vintage from the 80s or 90s, for any of these - the much-vaunted TV87 included (although the 1983 is close).
Did you mean to say you WOULD or WOULDN'T swap?
winesecretary
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Re: Wed 2nd November 2022 - Taylor Terra Feita vertical and friends

Post by winesecretary »

@ flash - edited for clarity!
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