2009 Abacela Port – 375ml. Produced in Oregon. 46% Tinta Roriz, 19% Tinta Amarela, 18% Barstardo, 11% Tinta Cão, 6% Touriga Nacional. Nice garnet-purple in color. Sour cherry, blood orange, light cocoa powder, and a hint of cranberry on the nose. Entry of tart red fruits, immediately followed by pronounced tannins and noticeable acidity. There are some unrefined sugars also present on the palate. Rich, full-bodied with the acidity lingering all the way through the long finish. 88 points.
2016 Abacela Port – 375ml. Produced in Oregon. 36% Tinta Roriz, 20% Tinta Amarela, 16% Touriga Nacional, 14% Barstardo, 14% Tinta Cão. Dark, almost opaque in color with purple some hints of cola. Cool, crushed red fruits with cranberry jam on the nose. Rich, intense mouthfeel with chocolate and red fruit notes, backed by pronounced tannins. Just a touch of bitterness on the very long finish. 89 points.
1983 Warre Vintage Port – Purple-amber in color. Clear with some very fine sediment. Dusty red fruit on the nose with light red currant and cocoa powder. Medium-bodied with cranberry, boysenberry, and hints of cassis. Medium sweetness. This is a subtle wine with a medium finish. More elegant style. 90 points.
2000 Gould Campbell Vintage Port – Very dark, red-purple in color. Cake batter on the nose with some tart and sour red fruit underneath. The buttery nose eventually evolved in the glass into slightly more red fruit notes. Noticeable but not overwhelming tannins riding a knife’s edge of balance that are beautiful and carry from the entry to the end of the very long finish. Red fruits, cranberry, boysenberry, and light notes of dried herbs on the palate. Cranberry and good acidity on the long finish. 92 points.
1983 Krohn Colheita Port – Bottled in 2013. Very dark amber-brown in color with yellow on the edges. Noticeable VA on the initial nose, with celery, vegetative notes, and some caramel underneath. As the wine got more air, the celery notes blew off a little bit but still seemed slightly off. On the palate, there is burnt sugar, caramel, dried pineapple, and a sweet flavor profile. On the finish, there is still a touch of celery but this is an interesting, funky port. 89 points.
Quinta do Vallado 50 Year Old Tawny Port – Bottled in 2022. 500ml. If I recall correctly this blend has 8% of 1888 Tawny Port in it. Clear, amber-orange in color. Salted caramel and dried nuts on the nose. Rich intensity with maple syrup, dried nuts, and light orange spice. Extremely well-integrated and smooth-drinking. Very long finish. 95 points.
Sandeman 30 Year Old Tawny Port – Bottled in 2015. Very clear, medium amber-yellow in color. Sweet toffee, some light spirit, and butterscotch on the nose. Smooth entry with a nice sweet flavor profile of dried nuts, Christmas spice, and caramel. Slightly drier style. Nice long finish. 94 points.
1974 Quevedo Colheita Port – Bottled in 2020. Amber-ruby in color. Clear. Dusty dried fruits with cinnamon and nutmeg on the nose. Rich, intense flavor profile with orange spice, bright acidity, and caramel. Great acidity and body weight, making this a real pleasure to sit and sip. It is a smooth, lovely old Colheita with a very long finish. 96 points.
João Nicolau de Almeida e Filhos Light Dry White Port – This wine’s score suffered from coming at the end of our tasting of ruby and tawny Ports, as well as the warmer temperature it was at by the time we tasted it at the end of the evening. Clear, light straw in color. Dried fruit, vanilla, honeysuckle, and dried Peach on the nose. It is drier in style, and while I normally get lemon, orange, and dried nuts on this wine, it was lacking both in aromatics and those complex flavors. Still great structure, just not a good showing of this bottle due to its position in the lineup. 88 points.
