Warre was actually the first British Port House, established all the way back in 1670.
The first guy named Warre, though, didn't join the company until 1729...
Also owned by the Symington family, mentioned in the previous review of the Dow.
You can read more about the Warre House history on their website
This review will also conclude the Port section this time around.
As Port are usually drunk alot around Xmas time, its likely I'll revisit a few around that time...
Warre Vintage Port 1970, 20%
Decanted 2½ hours
Colour:
A light wine to look at, and also pour...reminds me of 'Ribena' blackcurrant juice when pouring. Otherwise I'd compare it to a very light table wine in appearance. During those 2½ hours of decanting the colour went from table wine red to a slightly brownish hue, especially on the edge of the wine... impressive change!
Nose:
First out of the bottle before decanting it was MASSIVE! Red fruits by the truckloads, now 4 hours later it's still fruity but alcohol is coming through as well, but is very multi layered - think maybe the nose as become more Colheita-styled as it's gotten some airtime (don't worry I not throwing it around) I'm also finding something I would describe as cask notes as from old whisky.
Taste:
Mid-palate arrival, strawberries - alot! think some may find it a little hot? I find it drying... maybe some licorice, also thinking maybe converting your mum's cookie jar to a taste, (Vanilla?)
Finish:
Long, ...yeah, well Loooong, the fruits/grapes lingering, sugars hanging on, coating the mouth, goes on and on and...on
When I uncorked this one, the cork was wet 3/4 through and I thought I'd lost it and the first nose dip into the bottle said cork, but fortunately this was not the case.
Cork also crumbled 2/3's down upon extraction, but managed to get the rest out by gently applying the cork screw again. Also a lot of depót in this one...the tea filter filled up nicely
93/100! - Could drink this all night!
Showing posts with label Ports. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ports. Show all posts
Wednesday, 18 July 2012
Tuesday, 17 July 2012
PORT WINE SPECIAL - DOWS VINTAGE 1991
Dow is another of the great Port Houses of the Douro Valley.
Founded in 1798 it has an unusual story since it started its business the other way around compared to British merchants at the time, who came to Portugal. Instead, the Portuguese merchant Bruno Da Silva settled in London and started his business from there instead.
Even the Napoleonic wars didn't stop Da Silva. He then fitted his ships with guns so they, under their own protection, could carry their cargo of fine Ports across the Bay of Biscay to England - a bold move in times where other Port companies saw their sales dwindle.
Its another rather prestigious producer today owned by the Symington family...this family though, has - to my knowledge - no connection with the Symington in the whisky industry.
Dows Vintage Port 1991 20%
Decanted:
4½ hours, cork only wet 3mm in - extracts in 1 piece
Appearance:
Dark cherry red with a slight watery rim showing
Nose:
Good rounded nose with almost no alcohol, a tad simple maybe, with fresh must and a little mint and tobacco notes?
Taste:
Slightly tannic hit on arrival, then rounds off, baskets of blackcurrant and some cocoa notes, slightly drying, Alcohol very well integrated
Finish:
Get a little over on apples, acids, then back to currants, chocolate covered almonds, maybe? but definitely almonds on the finish after 7½ hours
Comments:
Very very nice surprise, this one...
Note to myself: try and get another one of these and maybe leave it for 3-5y
91/100!
Founded in 1798 it has an unusual story since it started its business the other way around compared to British merchants at the time, who came to Portugal. Instead, the Portuguese merchant Bruno Da Silva settled in London and started his business from there instead.
Even the Napoleonic wars didn't stop Da Silva. He then fitted his ships with guns so they, under their own protection, could carry their cargo of fine Ports across the Bay of Biscay to England - a bold move in times where other Port companies saw their sales dwindle.
Its another rather prestigious producer today owned by the Symington family...this family though, has - to my knowledge - no connection with the Symington in the whisky industry.
Dows Vintage Port 1991 20%
Decanted:
4½ hours, cork only wet 3mm in - extracts in 1 piece
Appearance:
Dark cherry red with a slight watery rim showing
Nose:
Good rounded nose with almost no alcohol, a tad simple maybe, with fresh must and a little mint and tobacco notes?
Taste:
Slightly tannic hit on arrival, then rounds off, baskets of blackcurrant and some cocoa notes, slightly drying, Alcohol very well integrated
Finish:
Get a little over on apples, acids, then back to currants, chocolate covered almonds, maybe? but definitely almonds on the finish after 7½ hours
Comments:
Very very nice surprise, this one...
Note to myself: try and get another one of these and maybe leave it for 3-5y
91/100!
Sunday, 15 July 2012
PORT WINE SPECIAL - CALEM VINTAGE 1985
Founded in 1859 by Antonio Alves Calem, the company back then exported wines to Brazil and brought back exotic woods in return. All this was done by their own fleet of ships and this is why the company logo still features the 3-masted 'Caravel'.
Porto Calem was family owned for 4 generation, but is owned today by Sogevinus, SGPS, SA who also owns several companies within the Port and DOC Douro wine trade. They also run a distribution network and several tourist projects with in the Port trade.
CALEM VINTAGE 1985 20%
No bottle picture available
Decanted 4 hours:
Appearance:
Slightly unclear, Deep dark red with a slight hint of orange to the edge
Nose:
A little alcohol, some dampened down wine, prune juice?
Taste:
Again pretty closed, but loads of dark berries lurking in the background, no real alcohol attack as on the nose - just a nice hot berry feel to it. Real fruit concentrate!
Finish:
Way above average IMHO - and better than the reviews it's been getting, I think Also Slightly tannic/drying on the finish - I like the laid back style to this one...
Note:
Don't chill this one too much - it'll loose it's complexity!
Comments:
I like this - alot!
24 hours after decanting:
An entirely different beast on the nose
Nose:
It's gone all traditional earthen-floor dunnage warehouse with a slightly chemical hint to it (in a strange, but good way!) A little alcohol + the fruits have almost disappeared with only few dark but concentrated berries left. Also maybe some exotic spices to be found, like the ones you get in a good curry? The prune juice from yesterday has completely gone.
Taste:
Now extremely mild, the grapes seems fantastically integrated with the alcohol, some would maybe even say one-dimensional?? But I like it! If you think a slight bitter blackcurrant marmalade...?
Finish:
More from the taste goes here - but with a tannic hit/drying that prolongs notes from the taste
87/100!
Saturday, 14 July 2012
PORT WINE SPECIAL - NIEPOORT LBV 2004
The final Niepoort in this Port Special:
Notes after 3 hours in the decanter and 3 pours back and forth from the decanter as well
Niepoort LBV 2004, 20%, bottled 2008
Colour:
Dark red, like freshly squeezed blackcurrant juice – a very, very ‘heavy feel’ to the wine, almost oily
Nose:
Slightly drying on the nose, cherries maybe, cinnamon? Getting a faint hint of old cellar here as well
Taste:
Wow, I find this extremely difficult to pick apart, but initially it feels like an all cherries show with maybe some dark chocolates? Maybe some of that drying cinnamon notes too...
Finish:
Extremely drying/tannic, right to the edge but the fruits is still in place…
This is a hard one to rate... I think needs some more time to breathe.
85/100!
Notes after 3 hours in the decanter and 3 pours back and forth from the decanter as well
Niepoort LBV 2004, 20%, bottled 2008
Colour:
Dark red, like freshly squeezed blackcurrant juice – a very, very ‘heavy feel’ to the wine, almost oily
Nose:
Slightly drying on the nose, cherries maybe, cinnamon? Getting a faint hint of old cellar here as well
Taste:
Wow, I find this extremely difficult to pick apart, but initially it feels like an all cherries show with maybe some dark chocolates? Maybe some of that drying cinnamon notes too...
Finish:
Extremely drying/tannic, right to the edge but the fruits is still in place…
This is a hard one to rate... I think needs some more time to breathe.
85/100!
Thursday, 12 July 2012
PORT WINE SPECIAL - NIEPOORT LBV 2005
Let us continue with more wine from fabulous producer Niepoort
Niepoort LBV 2005 20%, bottled 2009
Decanted 7 hours
Colour:
Just out of the bottle it's extremely dark red, close to purple and slightly cloudy - After 7 hours it's taken now clear but still very dark red, with a slight white edge to it.
Nose:
Massive grape attack, a little pricle from the alchohol (very nice) some oak maybe? Baked figs? a vague baked note in there also, maybe?
Taste:
Again the grape is massive, but nicely integrated with the alchohol, loads of grape sweetness, blueberry pie
Finish:
Long and lingering, far from as drying as the 2004 (later review), this one just slowly fades out...
An excellent LBV and quite unfiltered, maybe a good storing potential in this one...
90/100!
Niepoort LBV 2005 20%, bottled 2009
Decanted 7 hours
Colour:
Just out of the bottle it's extremely dark red, close to purple and slightly cloudy - After 7 hours it's taken now clear but still very dark red, with a slight white edge to it.
Nose:
Massive grape attack, a little pricle from the alchohol (very nice) some oak maybe? Baked figs? a vague baked note in there also, maybe?
Taste:
Again the grape is massive, but nicely integrated with the alchohol, loads of grape sweetness, blueberry pie
Finish:
Long and lingering, far from as drying as the 2004 (later review), this one just slowly fades out...
An excellent LBV and quite unfiltered, maybe a good storing potential in this one...
90/100!
Wednesday, 11 July 2012
PORT WINE SPECIAL - NIEPOORT LBV 2007
I thought it was about time, I tried and wandered elsewhere than whisky.
That said and it being summer and -for some- more a wine than whisky drinkers season, why not wander into another -though small time- indulgement of mine - Port Wines... so for the next few reviews this is 'The Port Desk' :-)
Instead of me writing up a large section on what Port Wine really is, I suggest new readers start by going here on wikipedia for a thorough explanation.
Lets get down to it, then - starting with 3 LBV's from prestigeous producer Niepoort:
Of Dutch descent and now run by 5th generation in the form of Dirk Niepoort, this wine house is a family business and was established back in 1842. It and also produces normal wines as well as the highly regarded Ports. More on the Niepoort website here
Niepoort LBV 2007 20%, bottled 2011
Decanted for 8 hours - no sediment in the bottle
Colour:
Very deep red
Nose:
Freshly crushed grapes, an immense sweetness, reminds me of red sweet fruitgums from when I was a kid, some blackberry marmelade style sthing also
Taste:
Light on the arrival and palate in general, strawberry and elderberry, then starts to go dry very quickly
Finish:
Still very much on the light side with the palate following through, this Niepoort is and very drying, even more than the e.g. 2004 LBV which I found very dry as well.
A very easy to drink LBV is you like a drying finish - I like its 'straightforwardsness' but not the most complex of Ports this one, I think - most enjoyable, but I'm sure a couple of more years of mellowing in the bottle wont hurt this one.
A very decent score of 86/100!
That said and it being summer and -for some- more a wine than whisky drinkers season, why not wander into another -though small time- indulgement of mine - Port Wines... so for the next few reviews this is 'The Port Desk' :-)
Instead of me writing up a large section on what Port Wine really is, I suggest new readers start by going here on wikipedia for a thorough explanation.
Lets get down to it, then - starting with 3 LBV's from prestigeous producer Niepoort:
Of Dutch descent and now run by 5th generation in the form of Dirk Niepoort, this wine house is a family business and was established back in 1842. It and also produces normal wines as well as the highly regarded Ports. More on the Niepoort website here
Niepoort LBV 2007 20%, bottled 2011
Decanted for 8 hours - no sediment in the bottle
Colour:
Very deep red
Nose:
Freshly crushed grapes, an immense sweetness, reminds me of red sweet fruitgums from when I was a kid, some blackberry marmelade style sthing also
Taste:
Light on the arrival and palate in general, strawberry and elderberry, then starts to go dry very quickly
Finish:
Still very much on the light side with the palate following through, this Niepoort is and very drying, even more than the e.g. 2004 LBV which I found very dry as well.
A very easy to drink LBV is you like a drying finish - I like its 'straightforwardsness' but not the most complex of Ports this one, I think - most enjoyable, but I'm sure a couple of more years of mellowing in the bottle wont hurt this one.
A very decent score of 86/100!
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