Attributes:

Quinta do Noval

Portugal, Other

Late Bottled Vintage Port

750 ML

1997: WineAdvocate Rating: 88

soft

complex

1997: WineEnthusiast Rating: 85

lean

fruity

1994: WineSpectator Rating: 90

soft

full-bodied

delicious

blackberries, cherries, licorice

1994: WineAdvocate Rating: 88

sweet

1991: WineSpectator Rating: 90

sweet

1991: WineSpectator Rating: 80

clean

medium-bodied

minerals

1989: Tastings Rating: 87

soft

fragrant, mature

raisins, spice

1989: Tastings Rating: 83

medium body

delicate

Food Matches:

Well known for its Port and Vinho Verde wines, Portugal is one of Europe’s leading wine producing countries. It competes closely with Germany for the position of fourth largest wine producer in Europe. Portugal is also the worlds leading producer of cork. Single-handedly it accounts for nearly 70 percent of the worlds commercially traded cork supply.

Late Bottle Vintage Port (LBV) is a fortified Portuguese wine, representing port from a single vintage, aged in barrels for 4-6 years and then bottled. Representing good quality wines from good years, the extra years of barrel aging mature the wine more quickly without the decade-long bottle aging. Generally not as substantial as Vintage Ports, some LBVs are fined and filtered prior to bottling while others are not and will require decanting. (See PORT for more information on the region and fortification process.)

Attributes:

Osborne

Portugal, Other

Ruby Port

750 ML

Food Matches:

Well known for its Port and Vinho Verde wines, Portugal is one of Europe’s leading wine producing countries. It competes closely with Germany for the position of fourth largest wine producer in Europe. Portugal is also the worlds leading producer of cork. Single-handedly it accounts for nearly 70 percent of the worlds commercially traded cork supply.

Ruby port is a fortified Portuguese wine made from a blend of young wines of different red grapes. It is aged in barrels or tanks for two to three years and bottled young while still ruby in color with strong flavor. It is fined and cold-filtered and does not require decanting. It generally has uncomplicated berry fruit aromas and flavors. For Premium Ruby Port, see VINTAGE CHARACTER PORT. (See PORT for more information on the region and fortification process).

Attributes:

Taylor Fladgate

Portugal, Other

Vintage Port

1.5 L

2003: WineAdvocate Rating: 98

full-bodied

complex, rich

distinctive

cherries, chocolate, jammy, kirsch, licorice, molasses, raisins, rose, spices

sweet

2003: WineEnthusiast Rating: 95

complex

elegant

dense, thick

2003: WineSpectator Rating: 94

full-bodied

ripe fruit

ripe

2000: WineSpectator Rating: 95

full-bodied

elegant, powerful

berries, citrus, fresh herbs, honeysuckle

fruity

2000: Tanzer Rating: 95(+?)

bright

complex, deep

powerful

black fruit, cassis, dark chocolate, earth, graphite, licorice, minerals

chewy

2000: WineAdvocate Rating: 98

blackberry, creme de cassis, graphite, smoke

chewy, dense, strong

1997: WineSpectator Rating: 94

full-bodied

blackberry, cherry, violet

1997: Tanzer Rating: 95(+?)

deep

bitter, black cherry, black fruit, chocolate, mineral, minerally, plum, roasted meat, spices

ripe, sweet

Food Matches:

Well known for its Port and Vinho Verde wines, Portugal is one of Europe’s leading wine producing countries. It competes closely with Germany for the position of fourth largest wine producer in Europe. Portugal is also the worlds leading producer of cork. Single-handedly it accounts for nearly 70 percent of the worlds commercially traded cork supply.

Vintage Port, a fortified Portuguese wine, is the best known and most sought after type of port. Made from a mixture of red grapes, it is produced only in good years when conditions are favorable for the production of a fine wine. The decision to declare a vintage is made by each individual port house and all the grapes included come from top vineyards in that vintage. Vintage ports are aged in barrels for a maximum of two and half years and then require another 10 to 30 years in the bottle before they are ready. Since they are aged in barrels for only a short time, they retain their dark red color and full-bodied strong fruit flavor. Younger vintage ports remain exuberant and powerful, while the older varieties have more finesse and integration, a result of the slow maturation process. To maintain its intensity, Vintage Port is neither fined nor filtered and throws a great deal of sediment as it matures and must be decanted. The flagship style of port, Vintage Port represents only 2-3 % of the total Port production. (See PORT for more information on the region and fortification process.)