|
|
96pts … and too many 'friends' for New Year's kickoff
In the Douro Valley, producers have long grown accustomed to disappointment. When nature smiles on the most picturesque terraces of northern Portugal, nothing matches vintage Port for its combination of sweet concentration, elixir-like red berry density, and phenomenal age-worthiness.
Then, why all the long faces? Nature doesn't smile very often.
Since 1960, on average, roughly half the vintages per decade have been 'declared' Vintage Port worthy. Of those, perhaps one is a showstopper. In the late 1970s, understanding that shortness of supply, we developed a strategy that's served us well over the last 35 years. Here's how it went.
We've never consumed a lot of Vintage Port -- about six bottles per year, half of those between Christmas Eve and New Year's kickoff. Understanding the limited budgetary consequences, in 1978, we resolved to begin our collection by picking up bottles only from the best vintages and houses. We quickly got things off with a bang, when we all but stole two cases of 1963s -- one from Taylor Fladgate, the other from the magical schist terraces of Quinta do Noval.
In theory, we could have just stopped buying for four years. We already had enough to take us through Penn State's improbable upset of Herschel Walker's Georgia Bulldogs on New Year's Day 1983. But we just couldn't stomach the thought of depleting every bottle of two classic vintage Ports, each of which was certain to have fifty years of life ahead of it. In 1979, we doubled down, purchasing two mixed cases of the superb 1970s. In 1983, with more than half of the '63s and '70s already gone (!!!), we added one case each of 1977 Quinta do Noval, Dow's and Graham's. Finally, as long as we kept the headcount down at Christmas and New Year's, we had ten years of breathing room. We sat back and waited for Nature to play her cards.
The 1980s were lean years, with only the 1985 and 1983 making the cut. Nature was kinder to the Douro Valley in the 1990s, but we'd pick up just a case and half each of the 1992s and 1994s. We remained in reasonably good shape until a few years back when we found ourselves with many more 'friends' at the Christmas and New Year's celebrations. Funny how so many of these unfamiliar faces made a beeline for the Quinta do Noval, Dow's and Graham's.
Which brings us to today.
There would be no worries in the Douro Valley in the summer of 2007. That wonderfully warm, dry growing season proved to be sweetest music for the vineyards of great Port houses, nowhere more so than on these indescribably magnificent terraces of Quinta do Noval. Just two years after those harvest celebrations, Wine Spectator set off a global buying spree, dropping a 98pt vintage score on these lavishly concentrated, marvelously elegant 2007s. Curiously, the rating would match that of our very first vintage purchase -- those 1963s, both of which are still going strong.
The toughest critic on the planet, Stephen Tanzer, raved about 2007 just as Spectator had. Tanzer would focus unusual attention (read below) to the top wine of the vintage -- arguably the greatest Quinta do Noval ever made -- two cases of which are resting in our cellar, ready for kickoff.
Tanzer went wild, saying this one "saturates every millimeter of the palate with black fruit and spice flavors," before lobbing on a 96 point score -- the second highest for any under $300/bottle Port in the 20 year history of the International Wine Cellar! We pulled a few strings on this one, helping those of you with collections to add on, and those without, to get started.
|
|
Tasting Notes
2007 Quinta do Noval Vintage Port
"($100) Black ruby-purple color, one of the darkest colors of the vintage. Super ripe, high-pitched, rather brooding aromas of black and red berries, bitter chocolate, flowers and spices. Hugely rich, sweet and mouthfilling yet at the same time savory, with uncanny verve for such a thick, silky wine; darker in character than the Silval. This saturates every millimeter of the palate with black fruit and spice flavors. Is any other 2007 this dense, deep and ripe? A wine of great intensity and persistence."
96 points -- Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar
|
|
|
Cart