Ins and Outs of Port

[Tennessee Dave]

Galway Pipe is another excellent port.

[Vange]

This weekend when buying a Bushmills Black Bush Irish whiskey, Guiness, and Harp's I checked out the port area to see what they had in stock. I saw many filtered LBVs and a few unfiltered LBVs. I spotted a new unfiltered LBV I never saw before, Fonseca 2001 Unfiltered LBV $23. I'll have to go back and buy one and try it.

[wintermute]

I bought a 500 ml bottle of Warre's Otimo 10 yr Tawny for $20. Nice honey flavor in the back of the throat. Having only "improper pairings these last few nights, I tried it with sharp cheddar - the sharpness contrasted well with the port, feta - not a good pairing, and then Irish soda bread - worked well, especially with the bread I got not being sweet enough for my liking.

If the label on an LBV doesn't state whether it's filtered, what's the safest thing to assume (I don't have a decanter)? Also, how are Croft's offerings? My local store hand the most offerings by this house and they were realtively inexpensive.

[Vange]

If nothing is stated its definitely filtered.

Croft makes decent VP, not sure about anything else though.

[mitchshrader]

I know very little about port, having tried only a couple bottles so far. A Taylor-Fladgate 20 year old Tawny, and their 10 year old LBV.

The 20 year old was dryer, more complex, a noticeable tobacco taste, like a tobacco barn smells, with a looooooong evolving flavor that took a while to absorb. Woody and leather notes on a plummy base.. I much prefer it, over the younger.. I wish I'd tried it with a light spicy cigar. I did pair some Emmenthal cheese with it, that being available,.. and it worked very well.

The 10 year LBV was more direct, a bit sweeter, more 'quaffable'. Still a lot of flavor but shorter, more 'liqueurish' .. I think it would pair better with dark bitter chocolate, or fruit and nuts..like fresh strawberries and walnuts..

If I didn't like cognac I'd probably drink more port..

[Sijan]

This weekend when buying a Bushmills Black Bush Irish whiskey, Guiness, and Harp's I checked out the port area to see what they had in stock. I saw many filtered LBVs and a few unfiltered LBVs. I spotted a new unfiltered LBV I never saw before, Fonseca 2001 Unfiltered LBV $23. I'll have to go back and buy one and try it.

You can also make a nice drink by pairing your Guiness with a shot of ruby port. It's called a Midnight, and basically takes Guiness from dry stout to sweet stout.

[Sijan]

I bought a 500 ml bottle of Warre's Otimo 10 yr Tawny for $20. Nice honey flavor in the back of the throat. Having only "improper pairings these last few nights, I tried it with sharp cheddar - the sharpness contrasted well with the port, feta - not a good pairing, and then Irish soda bread - worked well, especially with the bread I got not being sweet enough for my liking..

I am actually near the end of a bottle of the Warre's Otima right now. I found the alcohol on it a little strong until it had been open for a few weeks. But it has been really nice in the few times I've had it in the past week.

If the label on an LBV doesn't state whether it's filtered, what's the safest thing to assume (I don't have a decanter)? Also, how are Croft's offerings? My local store hand the most offerings by this house and they were realtively inexpensive.

It is probably filtered if it doesn't say anything. There are a few synonyms for unfiltered such as "traditionally bottled" and "bottle matured."

[wintermute]

I finally had the chance to pair some Stilton with port. I guess every once in a while, British cuisine does something right. I cringed when I thought of the pairing - sweet wine with bitter, cheesy, cheese. Sounded like a dessert course made in hell. Boy was I wrong! Both flavors went swimmingly together! Now I have to pick up a replacement for my empty bottle to go with the rest of the Stilton!

[Sijan]

Glad you liked it. Try a (filtered) LBV next. They're quite different from tawnies, and I think pair even better with Stilton.

[Vange]

IMO tawnies are more raisiney and not as full as LBVs.

[cowdery]

I finally have to say it. Every time I see this thread name I wish it was "Ins and Outs of Pork."

[mitchshrader]

I'm not much of a port guy, but have been starting to dabble a bit. Picked up 500ml of Old Cave, 12 year old Australian Tawny... and a bottle of Taylor Fladgate LBV 2001. Each was 20$, and I felt experimental. Anyone know about the Australian one? The Taylor Fladgate I've had, and it's 'Old Reliable'.

The 'Old Cave' was heavily sedimented, a good covering over the bottom, so I am assuming non-filtered, and possibly worth aging in the bottle?

[CorvallisCracker]

I'm not much of a port guy, but have been starting to dabble a bit. Picked up 500ml of Old Cave, 12 year old Australian Tawny... and a bottle of Taylor Fladgate LBV 2001. Each was 20$, and I felt experimental. Anyone know about the Australian one? The Taylor Fladgate I've had, and it's 'Old Reliable'.

The 'Old Cave' was heavily sedimented, a good covering over the bottom, so I am assuming non-filtered, and possibly worth aging in the bottle?

Never seen "Old Cave". Sounds interesting.

A tawny with a lot of bottle age will throw sediment, but usually not all that much, so if it's as heavily sedimented as you describe then it may well be unfiltered (unusual for a tawny). My guess would be that an unfiltered tawny would be like an unfiltered LBV - it would benefit from bottle aging, but not as much as would a vintage port (not much point in giving an LBV any more than 3-5 years of bottle age).

[number7]

Just wanted to throw a couple of other things in here:

Ruby ports are normally "aged" in stainless steel or concrete to keeps its deep red color.

Everything else is in wood.

I always understood LBVs as a "failed" vintage, meaning it wasn't good enough to declare, so they let it sit in the casks for several more years and then bottled them. Well, that and a way to create a distinction.

Vintage ports are normally only aged for a short time in wood, 2 to 3 years. Just enough to give a little of the wood's character to the port, then off to the bottling....

I have many vintage ports, but the set-down times frighten me. So I've evolved a process: I buy at least three bottles and set down two and open one almost immediately. I know what you're thinking but it's nice to enjoy something right away. And I've noticed that if I use a Vacuvin stopper and let it set for some time, it usually settles down a little bit. Anecdotal, I know, but it's seemed to have worked for me and I don't have to wait another 20 years to open the Graham's 2003.

If you like port, try Pedro Ximenez Sherries from Spain. Their character is similar to port and they're cheap. Only problem is that most of the bottles I find of the good stuff are in 375ML bottles.

I'm doing my part to drink as much port and sherry as I can to create more barrels for Scotch. See? It's a service to humanity....

[CorvallisCracker]

I always understood LBVs as a "failed" vintage, meaning it wasn't good enough to declare, so they let it sit in the casks for several more years and then bottled them. Well, that and a way to create a distinction.

I've seen LBVs from years like 1994 and 1997, both of which yielded many vintage dated ports.

If you like port, try Pedro Ximenez Sherries from Spain. Their character is similar to port and they're cheap. Only problem is that most of the bottles I find of the good stuff are in 375ML bottles.

I second that. A favorite is Alvear. They have a "1927" bottling which is fabulous, all the more so for costing only about $20-22 for a 375ml bottle. These are aged in a solera system, one started in 1927. There are probably only a few molecules of 81yo wine in each bottle.

I'm doing my part to drink as much port and sherry as I can to create more barrels for Scotch. See? It's a service to humanity....

Of course.

[TNbourbon]

...I always understood LBVs as a "failed" vintage, meaning it wasn't good enough to declare, so they let it sit in the casks for several more years and then bottled them....

I've seen LBVs from years like 1994 and 1997, both of which yielded many vintage dated ports...

In fact, the Late Bottled Vintage name originated because the grapes first used with the designation were ones intended for use in Vintage port, but left in the barrel longer than the maximum 2-1/2 years, for whatever reason. In other words, these weren't 'bad' or 'failed' grapes, just unused ones.

Today, shippers use the additional barrel aging to provide some of the experience of drinking a Vintage port without the long years of wait for bottle aging. It succeeds, to a limited extent, because they do use good grapes.

[Bob O.]

I second that. A favorite is Alvear. They have a "1927" bottling which is fabulous, all the more so for costing only about $20-22 for a 375ml bottle. These are aged in a solera system, one started in 1927. There are probably only a few molecules of 81yo wine in each bottle.

This is a great bottle. I have had a few and unfortunately only one more left.

[number7]

Of the Alvear 1927

This is a great bottle. I have had a few and unfortunately only one more left.

That's the one I had in mind. I bought a case; down to the last three or so, so I'm careful about drinking them until I can get a suitable replacement.

Or I should see if I can get more....

I like the Anada (imagine the ~ on the 'n'; I'm lazy right now....). I'd like to get some of the Reserva, but I believe that's hard to find.

I like the idea of the leftovers aspect of the LBV.

[Jono]

I am not a Port afficionado but I do enjoy on occasion (holidays)...I enjoy

Galway Pipe Tawny as a nice economical Aussie import.

Here is snapshot:

http://www.winestar.com.au/prod877.htm

[Vange]

The other night I cracked open a LBV port since this thread made me VERY thirsty! My choice was a Warre's 1999 (bottled in 2003) Late Bottled Vintage. I filtered it through cheesecloth (very little sediment) into a decanter and drank 1/4 of the bottle on the first night. It had strawberry flavors, but was a tad alcoholic and tasted a bit thinner than the other Warre's LBV I had. So far a little disappointed. The next day after a full 24 hour decanting period I went back to it and it had had softened nicely. The taste turned to more of a thicker feel with hints of blackberry and blueberry. The alcohol was turned way down. I finished off the remaining 3/4. All in all, a nice LBV after 24 hours of decanting.