DECANTER GOLD - Ripe and opulent plummy fruit on the nose, big and bold. Well extracted deep fruits on the palate framed by well balanced tannins and freshness.
The wine has deeper color and grip bright plum and fig richness, dark, sweet tannin.
Bold, with exuberant blueberry and açai berry paste flavors leading the way, backed by blackberry cobbler, chocolate and melted licorice notes. Flirts with the heady side but a bolt of graphite through the finish keeps this racy. A solid, gutsy drink now, or you could tame this with a bit of cellaring.
The structure is excellent—it has moderate tannins, is tight on opening and responds a bit to warmth and aeration...The intensity of flavor and the color are both impressive as well. The aromatics are enticing, and the finish is special for a Ruby Reserva.
Largely from the producer's own Quinta dos Malvedos, the wine is elegant while also intensely rich. Its fine tannins, sweet black currant jelly flavors cut by acidity and touch of spirit in the background all give this wine great style and also the possibility of aging for a few more months.
Sleek in feel, with alluring red and black currant fruit infused with anise, black tea and mint notes. Stays fresh through the finish. Approachable, but a touch more cellaring will add some nuance.
Date, fig and mulled plum fruit flavors form this broad and juicy core. Cinnamon, black tea and hazelnut notes fill in the background. Shows some power, with the cut and drive for balance.
EDITOR'S CHOICE - Powered with acidity and its firm structure, this is an intensely dry, concentrated, powerful wine. It certainly has wines in the blend that are older than 10 years, yet it is definitely a 10-Year Oldin style, as the fresh fruit to finish confirms.
DECANTER GOLD - Very inviting nose with depth, harmony and complexity. Nutty, caramel and dried fruit aromas. Great creamy texture with a long profound finish.
A gorgeous tawny with dried figs, caramel, dried raisins and coffee beans. Full-bodied, sweet and delicious. This shows such length and beauty. I love the crème caramel and cooked apple tart on the finish. Some pecan pie. Crazy.
Lovely, with date and persimmon notes that are melded seamlessly, picking up light bitter orange, ginger and green tea accents along the way. Echoes of sweet golden raisin and hazelnut linger on the finish, which is polished and long. A beauty.
This is a hugely dry, burnt style, very concentrated. The licorice and bitter coffee flavors are dense, layered and well balanced with the acidity. A serious wine that demands attention.
Broad in feel and dark in profile, with walnut and hazelnut notes followed by flavors of brown bread, dried fig, bitter orange, singed almond and juniper. A lovely flash of green tea adds sparkle and detail on the finish, but this stays reliant on its bass line throughout.
EDITOR'S CHOICE - Remarkably, this is able to show age and long cask aging, but the flavor is still here: figs and honey, balanced out with burnt caramel aged acidity and a rich (but not sweet) finish. Excellent, top quality aged tawny.
It starts a little understated and certainly elegant, but it gathers strength and length on the finish. Supple on the first pour, it then adds a touch of brandy, a hit of sugar and a lot of dark chocolate on the finish—just to remind you that this is indeed an old, complex Tawny. The next day, it is beautiful, focused, well balanced and precise. The lifted fruit seems to last indefinitely on the palate.
A warm, lush style, with brown bread, fig compote, ginger marmalade and date flavors coating the palate before streaks of bitter orange and almond kick in, imparting cut and enlivening the finish. A note of incense weaves around it all, adding intrigue.
An old, mature wine, but one that has kept its ripeness and richness. The concentration is so intense that one glass is almost enough (except it tastes so good). There are walnuts, bitter chocolate and a delicious clean aftertaste.
Time has intensified the core of date, toasted sesame, green tea, singed alder and Brazil nut notes in this authoritative colheita and the dry, focused, well-structured finish gives all the elements time to shine. Drink now. From Portugal.—J.M.
...its powerful depths immediately apparent, even if its freshness seems long gone. But consider it a bit longer and the wine adds stone fruit, dried apple and raw nut scents to its gracious texture and broad-shouldered concentration. Smoky, rich and fascinating, the flavors will expand out of a drop to completely fill your head.
This wine comes from a legendary year for Vintage Port, so it is fascinating to see how a wine from that year that was only bottled in 2018 has fared. The answer is amazingly. It is luscious and smooth, with fabulous old wood flavors blending with the ripe caramel and acidity.
This is glorious. Superb depth and finesse with balance and density that are so fitting for the greatness of the legendary 1963 vintage. Full-bodied, very sweet yet focused and showing just a hint of tannins. Very long and sweet on the finish. Love the complexity and subtlety of caramel, butterscotch and hints of dried fruits. Fantastic. Drink now.
Stylish, featuring white raisin, white sesame, white ginger and green tea notes leading off, followed by a flash of dried peach. Shows some Sherry aspects, with hazelnut and Brazil nut hints along the edges imparting texture, but this reverts to sweetness soon enough, letting the finish glide through. Drink now. 50 cases made, 20 cases imported. –JM
A very different wine stylistically than the overachieving 1994, this isn't as rich in a way, but it has a few cards up its sleeve. It adds more of that wonderful complexity that great old Tawnies acquire—molasses, dark chocolate, seared caramel. It's rather fresh for the age too. It has plenty of power and fine acidity supporting the fruit as well. This is pretty beautiful.
From a year made famous by the Vintage wines, this Tawny is markedly fresh and lively, delivering a generous creamy richness that melds textures and flavors into luxurious density. Notes of ripe apricot and fresh herbs last in a brisk, peppery finish. A wine to contemplate on its own, long into the night.
This is a bright and rich Port with caramel and dried-fruit aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, sweet and so balanced. Light tannins. So fresh and vivid. Lovely Port with intensity and great length. Drink now.
An elegant aged tawny, with plenty of creamy, luscious flavors of butterscotch, crème brûlée, glazed apricot and sandalwood. Offers a silky mouthfeel, with a long, well-spiced finish backed by firm acidity. Drink now. 535 cases made. –KM
The 1972 Single Harvest Tawny Port is a beauty. It starts slow and builds to a nice crescendo, with the acidity emerging to cut the fruit. This elegant wine has a sweet finish to go with its vibrancy and energy. It's a pretty picture overall with caramel, molasses and hints of chocolate on the end, some typical Tawny flavors. Note: This comes with a bar-top cork.