Tutored Wine Tasting Wednesday 1 st November PORT A rainbow of styles. Speaker: Eric LAGRE Sommelier

Tutored Wine Tasting Wednesday 1 st November 2017 PORT A rainbow of styles Speaker: Eric LAGRE Sommelier

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Tutored Port Tasting Wednesday 1 st November 2017 Speaker: Eric LAGRE, EIC Head Sommelier Tasting notes by Head Sommelier Eric LAGRE and Sommelier Magda KOTLARCZYK, WSET Diploma graduates (with the participation of WSET Diploma student Nora ESPINOSA CORONEL) -1- Taylor s Chip Dry Port, Porto Blanc Extra Sec, NV (bottled in 2017 by The Fladgate Partnership) -2- Wiese & Krohn, Krohn Lágrima White Port, NV (bottled in 2016 by The Fladgate Partnership) -3- Croft Pink, NV (bottled in 2016 by The Fladgate Partnership) -4- Warre s Otima 10, 10 Year Old Tawny Port (bottled in 2017 by Symington Family Estates) -5- Cockburn s Special Reserve, NV (bottled in 2016 by Symington Family Estates) -6- Fonseca, Unfiltered Late-bottled Vintage Port, 2009 (bottled in 2014 by The Fladgate Partnership) -7- Dow s 2007 Vintage Port (bottled in 2009 by Symington Family Estates) -8- Taylor s 1992 Vintage Port (bottled in 1994 by The Fladgate Partnership) -9- C. da Silva, Dalva Golden White Port, Colheita 1963 (bottled in 2009 by Gran Cruz) -10- Graham s 40 + Year Old Tawny Port (bottled in 2016 by Symington Family Estates)

PORT STYLES according to sweetness (RZ) & colour SWEETNESS PORT WINE STILL LIGHT WINE VOLUMETRIC MASS BAUMÉ RZ (g/l) SWEETNESS RZ (g/l) Extra Dry / Extra Seco < 0.9980 g/cm 3 0 <40 Dry < 4 Medium Dry 4-12 Or not exceeding 9g/l providing that the total acidity expressed as grams of tartaric acid per litre is not more than 2 grams below the residual sugar content Or not exceeding 18g/l providing that the total acidity expressed as grams of tartaric acid per litre is not more than 10g below the residual sugar content Dry / Seco 0.9980 g/cm 3 1.0079 g/cm 3 0 1.3 40-65 Semi Dry / Meio Seco 1.0080 g/cm 3 1.0179 g/cm 3 1.4 2.7 65-90 Sweet / Doces 1.0180 g/cm 3 1.0339 g/cm 3 2.8 5.0 90-130 Very Sweet / Lagríma > 1.0340 g/cm 3 >5.0 >130 Medium (sweet) 12-45 Sweet >45 20%abv 20%abv 19.5%abv 20%abv 34 g/l RZ = 0⁰Baumé 145 g/l RZ = 5.9⁰Baumé 103 g/l RZ = 3.5⁰Baumé 108 g/l RZ = 3.8⁰Baumé 4.0 g/l TA 3.5 g/l TA 4.8 g/l TA 4.1 g/l TA 3.6 PH 3.4 PH 3.2 PH 3.5 PH 14.50 14.50 14.50 21.50 TAYLOR S CHIP DRY KROHN LAGRIMA CROFT PINK WARRE S OTIMA 10 20%abv 20%abv 20%abv 20.5%abv 105 g/l RZ = 3.6⁰Baumé 101 g/l RZ = 3.4⁰Baumé 101 g/l RZ = 3.4⁰Baumé 90 g/l RZ = 2.8⁰Baumé 4.1 g/l TA 4.1 g/l TA 4.6 g/l TA 4.7 g/l TA 3.5 PH 3.8 PH 3.7 PH 3.6 PH 13.25 16.75 113.00 145.00 COCKBURN S SR FONSECA LBV 2009 DOW S 2007 TAYLOR S 1992 20%abv 20%abv 130 g/l RZ = 5.0⁰Baumé 120 g/l RZ = 4.4⁰Baumé 5.3 g/l TA 4.9 g/l TA 3.5 PH 3.5 PH 195.00 100.00 DALVA GW 1963 GRAHAM S 40+

Port: Style: Vintage: Taylor s Chip Dry Port, Porto Blanc Extra Sec White Port (Standard Category) Chip Dry is the first extra dry white Port ever made. The style was pioneered by Dick Yeatman in 1934 to refresh the pickers after a long, hot day of harvest. It is a blend of wines produced from traditional white grape varieties grown mainly on the upper slopes of the Douro Valley, either by associated growers or in the company s own vineyards, namely the flagship Quinta de Vargellas on the left bank of the Douro river in the Douro Superior and Quinta de Terra Feita and Quinta do Junco on the right bank of the Pinhão river in the Cima Corgo. Vargellas was acquired in 1893. Quinta de Terra Feita de Baixo was purchased in the 1970s then Quinta de Terra Feita de Cima was added to the estate in 1990. Quinta do Junco eventually joined the portfolio in 1997. Over the past three years, TFP s winemaker David Guimaraens has returned to treading white grapes under foot in lagares instead of cold fermenting them in tanks. The process helps stabilise the wine through a degree of hyperoxygenation. The wine is allowed to ferment for longer on the skins prior to fortification in order to achieve the signature crisp dry finish that is the trademark of the style. Aromatic stability is important, for the wines undergo ageing in oak vats for about 3 to 5 years prior to blending (here in the Atkinson Lodge) then bottling. Each bottle is numbered (388875). NV bottled in 2017 on Taylor s 325 th anniversary by Quinta & Vineyard Bottlers Vinhos S.A. (=TFP) in Vila Nova de Gaia. Taylor s (Est. 1692) www.taylor.pt Taylor s is the only original British Port brand to have remained entirely family-owned and run throughout its history. The Fladgate Partnership (Est. 1962) www.fladgatepartnership.com TFP was founded in 1962 as Dick Yeatman of Taylor, Fladgate & Yeatman gave partnerships to Bruce Guimaraens of Fonseca. The partnership was actually known as Taylor Fonseca S.A. until 2002. TFP has now overtaken Sogrape Vinhos as the 3 rd largest Port producer. It is a leading producer in the special categories with 1/3 of the total production of premium Port wines. Taylor, Fladgate & Yeatman (Est. 1692) own Fonseca (Est. 1815) since 1949, Croft (Est. 1588) since 2001 and Wiese & Krohn (Est. 1865) since 2013. Winemaker: David Guimaraens Capacity: 75cl Closure: T-top cork (take it as a sign that the Port is for immediate drinking and does not require cellaring nor decanting) Blend: Traditional varieties (Viozinho, Rabigato, Malvasia Fina, Gouveio, Arinto...) Alcohol: 20%abv Residual Sugar: 34 g/l = 0 Baumé (Extra Dry) Total Tartaric Acidity: 4 g/l PH: 3.6 Supplier: Mentzendorff (Est. 1858) www.mentzendorff.co.uk Average retail price: 14.50 inc. VAT as per www.wine-searcher.com on 29/10/17 This white wine looks clear and bright. It is deep gold in colour. Legs and tears run along the side of the glass. The wine smells clean. The nose exhibits a medium intensity of fully developed aromas. There is a bit of white pepper on the nose, which could suggest a degree of volatility. But the nose is dominated by apricot (stone, fruit and all), peach kernel and nectarine. This stone fruit character is underpinned by subtle notes of yellow flowers and orange peel. This medium-bodied wine is medium-sweet and fortified to a high level of alcohol. The medium acidity does not manage to offset that fiery potency of alcohol. The flavours are no more than medium-minus in intensity. Nuttiness drives the flavour profile with notes of blanched almond and stone fruit kernel. The peach and apricot fruit lacks vibrancy and hints of lemon rind and orange peel don t seem to be able to bring any sense of liveliness in the finish of medium-minus length. White Port and tawny Port alike are aged oxidatively in wood, and since this wine was only bottled earlier this year, its condition should be optimal. But here, the oxidative character does not seem so controlled hence an overall sense of flabbiness and lack of fruit expression. The wine is good but not very exciting. White Port has that reputation of being rather unremarkable on its own, and Magda, Nora and I do share that opinion. But if straight white Port is banal, it is refreshingly first class when served the traditional way as a long drink called Portonic. The mixture of one part white Port with one or two parts tonic over ice together with a garnish of bruised mint leaves and a slice of lemon is a great aperitif in accompaniment of marinated olives and roasted almonds. If you are invited to Vargellas, host Alistair Robertson will invite you to add Chip Dry to your vegetable soup, for white Port is a great soup ameliorated. It also brings depth of flavours when cooking mussels.

Port: Style: Vintage: Krohn, Lágrima, Fine White Port White Port (Standard Category) White Port is made in the full spectrum of sweetness, from extra dry to very sweet, the later style being labelled as Lágrima. Rare examples of Porto Lágrima can be made from red grapes, but the bulk of production is made from traditional white grape varieties. Here, the grapes are grown mainly on the upper slopes of the Douro Valley, either by associated growers or in the company s own vineyard, namely Quinta do Retiro Novo in Sarzedinho in the Rio Torto, which was bought in 1989. This is where the wine was vinified by Maria José Aguiar and Iolanda Carneiro until David Guimaraens took over as winemaker when TFP purchased the company back in 2013. Fermentation takes place in closed tanks and grape spirit is added very early on in the course of the fermentation process so as to guarantee maximum sweetness. The wine is then aged in wood in the lodges of Wiese & Krohn in Vila Nova de Gaia then blended, bottled and put to market for immediate consumption. NV bottled in 2016 by Quinta & Vineyard Bottlers Vinhos S.A. (=TFP) in Vila Nova de Gaia. Wiese & Krohn (Est. 1865) www.krohn.pt The company was founded in 1865 by two Norwegians, Theodor Wiese and Dankert Krohn. They were in the business of selling fish to Portugal and shipped Port back to Norway. Wiese & Krohn came under the control of Edmundo Augusto Carneiro in 1937. Three generations of Carneiros had been in the business when the company was eventually bought by The Fladgate Partnership in 2013. The acquisition brought TFP an impressive stock of aged tawnies and colheitas dating back to 1863. The Fladgate Partnership (Est. 1962) www.fladgatepartnership.com TFP was founded in 1962 as Dick Yeatman of Taylor, Fladgate & Yeatman gave partnerships to Bruce Guimaraens of Fonseca. The partnership was actually known as Taylor Fonseca S.A. until 2002. TFP has now overtaken Sogrape Vinhos as the 3 rd largest Port producer. It is a leading producer in the special categories with 1/3 of the total production of premium Port wines. Taylor, Fladgate & Yeatman (Est. 1692) own Fonseca (Est. 1815) since 1949, Croft (Est. 1588) since 2001 and Wiese & Krohn (Est. 1865) since 2013. Winemaker: David Guimaraens Capacity: 75cl Closure: T-top cork (take it as a sign that the Port is for immediate drinking and does not require cellaring nor decanting) Blend: Traditional varieties (Malvasia Fina, Viozinho, Rabigato, Esgana Cão, Gouveio...) Alcohol: 20%abv Residual Sugar: 145 g/l = 5.9 Baumé (Very Sweet/Lágrima) Total Tartaric Acidity: 3.5 g/l PH: 3.4 Supplier: Boutinot (Est. 1980) www.boutinot.com Average retail price: 14.50 inc. VAT as per www.wine-searcher.com on 29/10/17 This white wine looks clear and bright. It is pale amber in colour. Legs and tears run along the side of the glass. The wine smells clean despite a degree of volatility that is only normal in sweet wines aged in wood for some time. The nose exhibits a medium-plus intensity of fully developed aromas. The aromatic profile is dominated by the nuttiness of caramel-coated almond and walnut. If there is some stone fruit here, it is in the shape of the kernel rather than in that of the juicy flesh of the fruit. Notes of yellow flowers fail to lift the richness of the wine and bring it to life. This medium-bodied wine is positively sweet and fortified to a high level of alcohol. The medium acidity does not manage to offset that fiery potency of alcohol. The palate exhibits a medium intensity of caramel-coated almonds and hazelnut with underlying peach and apricot fruit and some orange peel. Burnt caramel and walnut bring a sense of dryness to the finish of medium length. This wine is good. At least, its oxidative character feels more integrated than in the previous example by Taylor s. In all honesty, the wine still lacks liveliness and complexity. Porto Lágrima is usually served as an aperitif, either chilled on its own or on ice as a long drink. It is over ice with some tonic water and a slice of lemon that white Port will prove the most rewarding. Very sweet white Port can also pair well with food, notably with apple- or pineapple- based desserts.

Port: Style: Vintage: Croft Pink www.croftpink.com Rosé Port (Standard Category) Managing Director of The Fladgate Partnership Adrian Bridge launched Croft Pink in 2008 then Rosé Port was eventually recognised as a new style of Port by the IVDP, the Port authorities, in 2009. TFP s winemaker David Guimaraens had been developing this new style for three years. The wine is made from traditional red grape varieties grown by associated growers or in the company s vineyards at Quinta da Roêda near Pinhão. The estate was acquired by Croft in 1875 and still remains the company s flagship quinta. Quinta da Roêda doubles as a winery, where the grapes are destemmed then crushed into a temperature-controlled tank. Cold maceration is limited to four hours to extract the signature pink hue that makes the style then the free-run juice is very slowly fermented for eight days with cultured yeasts at low temperatures to preserve maximum freshness of fruit character. 10 days after the grapes were harvested, the wine is fortified with top quality grape spirit before the wine is given a chance to ferment to dryness so as to preserve some residual sweetness. The wine is then fined, coldstabilised, filtered then bottled in the year following production for immediate consumption. NV bottled in 2016 by Quinta & Vineyard Bottlers Vinhos S.A. (=TFP) in Vila Nova de Gaia. Croft (Est. 1588) www.croftport.com Founded over four centuries ago in 1588, Croft is one of the longest established traditional wine companies. By 1827, Croft & C was the fourth largest Port shipper. From 1911, ownership of the company was passed on from one international corporation to another until it ended up with Diagio, where it became lost. Now that it is part of The Fladgate Partnership since 2001, a historical link has been restored, for Quinta do Roêda was owned in the nineteenth century by john Fladgate, Baron of Roêda, who was a partner in Taylor s. TFP has now revamped the winery at Roêda. The lagares have been rebuilt and the vineyard is geared up for top quality production, with the intention to restore the company to its former glory. The Fladgate Partnership (Est. 1962) www.fladgatepartnership.com TFP was founded in 1962 as Dick Yeatman of Taylor, Fladgate & Yeatman gave partnerships to Bruce Guimaraens of Fonseca. The partnership was actually known as Taylor Fonseca S.A. until 2002. TFP has now overtaken Sogrape Vinhos as the 3 rd largest Port producer. It is a leading producer in the special categories with 1/3 of the total production of premium Port wines. Taylor, Fladgate & Yeatman (Est. 1692) own Fonseca (Est. 1815) since 1949, Croft (Est. 1588) since 2001 and Wiese & Krohn (Est. 1865) since 2013. Winemaker: David Guimaraens Capacity: 50cl Closure: Plastic crew-cap and seal (take it as a sign that the Port is for immediate drinking and does not require cellaring nor decanting) Blend: Traditional varieties (Tinta Cão, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Barroca,...) Alcohol: 19.5%abv Residual Sugar: 103 g/l = 3.5 Baumé (Sweet) depending on the vintage, the wine can display as little as 80 g/l thereby qualifying as semi-dry Total Tartaric Acidity: 4.8 g/l PH: 3.2 Supplier: Mentzendorff (Est. 1858) www.mentzendorff.co.uk Average retail price: 14.50 inc. VAT (75cl) as per www.wine-searcher.com on 29/10/17 This rosé wine looks clear and bright. It is pale ruby in colour rather than rosé. Legs and tears run along the side of the glass. The wine smells clean. The nose exhibits a medium-minus intensity of youthful aromas. Some hay, mixed dried herbs and white pepper from the fortifying brandy almost compromise that sensation of youthfulness. The strawberry, raspberry and cranberry fruit has a somewhat confected edge, which is especially noticeable in notes of maraschino cherry. Notes of cherry stone reinforce the impression of an overall lack of freshness on the nose. This medium-bodied wine is sweet and fortified to a high level of alcohol. The medium acidity does not manage to offset that potency of alcohol. The combination of the confected red fruit together with notes of medicinal roots and herbs almost tastes like cough syrup. Strawberry bubble gum from the cold fermentation gives the finish of medium length a chemically edge. The wine is good. The fruit is rather simple and somewhat medicinal. The sweetness is a tad out of balance, which turns the wine into something quite artificial and confected. These days, at a time when mixology is all the rage, rosé Port and white Port alike provide refreshing solutions as long drinks or cocktails. Croft Pink particularly works well when mixed with either soda water or cold Jasmin tea, plus a garnish of fresh strawberries.

Port: Warre s Otima 10 «Enjoy Chilled» Style: Aged-dated Tawny Port (Special Category) Indication of Age: Producer: Small reserves of the most concentrated wines are set aside during the month of January that follows each vintage. They are made from grapes that come from associated growers and quintas privately owned by the Symington family, but mostly from two of the company s own estates in the Cima Corgo, namely Quinta da Cavadinha in the Rio Pinhão and Quinta do Retiro Antigo in the Rio Torto. Full ownership of these quintas was gained in 1980 and 2006 respectively. Situated on the north bank of the Douro River in the far eastern stretches of the Douro Superior, Quinta de Telhada belonged to Cockburn s until their assets were bought by the Symingtons back in 2006. The estate was then added to Warre s portfolio. Wines judged powerful-enough to withstand an average of 10 years of maturation in 625 litre casks are selected. Not only are they aged in seasoned wood, pipes being the smallest ageing containers in the Port industry, but they are racked annually. These extreme oxidative conditions gradually turn the deep ruby colour of a young wine into a medium tawny and the fruit aromas and flavours from primary to ever more dry-fruity, spicy and nutty. Nuttiness is the signature character of Tawny Port. The blend is sent downriver to the coastal town of Vila Nova de Gaia to mature gently. Being deliberately oxidised in style, Old Tawny Port is bottled ready to drink and does not require decanting. 10 Years Old (an average, not a minimum) bottled in 2017 by Symington Family Estates Vinhos Lda in V.N. de Gaia. Symington Family Estates www.symington.com The Symingtons have been present in the Douro for five generations since 1882. Today, Symington Family Estates is the largest vineyard owner in the Douro, the 2 nd largest producer of Port with a good 1/5 of the production, the leading producer in the special categories with over 1/3 of the production of premium Port wines and the leading Port group in the UK with 45% of the market. The Symingtons acquired Warre s (Est. 1670) in 1908, having been given partnerships in 1905, and Dow s (Est. 1798) in 1961 having been given partnerships back in 1912. They also acquired Quarles Harris (Est. 1680) in 1917, Graham s (Est. 1820), Smith Woodhouse (Est. 1784) and Gould Campbell (Est. 1797) in 1970, Quinta do Vesuvio (Est. 1830) in 1989, Martinez (Est. 1790) in 2006 and Cockburn s (Est.1815) in 2010. Warre s (Est. 1670) www.warre.com (the first British Port company ever established in Portugal) Winemaker: Charles Symington Bottle capacity: 50cl Closure: Natural cork (take it as a sign that the Port requires cellaring and decanting) Blend: Traditional varieties (Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Cão...) Alcohol: 20%abv Residual Sugar: 108 g/l = 3.8 Baumé Total Tartaric Acidity: 4.1 g/l PH: 3.5 Supplier: Fells (Est. 1858) www.fells.co.uk Average retail price: 21.50 inc. VAT as per www.wine-searcher.com on 29/10/17 This red wine looks clear and bright. It is medium tawny in colour. Legs and tears run along the side of the glass. The wine smells clean, though there is a lot of white pepper and volatility here, which is only normal in sweet wines that have undergone extended ageing in wood. The nose exhibits a medium intensity of deliberately oxidised aromas. The nose is dominated by burnt caramel, yet the aromatic profile is underpinned by nutty undertones of roasted almond and hazelnut, as well as notes of dried fruits such as currant, sultana and fig. This medium-bodied wine is sweet and fortified to a high level of alcohol. The medium-plus acidity does not manage to offset that potency of alcohol. The tannins are so low that one could forget to mention them. There is a medium intensity of flavours. The nutty and dried-fruity flavours are as described on the nose, plus a touch of orange peel. Notes of burnt caramel and coffee bean give a dry edge to the finish of medium length. For Magda, this is the first wine in the selection that she can confidently describe as good. The wine is somewhat volatile and simple, not to say mono-dimensional, yet it is well made and positively pleasant, even on its own. Tawny Port hasn t got the structure of a ruby Port hence the style feels particularly potent in alcohol. Serving the wine cool is of the essence if one wants to restore a sense of balance. Port shippers have routinely enjoyed tawny Port chilled at river temperature. This wine will pair well with cheese, nuts or dried fruits, but it will also prove delightful on its own as a digestif.

Port: Style: Vintage: Cockburn s Special Reserve Reserve Port (Special Category) After WWII, Vintage Port was drunk in gentlemen s clubs and standard Ruby Port in pubs, but there was little in between in terms of style on the UK market. In 1969, Cockburn s decided to launch their Special Reserve in a new category called Vintage Character Port. The wine was made from quality grapes, yet it was not a vintage wine, nor was it anything approaching Vintage Port in character, hence the Port authorities renamed that category Reserve Port in 2002 to avoid confusion. The tremendous success of the wine greatly increased the demand for better quality grapes and led the company to make investments in the Upper Douro Valley, starting with the purchase of the flagship Quinta dos Canais in 1989 and the planting of 1/3 of its vineyards with Touriga Nacional, the finest grape in the Douro, but one that is so hard to grow that it only makes up 3% of the vineyard area in the valley. Part of the blend comes from associated growers or quintas privately owned by the Symington family, but also from another quinta owned by Cockburn s since 1893, further upriver from Quinta dos Canais, namely Quinta do Vale Coelho. Cockburn s Special Reserve still remains the single best selling Port brand in the UK, and by acquiring the Cockburn s brand, the Symingtons established themselves as the dominating force on the market. NV bottled in 2016 by Symington Family Estates Vinhos Lda in Vila Nova de Gaia. Cockburn s (Est.1815) www.cockburns.com Cockburn s was founded in 1815 by the Scottish brothers Robert and John Cockburn s. A focus on wine quality eventually saw Cockburn s Vintage Port demand the highest price of all Ports in the early 20 th century. In 1962, the family sold the company to Harvey s of Bristol, which itself then became part of Allied Domecq until 2005. When Allied Domecq was taken over by Pernod Ricard, Cockburn s was sold to the Fortune Brands holding company, the parent company of Beam Global. The quality of the wines had waned under the ownership of those multinational corporations when the symingtons acquired Cocknurn s in 2010. Now that it has been returned to family ownership, the company is being restored to its former glory. Symington Family Estates www.symington.com The Symingtons have been present in the Douro for five generations since 1882. Today, Symington Family Estates is the largest vineyard owner in the Douro, the 2 nd largest producer of Port with a good 1/5 of the production, the leading producer in the special categories with over 1/3 of the production of premium Port wines and the leading Port group in the UK with 45% of the market. The Symingtons acquired Warre s (Est. 1670) in 1908, having been given partnerships in 1905, and Dow s (Est. 1798) in 1961 having been given partnerships back in 1912. They also acquired Quarles Harris (Est. 1680) in 1917, Graham s (Est. 1820), Smith Woodhouse (Est. 1784) and Gould Campbell (Est. 1797) in 1970, Quinta do Vesuvio (Est. 1830) in 1989, Martinez (Est. 1790) in 2006 and Cockburn s (Est.1815) in 2010. Winemaker: Charles Symington Bottle capacity: 75cl Closure: T-top cork (take it as a sign that the Port requires no cellaring or decanting) Blend: Traditional varieties (Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Cão...) Alcohol: 20%abv Residual Sugar: 105 g/l = 3.6 Baumé Total Tartaric Acidity: 4.1 g/l PH: 3.5 Supplier: Fells (Est. 1858) www.fells.co.uk Average UK retail price: 13.25 inc. VAT according to www.wine-searcher.com as of 29/10/17 This red wine looks clear and bright. It is medium ruby in colour. Legs and tears run along the side of the glass. The wine smells clean. The nose exhibits a medium intensity of developing aromas. White pepper gives it quite a heady character. The nose is dominated by notes of medicinal roots and dried herbs, plus plenty of black cherry and wild berries spiced with dry liquorice and coated in dark, bitter chocolate. This medium-bodied wine is sweet and fortified to a high level of alcohol. The acidity is only medium, yet it manages to provide a sense of freshness. A medium level of tannins gives an impression of structure. The flavours of medium intensity are as described on the nose, full of wild berry and cherry fruit spiced with dry liquorice, coated in dark, bitter chocolate and complimented by medicinal undertones. The finish is only medium in length yet complete. This wine is good. Its structure is quite fresh and silky. The wine is so nicely made that one can forgive the simplicity of its aromatic profile. Reserve Port pairs well with rich, nutty or chocolaty desserts, as well as with a cheese board.

Port: Style: Vintage: Fonseca, Unfiltered LBV Late-bottled Vintage Port (Special Category) To answer a lack of mid-range offer in the UK market after WWII, for not much was available beyond standard Ruby Port in pubs and Vintage Port in traditional gentlemen s clubs, Managing Director of Taylor, Fladgate and Yeatman Alistair Robertson launched the first filtered LBV in 1970. LBV is a vintage wine from top-quality grapes aged in 275hl casks (the equivalent of 50 pipes) for 4 to 6 years. The wine is aged in wood long-enough to become ready to drink from the date of purchase then it is filtered so that it can be poured straight from the bottle with no need for decanting. Unfiltered versions are little produced nowadays. The style emerged in the 1950s to use stocks of Vintage Port that had aged in cask well over the standard two winters, for bottling at source was only made compulsory in 1970. This LBV was drawn from a reserve of some of the best wines made in 2009 from grapes grown by associated growers or in Fonseca s own vineyards in the Cima Corgo, namely the company s flagship Quinta do Panascal in the Rio Tavora, which was purchased in 1978, and Quinta do Cruzeiro and Quinta de Santo António in the Rio Pinhão, which were purchased in 1973 and 1979 respectively. Decanting can prove beneficial, yet it is not necessary. 2009 bottled in 2014 by Quinta & Vineyard Bottlers Vinhos S.A. (=TFP) in Vila Nova de Gaia. Fonseca picked their grapes as soon as phenolic maturity was achieved in early September to guarantee maximum levels of acidity in musts that were rich in colour, tannins and sugar after a hot and arid season. Despite these extreme conditions, 2009 was declared a classic vintage year, but only by a handful of houses. TFP declared more than three classic vintage years in a decade for the first time in their history (2000, 03, 07 and 09). Until recently, LBV was never produced in classic vintage years. Fonseca (Est. 1815) www.fonseca.pt The Fladgate Partnership (Est. 1962) www.fladgatepartnership.com TFP was founded in 1962 as Dick Yeatman of Taylor, Fladgate & Yeatman gave partnerships to Bruce Guimaraens of Fonseca. The partnership was actually known as Taylor Fonseca S.A. until 2002. TFP has now overtaken Sogrape Vinhos as the 3 rd largest Port producer. It is a leading producer in the special categories with 1/3 of the total production of premium Port wines. Taylor, Fladgate & Yeatman (Est. 1692) own Fonseca (Est. 1815) since 1949, Croft (Est. 1588) since 2001 and Wiese & Krohn (Est. 1865) since 2013. Winemaker: David Guimaraens Bottle capacity: 75cl Closure: T-top Cork (usually a sign that the port is ready to drink and that it does not need decanting) Blend: Traditional varieties (Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Cão...) Alcohol: 20%abv Residual Sugar: 101 g/l = 3.4 Baumé Total Tartaric Acidity: 4.1 g/l PH: 3.8 Supplier: Mentzendorff (Est. 1858) www.mentzendorff.co.uk Average retail price: 16.75 inc. VAT as per www.wine-searcher.com on 29/10/17 This red wine looks clear and bright. It is deep ruby in colour. Tears and legs run along the side of the glass. The wine smells clean. It exhibits a medium-plus intensity of developing aromas. Notes of black pepper accentuate the spirity edge of the rather heady nose. The black cherry, blackcurrant and dark plum fruit is ripe, but not stewed. There is a hint of dried fruit like currant also. The black fruit is coated in dark, bitter chocolate, liquorice and sweet spices, yet that richness is lifted by vegetal undertones of mint, tomato stalk and fresh herbs. This medium-bodied wine is sweet. Contrary to what the heady nose of the wine leads one to expect, the palate turns out to be surprisingly fresh and well-balanced. The wine is fortified to a high level of alcohol, but the medium-plus acidity perfectly offsets that potency. The medium-plus tannins, fine and ripe, contribute roundness. The black cherry, blackcurrant and dark plum fruit of medium-plus intensity is spiced with vanilla and black pepper. Dark, bitter chocolate and coffee bean bring some bitterness and a sense of dryness to the finish of medium-plus length. This wine is very good. As much as its heady character on the nose lets the wine down ever so slightly, the freshness of fruit character, the roundness of texture and the overall balance redeem it on the palate. This wine is the perfect finish to a good meal, served with strong cheeses, especially blue cheeses such as Stilton and Roquefort. It is also delicious with desserts made with chocolate or forest berry fruits.

Port: Dow s 2007 Style: Classic Vintage Port (Special Category) Vintage: Such top-quality Port is only made in the very best or declared vintage years. If the grapes were grown by associated growers or in quintas privately owned by the Symington Family, the backbone of the house blend is wine primarily drawn from two flagship quintas owned by Dow s, namely Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira in the Douro Superior and Quinta do Bomfim near Pinhão in the Cima Corgo. Both quintas were acquired in 1890 and 1896 respectively, making Dow s one of the first port houses to invest in premium vineyards. A classic vintage Port is held for two winters in old wood before it is blended then bottled with no treatment or filtration and put to market straight away. It is so concentrated that decades of maturation in the bottle are needed for it to become ready to drink. Decanting is an absolute necessity before serving. 2007 bottled in 2009 by Symington Family Estates Vinhos Lda in Vila Nova de Gaia. The end of 2006 was thankfully sufficiently wet to replenish the water tables, for the winter into the New Year proved unusually dry and mild. Consequently, the vegetative cycle began early and flowering was precocious. June was decidedly un-summery with a very wet middle of the month and July brought more showers hence an outbreak of fungal diseases had to be prevented. Due to the colder weather, veraison was considerably delayed. The moderate temperatures in the run up to harvest, combined to good soil humidity, gave the grapes good acidity and soft skins with excellent potential for colour extraction. Perfect weather during harvest meant that the fruit arrived at the wineries at very good temperatures and in perfect condition. The excellent 2007 vintage was declared universally by all the Port houses. Dow s 2007 was awarded 100 points by the Wine Spectator and remained the only Vintage Port in the 21 st century with a perfect score until Dow s 2011 scored 100 points too. Dow s (Est. 1798) www.dows-port.com Symington Family Estates www.symington.com The Symingtons have been present in the Douro for five generations since 1882. Today, Symington Family Estates is the largest vineyard owner in the Douro, the 2 nd largest producer of Port with a good 1/5 of the production, the leading producer in the special categories with over 1/3 of the production of premium Port wines and the leading Port group in the UK with 45% of the market. The Symingtons acquired Warre s (Est. 1670) in 1908, having been given partnerships in 1905, and Dow s (Est. 1798) in 1961 having been given partnerships back in 1912. They also acquired Quarles Harris (Est. 1680) in 1917, Graham s (Est. 1820), Smith Woodhouse (Est. 1784) and Gould Campbell (Est. 1797) in 1970, Quinta do Vesuvio (Est. 1830) in 1989, Martinez (Est. 1790) in 2006 and Cockburn s (Est.1815) in 2010. Winemaker: Peter Symington for 45 years until he retired in 2009 and his son Charles Symington since 1995 Bottle capacity: 75cl Closure: Natural cork (take it as a sign that the Port requires cellaring and decanting) Blend: Traditional varieties (Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Cão...) Alcohol: 20%abv Residual Sugar: 101 g/l = 3.4 Baumé Total Tartaric Acidity: 4.6 g/l PH: 3.7 Supplier: Fells (Est. 1858) www.fells.co.uk Average UK retail price: 113.00 inc. VAT according to www.wine-searcher.com as of 29/10/17 This red wine looks clear and bright. It is deep ruby in colour, even though the rim still retains the purplish hue of youth. This wine is indeed the most youthful-looking of all the ruby Ports in the selection. Legs and tears appear along the side of the glass. The wine smells clean. For a wine of such tremendous concentration, the developing aromas of medium-plus intensity prove rather shy and closed-in, yet one can sense the huge power underneath it all. At this early stage of development, some might even prefer the appealing nose of the LBV to the young-shiraz-like scent of this wine. Hints of wild mushroom and an almost Bloody-Mary-like character give the cherry and blackcurrant fruit an almost savoury edge. The freshness of eucalyptus and cassis leaf cuts right through the richness of that black fruit coated in dark bitter chocolate and sweet spices. One cannot smell one single whiff of fortifying brandy here. This medium-plus-to-full-bodied wine is sweet and fortified to a high level of alcohol. The medium-plus acidity does not manage to offset that fiery potency of alcohol, which is a common trait of young Vintage Port wines. Nonetheless, one is as close to perfect balance as one can get in this instance. The flavours of pronounced intensity are packed full of black cherry (flesh, stone and all), dark plum and cassis liqueur. The tannins are very high, yet they are extraordinarily fine and ripe. That density of tannins almost feels like chocolate sauce in the mouth, which leads the sweet vanilla and cinnamon spice to turn into drier dark chocolate and coffee bean in the finish of long length. This Vintage Port is outstanding. Young Vintage Port often proves fiery, but here, the wine already displays near perfect balance between the concentrated fruit, the freshness of acidity and the potency of alcohol. This powerful offering is going to require two more decades of maturation in the bottle to deliver its true potential. Please, do wait for it to age fabulously. Walnuts, dried apricots and figs, as well as various cheeses such as Stilton and Dorset Blue Vinny are excellent accompaniments to mature Vintage Port. It would be a shame to pull the cork now, but if one does, treat this young Vintage Port like the ultimate style of ruby Port and pair it with chocolate desserts.

Port: Style: Vintage: Taylor s 1992 Vintage port Classic Vintage Port (Special Category) Such top-quality Port is only made in the very finest or declared vintage years, primarily from grapes grown then trodden under foot in Taylor s own estates at the time, namely Quinta de Vargellas on the left bank of the Douro river in the Douro Superior and Quinta de Terra Feita, 20 miles apart, on the right bank of the Pinhão river in the Cima Corgo. Vargellas, the flagship quinta, was bought in 1893. Quinta de Terra Feita de Baixo was purchased in the 1970s then Quinta de Terra Feita de Cima was added to the estate in 1990. The wines from Quinta do Junco would become blended into Taylor s Vintage Port from the time it joined the portfolio in 1997. A classic vintage Port is held two winters in seasoned wood before it is blended then bottled with no treatment or filtration and put to market straight away. It is so concentrated that decades of maturation in the bottle are needed for it to become ready to drink. Decanting is an absolute necessity before serving. 1992 bottled in 1994 by Taylor, Fladgate & Yeatman Vinhos S.A. (later to become part of TFP) in Vila Nova de Gaia. An unusually dry winter led to an equally dry spring. Flowering came early. The long, hot summer was broken by a few heavy showers at the end of the ripening season then the weather at harvest became ideal for winemaking. The vintage corresponded with the tercentenary of Taylor s, but it is the quality of the wines that led Taylor Fonseca SA to declare 1992 a classic vintage year when most Port houses were declaring the 1991 vintage instead. Robert Parker did indeed award Taylor s 1992 his first perfect 100 point score for a Port wine and James suckling celebrated Fonseca 1992 as the best Fonseca since the perfect 1977. Taylor s (Est. 1692) www.taylor.pt The Fladgate Partnership (Est. 1962) www.fladgatepartnership.com TFP was founded in 1962 as Dick Yeatman of Taylor, Fladgate & Yeatman gave partnerships to Bruce Guimaraens of Fonseca. The partnership was actually known as Taylor Fonseca S.A. until 2002. TFP has now overtaken Sogrape Vinhos as the 3 rd largest Port producer. It is a leading producer in the special categories with 1/3 of the total production of premium Port wines. Taylor, Fladgate & Yeatman (Est. 1692) own Fonseca (Est. 1815) since 1949, Croft (Est. 1588) since 2001 and Wiese & Krohn (Est. 1865) since 2013. Winemaker: David Guimaraens Capacity: 75cl Closure: Natural cork (take it as a sign that the Port requires cellaring and decanting) Blend: Traditional varieties (Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Cão...) Alcohol: 20.5%abv Residual Sugar: 90 g/l = 2.8 Baumé Total Tartaric Acidity: 4.7 g/l PH: 3.6 Supplier: Mentzendorff (Est. 1858) www.mentzendorff.co.uk Average retail price: 145.00 inc. VAT as per www.wine-searcher.com on 29/10/17 This red wine looks clear and bright. It is deep garnet in colour. Legs and tears run along the side of the glass. This wine exhibits an intensity of aromas that is fine and elegant rather than pronounced. The developing aromas of medium-plus intensity of this adolescent wine are now becoming unlocked. The nose is actually impressively integrated, layered and complex. The minerally fruit is lifted by mint, eucalyptus and fresh herbs. There is still plenty of black cherry and blackcurrant here, but that juicy puppy fruit shows signs of developing towards more dried-fruity aromas such as sultana and fig. The sweetness of vanilla and cinnamon is taking over the drier notes of bitter chocolate and coffee bean. Thanks to that level of development and mossy undertones, the scent of this wine is very reminiscent of a mature Burgundy Pinot Noir. This medium-plus bodied wine is sweet and fortified to a high level of alcohol. The medium-plus acidity does not manage to offset that potency of alcohol. One must bear in mind that, prior to 1995, the Casa do Douro had the monopoly on supply and distribution of aguardente, and Port companies had no control over the quality of the fortifying brandy they had no other choice but to use. Here, the palate is quite fiery, especially in the finish. The wine has shed a great deal of sediments, yet it still exhibits a medium-plus level of very fine and ripe tannins. The flavours of medium-plus intensity mirror the aromas described on the nose, but in a far more expressive way. The wine displays an underlying freshness of fruit character, but notes of maraschino cherry, kirsch liqueur and crystallised orange peel give the wine a fruitcake-like quality in the finish of long length. This wine is outstanding. Rather than a display of opulence and decadent fruitiness, this wine is a demonstration of sheer elegance and refinement. It is indeed through its layered complexity and integration that the wine shines. Further maturation in bottle will only enhance the wine s tremendous qualities. Walnuts are an excellent accompaniment to mature Vintage Port, so are various cheeses such as Stilton and Dorset Blue Vinny. Dried fruits such as apricots and figs are a good pairing also.

Port: Style: Vintage: DALVA Golden White Porto Colheita (Special Category) Colheita Porto translates as Vintage Port, which is very misleading, for the style must be understood as Single-harvest Tawny. Colheita white Port is a rare speciality of C. da Silva and Krohn. Under the military regime that prevailed in Portugal till the Carnation Revolution of 1974, Port shippers were sometimes forced to buy unsold stocks of Port from the Casa do Douro, the winegrowers guild. And since white Port wasn t popular, most of those wines remained somewhat forgotten for many years, now newly rediscovered. C. Silva only releases the finest single-harvest white Port in every decade (1952, 1963 and 1971). They would have bought the grapes in from associated growers located in the Murça area of the Cima Corgo. The grapes were processed using traditional methods and were probably trodden under foot in lagares. Skin contact always results in wines with plenty of body and tannins, which are essencial qualities if one wants their wine to withstand decades of oxidative ageing in 625-litre pipes. These extreme oxidative conditions gradually turn the light lemon yellow colour of a young wine into a medium tawny and the fruit aromas and flavours from primary to ever more dry-fruity, spicy and nutty, nuttiness being the signature character of the style. Colheita Porto is left to mature gently in the coastal town of Vila Nova de Gaia till bottling. It is only bottled on demand. Being deliberately oxidised in style, it is ready to drink and does not require decanting. 1963 bottled in 2009 by C. da Silva Vinhos S.A. in V. N. de Gaia (awarded gold at a series of international competitions) C. da Silva (Est. 1862) www.cdasilva.pt C. Da Silva was founded in 1862 under the name of Corrêa Ribeiro e Filhos. Clemente da Silva arrived in Oporto from Brazil in 1933 then inherited the company by marriage and gave it his name in 1957. C. da Silva remained family-owned till its acquisition by the Spanish group Nueva Rumasa in 1980. Gran Cruz Porto eventually acquired the company in 2007, together with its Dalva and Presidential brands, thereby making C. da Silva part of the French group La Martiniquaise. La Martiniquaise (Est. 1934) www.la-martiniquaise.fr La Martiniquaise is an independent French group founded by Jean Gayard in 1934. The company was initially intended as a rum importer and distributor, but it eventually developed into the second largest wine and spirit group in France after Pernod Ricard and one of the top 10 beverage consortiums in the world. La Martiniquaise entered the Port business with the creation of the Porto Cruz brand in 1956. The leading Port brand took 43% of the French Port market in 2016 thanks to the Cruz Fresco campaign that advertised Port as an aperitif best served on ice with a slice of orange. In 1972, La Martiniquaise acquired Assumpçao E. Foz (Est. 1887) then re-baptised it Gran Cruz in 1975. Gran Cruz established itself as a negociant in Vila Nova de Gaia, best known for its volume brands. But there has been a shift towards premium production, starting with the acquisition of C. da Silva in 2007 together with a sizable stock of colehitas dating back to the 1930s. Thanks to the purchase of Quinta to Ventozelo in 2015, a top-graded vineyard with a history dating back to 1569, Gran Cruz is now starting to grow grapes of their own also. Gran Cruz has now become the Port industry leader with 1/4 of the total Port market by volume. Winemaker & blender: José Manuel Sousa Soares Bottle capacity: 50cl Closure: short driven cork + T-top also provided (usually a sign that the Port wine is ready to drink and does not require decanting) Blend: Traditional Varieties (Malvasia Fina, Viosinho, Rabigato, Donzelinho, Gouveiro...) Alcohol: 20%abv Residual sugar: 130 g/l = 5.0 Baumé Total tartaric acidity: 5.3g/l PH: 3.5 UK distributor: Watermill Wines Average UK retail price: 195.00 inc. VAT according to www.wine-searcher.com as of 29/10/17 This white wine looks clear and bright. It is pale tawny in colour and quite green-tinged. Legs and tears run along the side of the glass. The wine smells clean despite a hint of volatility, which is only normal in a wine with such a high acid and sugar content after decades of oxidative ageing in cask. The wine does not technically need decanting, yet decanting might help to get rid of any form of bottle sickness. The wine displays a pronounced intensity of deliberately oxidised aromas very reminiscent of the scent of a very old Sercial/Bual Madeira hybrid. All the spice box has been thrown in, giving the nose a curry-like character dominated by lovage and fenugreek. But it is a citrus-peel-boosted nuttiness that dominates the aromatic profile. Notes of caramelised orange, apricot and sultana do indeed underpin a rancio character of roasted almond, hazelnut and dry walnut. This medium-bodied wine is sweet and so high in acidity that one could forget to notice that it is fortified to a high level of alcohol. The flavours are pronounced in intensity. The flavour profile is so integrated that one can only describe it as an infusion of orange, nuts and dried fruits. The tangy character of the wine tails off into dry walnut, coffee bean and burnt caramel. There is a remanence of wood tannins here, which, in combination with that rancio character, gives a rather dry edge to the finish of long length. Magda, Nora and I tasted that same bottling back in 2012. It seemed to have a more tartaric and dynamic quality of tang then. Five more years in the bottle have somewhat compromised that liveliness of character. This wine is outstanding regardless, for this sheer miracle of complexity and integration feels ever so smooth and perfectly balanced. This archetypal meditation wine must be enjoyed on its own or with a cigar, but it can also be served with food, notably in accompaniment of foie gras or citrus- or nut-based desserts.

Port: Style: Indication of Age: Graham s 40 Year Old Tawny Port Age-dated Tawny Port (Special Category) Small reserves of the most concentrated wines are set aside in January following the vintage. Part of the blend is grown by associated growers or in estates privately owned by the Symington family, but the backbone of the blend comes from two of the company s own vineyards in the Cima Corgo on either side of the Rio Tua where the tributary joins the Rio Douro, namely Quinta dos Malvedos and Quinta do Tua. The flagship quinta dos Malvedos was acquired by the Graham family in 1890 then lost during difficult financial times only to be reunited to the house of Graham s when the Symingtons bought it back in 1981. Quinta do Tua had been part of Cockburn s since 1889 when Cockburn s assets were bought by the Symingtons in 2006 and the estate was added to Graham s portfolio. Quinta das Lages in the Rio Torto has been an important component of Graham s blend since 1924. The estate was formerly independently owned until it was leased to Graham s in 2002 for 25 years. Wines are only selected if judged powerful-enough to withstand more than 40 years of maturation in 625 litre casks. These seasoned pipes are the smallest ageing containers in the Port industry hence the extremely oxidative conditions they provide gradually turn the deep ruby colour of a young wine into a medium tawny and the fruit aromas and flavours from primary to ever more dry-fruity, spicy and nutty. Nuttiness is the signature character of Tawny Port. These wines are sent downriver to the coastal town of Vila Nova de Gaia to mature gently. Being deliberately oxidised in style, a Very Old Tawny Port blend is bottled ready to drink and does not require decanting. Port Shippers prefer the style to be served chilled at river temperature. 40 + Years Old (an average, not a minimum) bottled in 2016 by Symington Family Estates Vinhos Lda. W. & J. Graham s (Est. 1820) www.grahams-port.com Symington Family Estates www.symington.com The Symingtons have been present in the Douro for five generations since 1882. Today, Symington Family Estates is the largest vineyard owner in the Douro, the 2 nd largest producer of Port with a good 1/5 of the production, the leading producer in the special categories with over 1/3 of the production of premium Port wines and the leading Port group in the UK with 45% of the market. The Symingtons acquired Warre s (Est. 1670) in 1908, having been given partnerships in 1905, and Dow s (Est. 1798) in 1961 having been given partnerships back in 1912. They also acquired Quarles Harris (Est. 1680) in 1917, Graham s (Est. 1820), Smith Woodhouse (Est. 1784) and Gould Campbell (Est. 1797) in 1970, Quinta do Vesuvio (Est. 1830) in 1989, Martinez (Est. 1790) in 2006 and Cockburn s (Est.1815) in 2010. Winemaker & blender: Peter Symington for 45 years until he retired in 2009 and his son Charles Symington since 1995 Bottle capacity: 75cl Closure: T-top cork (usually a sign that the Port wine is ready to drink and does not require decanting) Blend: Traditional varieties (Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Cão...) Alcohol: 20%abv Residual sugar: 120 g/l = 4.4 Baumé Total tartaric acidity: 4.9 g/l PH: 3.5 Supplier: Fells (Est. 1858) www.fells.co.uk Average UK retail price: 100 inc. VAT according to www.wine-searcher.com as of 29/10/17 This red wine looks clear and bright. It is medium tawny in colour, with red copper highlights. Legs and tears run along the side of the glass. The wine smells clean. For a wine of such high quality and venerable old age, the nose exhibits a disappointingly medium-tomedium-plus intensity of deliberately oxidised aromas. Decanting might help to open up the aromatic profile of the wine. Notes of roasted almond, walnut, dark, bitter chocolate and coffee bean give the nose an almost Turon-duro-like quality. That rancio scent is freshened up by eucalyptus leaf and underpinned by subtle fruity notes of orange peel, dried apricot and sultana. This medium-bodied wine is sweet, yet so rancio in character that it almost tastes dry. The wine is fortified to a high level of alcohol and the medium-plus acidity does not manage to offset that potency. The hard-nougat effect created by a combination of roasted almond, brown sugar and burnt caramel is so imposing that the wine feels almost simple, regardless of a positively understated level of complexity. One can indeed perceive some dried fruit spiced with vanilla and cinnamon underneath the marzipan. That sweet profile tails off into dry notes of coffee bean and dark, bitter chocolate in the fiery finish of long length. This wine is outstanding, even though one cannot help but be disappointed by the underwhelming intensity of aromas on the nose. The potency of alcohol gives the wine a rather heady and fiery character, which is only normal considering that the wine has shed all its fruit tannins over decades of maturation in cask. Port shippers have always favoured that style of wine chilled at river temperature. Cooling tawny styles of Port does help to restore a sense of balance. This archetypal meditation wine needs to be drunk on its own or enjoyed with a cigar. A simple piece of dark, bitter chocolate will bring out the complexity of this wine.