Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med+ gold, legs
Nose: clear, med intensity, youthful, sultana raisin, spice, baked citrus, mineral, hint nutty
Mouth: sweet, full-bodied, med- acid, high fortification, med flavour intensity, sultana raisin, mineral, baked citrus, nuts, med length
All in all: Good quality: this uncomplicated and simple white port doesn’t have numerous flavours, but it’s balanced, fairly intense, and has a quaffable nature. Drink now, not suitable for ageing.
Identity Guess: Mid-priced White Port.
Is really: Mid-priced White Port.

[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 2 – Week 6]

With all the talk about white port in class and all the things that you read in wine books and articles (with the words about white port being this sort of forgotten/cheap/shitty/weird fortified wine), I’ve always been interested to try it but have always been more than afraid to commit to buying an entire bottle (even at the mere price of $22).… read more

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med+ purple, legs
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, youthful, earth, wood, (dried) black fruit, black cherry, blackberry, prune
Mouth: sweet, med+ body, med tannin, high fortification, med flavour intensity, med- acid, earth, wood, dried black fruit, blackberry, black cherry, spice, med length
All in all: Good quality: though balanced and clean, the basic ruby port seems basic to moderately complex with an average length, serving to be a ready-to-drink ruby-style port. Drink now, not suitable for ageing.
Identity Guess: Mid-priced Late Bottled Vintage Port.
Is really: Mid-priced NV Ruby Port.

[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 2 – Week 6]

This wine was chosen by the instructor to contrast to the previous wine in the flight, which was a vintage port.… read more

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, deep purple, legs
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, youthful, dark fruit, blackberry, bramble, jam, spice, blueberry, cassis, earth, prune
Mouth: sweet, full bodied, med+ fine tannin, med+ acid, med+ flavour intensity, dark fruit, blackberry, bramble, blueberry, jam, cassis, earth, hint dark chocolate, spice, med+ length
All in all: Very good quality: this vintage port is still very young and fruit forward, but it exudes bold and opulent fruit that persists – and though fiery – alludes to some form of balance.  Too young. (though I honestly enjoyed it)
Identity Guess: Premium Vintage Port, ~4 years old.
Is really: Premium Vintage Port, vintaged 2011.

[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 2 – Week 6]

I don’t know – I’m young and dumb, perhaps explaining why I enjoyed this newborn port more than some of the others in the flight.… read more

Tasting Note:

Eyes: hazy, deep garnet, legs noted, some sediment
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, fully developed, baked fruit, stewed fruit, soy, menthol, hint pyrazine, cassis, blackberry, herbal, sage, cola, oxidative, coffee, prune, chocolate
Mouth: sweet, med+ body, med+ acid, high fortification, med- fine tannin, med+ intensity, cassis, stewed dark fruit, blackberry, hint herbal, med+ length
All in all: Very good quality: the wine is intense and complex with flavours that lean towards the stewed fruit spectrum. The wine has a relatively long length, but there is something “missing” – perhaps it’s the slight lack in vibrance due to the mainly stewed fruit without the intense tertiary character. Drink now, not suitable for ageing.
Identity Guess: Premium Vintage Port, 15-20 years old.… read more

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med tawny, legs
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, fully developed, wood, brown sugar, prune, caramelized, dried fruit, citrus rind, caramel, roasted nuts
Mouth: sweet, med+ body, med- acid, high fortification, med+ intensity, long finish, cola, hint dried fruit, nuts, soy, citrus, dates, toffee, caramel
All in all: Very good (to outstanding) quality: this tawny port has a concentrated and complex flavour profile featuring roasted nuts, citrus rind, and hints of caramelized fruit. The length is long, and the wine has a near-perfect balance. Drink now, not suitable for ageing.
Identity Guess: Premium 20 Year Old Tawny Port.
Is really: Premium 20 Year Old Tawny Port.

[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 2 – Week 6]

This was definitely the wine in the flight that had the best ratio of wine quality to some sort of drink-now aspect, all while retaining some level of freshness.… read more

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med tawny, legs
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, fully developed, roasted nuts, caramel, mushroom, earth, prune, hazelnut
Mouth: sweet, med+ body, med+ flavour intensity, high fortification, med+ acid, med+ length, roasted nuts, mushroom, hazelnut, prune, spice, med- tannin
All in all: Very good quality: the intense and complex wine exudes flavours of roasted nuts, earth, and caramel with a relatively long finish. The wine is structured and balanced though there is a hint of bitterness on the finish. Drink now, not suitable for ageing.
Identity Guess: Premium Tawny-style Port.
Is really: Premium Colheita Port, vintaged 1995.

[Tasted during WSET Diploma class – Section 2 – Week 6]

I don’t even remember what “colheita” designates besides a tawny-er style of port.… read more