Temperature was hovering around 20 degrees last night in lower Manhattan. The perfect night to indulge in the 2000 vintage ports. Everything was decanted 2 hrs. before tasting (in hindsight, many probably would have shown better from a longer aeration, but….) This is how they fared:
Fonseca – concentrated maple, cassis and kirsch liquor nose. Incredibly rich and fleshy texture backed up by mineral, burnt caramel and dark chocolate flavors. Grew with intensity on the palate. The longest finish of the bunch. 92 pts.
Graham – pretty floral aromas mixed with black raspberry, plum, licorice and spice. Suprisingly evolved flavors of chocolate covered cherries, prunes and raisins. Very lush and velvety on the palate, but with a sharp edge of acidity to keep things lively. 94 pts.
Quinta do Noval – Aromas of ripe fig and dates backed up by vanillin and black pepper.
Dense layers of bitter chocolate, mocha, caramel and dark berry fruit. Also thick yet very bright. A little too much heat on the finish. 91+ pts.
Cockburn – The most evolved nose. Inky ripe fruit that was almost stewy mixed with a latex paint/shoepolish quality. Shockingly low acidity. Big and clumsy. Finished with very dry tannins and desperately needed more freshness. The clunker of the bunch. 84 pts.
Dow – Complex and lively aromas of blackberry, violets, spice and smoke. Soft and jammy with medium concentration and intensity. Not as intense and flamboyant as I’ve
tasted in past vintages, but I’m sure with more aeration this one would take off. 88 pts.
Taylor Fladgate – Shy at first, but with more time revealed aromas of dark juicy berries, smokey roasted meat, licorice and mint. Medium sweet with good intensity and big grip. In my opinion, had the best ageing potential. Finishes with hard edged tannins and long lingering length. 95 pts.
Smith Woodhouse – Low intensity aromas of figs and raisins. Alcohol was way too evident initially but calmed down after a while. Not especially sweet, but nicely juicy, balanced and supple. Finish was rather subdued. 90 pts.
Warres – enticing aromas of dark choclate, eucalyptus, fresh herbs, and cranberry. Tooth-achingly sweet on the palate. Cough-syrupy dark fruit mixed with more chocolate, espresso and a spritz of orange citrus. Finished firm and ripe with decent persistence. 89 pts.
Quinta do Vesuvio – Deep rich aromas of walnut skin, toffee, espresso, molasses and kirsh. Medium sweet, very fresh and muscular on the palate. Very elegant and seemless. Finished with very ripe, sweet tannins and impressive length and grip. Very appealing. 96 pts.
Overall, I was impressed with the 2000’s richness, structure and harmony. All had the potential for long term aging, and with the exception of the Cockburn (which may have been an off bottle) there wasn’t a bad wine in the bunch.
