ThePortForum.com

djewesbury wrote:Well done TPF.

Indeed. Good effort.

Good spot. Also online with free delivery. Failed to resist temptation (again).

To me to would seem more natural to describe this wanted characteristic as ‘stewed’ rather than ‘jammy’. I think jammy and stewed overlap. I think they are not the same. Jam. Take fruit. Add sugar (and pectin, if necessary). Cook quite quickly at jamming temp (104 deg C) until sets on a cold plate....

I suppose "jammy" here is not clearly defined (my fault), and ranges from quite lightly cooked with low sugar levels (fruity and acidic and good in wine) to overly sweet and stewed (less good in wine). Both good on toast.

To me a wine is jammy when there is not enough acidity and / or tannin to balance out the sugar in the fruit. This can come about from the condition of the grapes (too ripe, not cool at night so no chance to build acidity - think of a blackberry that almost squashes as you pick it) or from lack of ...

Has anyone tried the Tesco 97? Might be worth knowing if it is a cellar defender or one to avoid before the inevitable Xmas sales start tempting me.

DRT wrote:It would be civilised to offer the Chef a glass of Port, thereby creating an opportunity to name him in our review.

+1

Understanding any young wine is just something that comes with time and experience. The more you can taste them young, preferably with someone experienced that can share what to look for, the better off you are. The first thing I look for is acidity. Tannins come second, and then overall body/struc...

Jam flavours make me think of poorer quality wines, even bad storage, I find that young wines though fruity should have a crispness to the fruit, the exception I might make are for the 03s, which though jammy now I think will be great wines in the future. Poor storage, yes. Also perhaps grapes pick...

Thanks. So wines with "decoration" you don't currently like are OK for the long term as long as the underlying structure is in place. I am beginning to understand some of the complexities of rating young ports for the future!

I think they need some time to develop. Not in a great place at the horizontal, but I think many will become if not great, at least good. Gould and Smith Woodhouse showed quite well - perhaps the big beasts were slumbering?

I'm not keen on excessively jammy or minty qualities in wines. I wonder, though, whether these dominant flavour profiles in youth may be less relevant on maturity. Has anyone any experience or thoughts on how such wines (or indeed other potentially undesirable youthful profiles) might evolve?

Pop and pour (I know) when a Sunday lunch guest suggested brandy of which I have none. Immediate success. Inviting warm red fruits strawberry and red currant on the nose. Strawberry and red currant, mouth watering balanced acidity, finishing long with red liquorice. Over a couple of hours the red li...

True, but only if every last trace were successfully removed when pulling the cork. If any of the paste adhered to the neck of the bottle as the port was poured out, some would dissolve in the liquid to be consumed - but whether more than 200ppm I cannot estimate. OK, the wonders of Google and the ...

A plug of softer wax could be used to fill the gap perhaps?

The wheat flour is outside the cork, not in the drink... True, but only if every last trace were successfully removed when pulling the cork. If any of the paste adhered to the neck of the bottle as the port was poured out, some would dissolve in the liquid to be consumed - but whether more than 200...

The wheat flour is outside the cork, not in the drink, so it should still be safe. But you might be more cautious than that. I have to be cautious, unfortunately. 20 ppm is very little indeed. 0.02g flour in a pour. An unlucky scrap. The problem would be on opening, and chipping all the paste away ...

For me, wheat flour potentially poisons the bottle! I've experimented with this a couple of times, and both the theory and practice seems OK - why do you reckon wheat might be poisonous? . Ah. Poisonous to me. I can only have gluten at 20ppm as I have Coeliac disease, as do about 1 in 100 in the UK...

For me, wheat flour potentially poisons the bottle!

I agree: Martinez with the dot poorly positioned.

Last year I accepted, and it was certainly a nice enough glass, but I think this year I will go straight for the port. Single minded focus!

I now have my ticket secured.
Learning points from last year.
Get there early, before doors open, to maximise sampling time. Greet JDAW at head of queue.
When interesting talk starts, dash to back so talk augments rather than pauses essential sampling.

The Wine Society are now listing The Society's Exhibition Crusted Port (Fonseca), Bottled 2007. Same price (13.95) as the 2006, which is still available.

I find blind tasting a step too far for me. I'm still trying to understand different shippers and vintages, and how they might change with age. A label gives me a start.

These are lovely ports. The Fonseca in particular. They are, however, widely available still, and retail per bottle for around £60 each within a case (£60-75 as single bottles), and you could expect only perhaps half that in a private sale. The best advice is usually to keep, drink and enjoy them - ...