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For those of you who don't know my scoring on Douro wines, my ratings go above 94 points maybe eight to a dozen times a year. I am fortunate to sample many DOC Douro bottles and the aforemented red certainly deserves to be in that esteemed category, for wines tasted in 2010. Disclaimer: some of thes...

I think the best thing I can do for you Mike is to share my tasting note and you can see how it compares to other journalists or critics and then choose to buy in or you can take my word and find it as soon as possible. 2007 Quinta Do Vallado, Touriga Nacional, Douro Red wine 100% Touriga Nacional g...

I still say that this is one of the greatest Fonseca's and although I love 1966 too, I find the 1970 is closer stylistically and may someday even surpass the 1963. I remember having this was Bruce Guimaraens here in Seattle just before a 2nd bottle of VP and the Cuban cigars came out, this after din...

I know this wine well:

1875 Oliveiras Madeira Reserva ... actually this is one of the truly great Malvasia bottlings I have ever had. One left in my own cellar. About $700 per bottle if you were to buy it today. Stunningly great. If you ever need someone to share a bottle, let me know.

I still have a few of these purchased early on, what do you believe to be the drinkability of these moving forward, in terms of longevity or lack thereof?

Don't get me wrong ... I love them too!

I find all kinds of things to use the Bin Markers for: spoon rests, coasters, hand 'em to the coat check girl at the local pub to ensure she can find my hat, adorning the fireplace and nothing better for Christmas tree ornaments!

but is it really necessary for wines like Vesuvio to be entirely packed in those fancy (and doubtless very expensive) boxes?

Play with the design of the footlocker at your own peril. The scorn of the Al B. may come down and put a pox on your kin.

Sorry, I disagree on having the older ports after dinner. Palate fatigue is a certainty at this event and I would rather be tasting young wines when that happens than 50 year old gems that I may never taste again. I have no horse in the race, but believe Derek's way is right on. I also prefer older...

Andy wrote: As many 1985's that I've had I have yet to encounter the mass of VA that a couple of others have mentioned in this vintage. Like Andy, Glenn and Marc, I have only heard rumors of this ... originally from Richard Mayson when he was here in 2003. Yet in all honesty, I have never encountere...

Jeez and we thought that remarkable annointment was preserved from here to eternity by Pink Port.

From what I understand, the UK won't be seeing this Port for another year or so. Better ask Andy to pack up a bottle to bring over to share with you!

It is selling in state-run (monopoly) wine shops in Pennsylvania for $18.99 ... which is incredible given what their prices are like typically.

The flight from Madrid to Porto is v. easy and took me about 45 minutes. Then getting to Pinhao is 2.5 hours or so depending on your driving accumen. No matter what, this IS the fastest way unless you have a really fast and nimble boat.

What took you so long?

Axel, good to see you enjoyed this Port. It is making a big splash in the USA and when the importer here can ramp up the volume , this is going to sell like maple syrup in Canada. An outstanding effort by Noval and the price is quite fair too.

How often have I placed a strong "buy" signal here, no less written about it first on TPF? I have friends here who are either already in lust or quickly becoming enamored with Douro wines. So here is a tip for you ... find a case or two of the 2007 Quinta do Vallado "Touriga Nacional&...

This came to me yesterday by one of the principals of a Port house: Just down from the Douro where it continues to rain incessantly, just + 3° C on the Marão this pm, so snow tonight on the high mountains around the Douro for sure. Yesterday we had 140 kms winds in the Douro and I have two old pin...

Sounds like fun. How did the 2006 Magnum show? I hope it was worthy of the wait.

From what a friend told me today, it was no where near as bad as last Saturday on Madeira, thank god! The only issue now is that there is no room for ground absorption/drainage and even the sewer systems are still not back to normal in some spots. But given Haiti, Japan, and Chile in the past months...

Est. 1790, and it had always been called Martinez-Gassiot but now that the Symington's have taken control of the company and their exclusive (Sym-owned) importer Premium Port Wines in CA has the bottles with nice new labels. The name still appears as Martinez, but on each front label you will still ...

"Alex, (Killer Beyond) ... I am your father!"

Gman,

As of this a.m. Blicker Pierce had 5 bottles of the 1963 Sandeman for $175 which considering the age, is a very solid price.

1963 Sandeman Vintage Port 5 x 750mL -- $175 WS96 bn, crc, no label, (branded cork)

They are a great resource too. Good luck.

Tom, 100 Ports , seriously? I don't know that any table full of Port lovers could be assembled, and would agree on even 10 Vintage Ports listed in the same order of preference or within the same Top 10 list. That would be a very long discussion over many bottles of Port I'm afraid. :lol: Glenn wrote...

Here in Seattle, the faintest whiff of the white stuff gently floating out of the sky is cause to mobilize the National Guard. If it actually begins to accumulate on the ground there is much wailing and gnashing of teeth about the end of civilization as we know it. On those rare occasions when it h...

It is already past midnight there and I wanted to drop in and wish you all the very best of health, happiness and great bottles of Port in 2010 ... to you and all your friends and loved ones ... Happy New Year!

Thanks Derek. I'll stop back to check here.

Although I have Magnums back to 1935, 1955 is not one of the vintages I own. Please do add me to a waiting list, however this seems quite odd that we had a tasting arranged and now it is put off by a full year and that those on that list are not automatically transfered over to another tasting excha...