A bottle bought from the Bar Douro wine list, popped and poured at 17.00 and drunk over the following 2-3 hours. A bottle appearing to be recently released with a very new cork having little penetration of the port.
Deep red colour with a medium rim, very youthful appearance; this has no brown or bricking in the colour but is the same colour as a 1997 vintage port. After 30 minutes in the glass this is quite closed on the nose showing a little mint and pepper but nothing by way of fruit. Sweet on the palate, with lots of brooding bramble fruit. The mid-palate is an overwhelming wave of fruit with a mass of charcoal tannin and powerful acidity yet every breath of air drawn over the palate releases a beautiful violet flower perfume. A touch fiery on the aftertaste before a huge finish of concentrated blackcurrant, bitter black chocolate and black licorice - and fresh grass making an appearance a minute into the finish. This is a stunning port, incredibly youthful yet with the fruit and structure to last another 50+ years. Anyone building a port cellar who wants a port for life should buy some of these.
I timed the finish as I wrote this tasting note. I was still tasting the licorice and chocolate lining of my mouth over four minutes!
30 minutes later, the chocolate had mellowed slightly and the blackcurrant was changing into a sweet black cherry. 95/100. 21-Aug-17. 1 hour decant.
1980 Warre
- Alex Bridgeman
- Graham’s 1948
- Posts: 14915
- Joined: 13:41 Mon 25 Jun 2007
- Location: Berkshire, UK
1980 Warre
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
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- Dalva Golden White Colheita 1952
- Posts: 3520
- Joined: 14:22 Wed 15 Dec 2010
- Location: Near Cambridge, UK
Re: 1980 Warre
A very good tasting note - and to me a surprisingly high score for W80 based on previous bottles; it tempts me to visit to try another from the same source...
- Alex Bridgeman
- Graham’s 1948
- Posts: 14915
- Joined: 13:41 Mon 25 Jun 2007
- Location: Berkshire, UK
Re: 1980 Warre
I was very surprised at the quality of this specific bottle, which was ex-cellars about a year before I drank it.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.