2011 Dalva

[Alex Bridgeman]

A half bottle bought from a bar on the quayside of Vila Nova de Gaia and shared with JDAW. Deep red in colour having lost the purple of youth but still opaque and with only a narrow rim. Delicate and fresh on the nose with lots of fruit; vibrant and alive and nicely perfumed. Sweet on entry with luscious ripe fruit and a mass of tannins mid-palate. Big and powerful this port is very fruit dominated but with a delicate lavender perfume that adds a nice complexity. The aftertaste is delicious and chewy and leads to a nice toast and dark chocolate finish. This is a burly port with considerable promise but is a little straightforward at the moment to merit a better score. 88/100. 19-Jun-17. Pop 'n' pour.

JDAW: red-purple; 90%. Prunes and figs on the thick chewy palate, heat mid-palate and late palate, the heat dominating the ending. The weight and thickness impressive. Also nose v. perfumed á la 2007.