1980 Messias Cachao

[Will W.]

Messias Cachao vintage port is ubiquitous on the Portuguese secondary market; your correspondent, attracted by the very favourable prices at which examples from the 1970s and 1980s can be acquired for mid-week quaffing, has consumed six or eight such bottles over the last couple of years. As a general rule, the output of Quinta do Cachao makes for perfectly-pleasant, albeit never spectacular drinking. The bottle reviewed here, consumed on 25 July 2019, fell below that modest bar.

Whilst showing the rather unique rust colour which has characterised most, though not all of the bottles of Cachao consumed to date by your correspondent, after a five-hour decant the wine was exceedingly cloudy – a not uncommon phenomenon with Cachao vintage ports – such that Her Ladyship pronounced its appearance as being redolent of “the murkiness of Hampstead Ponds on an October morning.” In short, a poor start, save perhaps for those fond of rambling ‘round Hampstead Ponds in rubbish weather. The nose was slightly better, though weak, offering hints of black cherry, orange rind, cinnamon and cloves – a not unpleasant combination, though one had to work for it. The heat was quite pronounced upon entry, reminding this author of the principal flaw of Messias colheitas, giving way to a weak mid-palate, the only easily discernible-flavour being that of honey. The finish was of short-to-medium length and, whilst not biting, the aguardiente remained very much in evidence. Overall, this showing was rather poor compared to a bottle of the same vintage, tried early in 2018, which garnered 91 points. This particular bottle might, in fact, have benefited from two or even three hours less time in the decanter; and, if the said bottle was indicative (rather than the previous tasting of the same year), it would appear to be time to consume all remaining bottles of the 1980 without undue delay.

82 points

[Alex Bridgeman]

Much of the characteristics you have described of this bottle remind me of the damage a bottle will suffer if exposed to too much light - the murkiness, the colour and the loss of all flavours except a little honey. Could this have been a bottle which was stored badly - but not too badly - before it came into your possession?

[Will W.]

Much of the characteristics you have described of this bottle remind me of the damage a bottle will suffer if exposed to too much light - the murkiness, the colour and the loss of all flavours except a little honey. Could this have been a bottle which was stored badly - but not too badly - before it came into your possession?

Thank you, Alex, for your unintended instructional point, that is, I knew that port is to be stored in a dark place, though I had never thought to enquire what might happen when it is not. That aside, your suspicion may very well be correct; in the case of this bottle, which was purchased as a single at auction, one shall never know. I expect that all of us, in our wanderings around Lisbon, Porto and wherever else in Portugal, have noticed the propensity of shops, restaurants and even private households to have fine bottles sitting in plain view on shelving - I think sometimes for years on end - where it is exposed to light as well as all manner of seasonal temperature changes. Why anybody would have a bottle of Messias Cachao on display, at least for the purpose of impressing others, is another question, though I would not rule it out.