1960 Burmester

[Will W.]

Absorbed into the Sogevinus stable in 2005, the Burmester name has been associated with the production of port wine since 1730. Older Burmester colheitas as well as vintage ports are ubiquitous on the aftermarket in Portugal as well as in northern Europe; in particular, in the Netherlands. Using Bordeaux terminology, Burmester ports might be compared to second label wines from that French region, offering as they do agreeable drinking which, in accordance with the prevailing prices, falls short of the ecstatic highs offered by, say, older Mourao tawnies and the best Fonseca vintages. In the event, this bottle of vintage port – purchased on its own, with as much known history as a child raised by wolves - overachieved.

When the bottle was opened and poured into the decanter, the port had as much colour as a merchant seaman’s urine following a night swilling ale after surviving the North Atlantic crossing in June 1942. At this same juncture – 01 January 2020, not June 1942 - the promising nose was reassuring, assuaging as it did the fear that the wine had become oxidised during its nearly sixty years in the bottle; and, quickly enough, the initially-near-clear contents of the bottle took on the hue of polished copper. In this respect, the Burmester is typical of certain other 1960 vintages, not least the Ferreira. After five hours in the decanter, the wine proffered the olfactory nerve a gentle mixture of honeydew, vanilla, citrus and spice. On the mouth, the principal sensation at the fore-palate was that of either elderflower cordial or elderberry syrup, your correspondent’s inability to choose betwixt the two becoming more acute with each sip. Eventually abandoning that riddle, he found the complex sensations at the mid-palate easier to identify with some certitude; quite distinct notes of aniseed, green apple, citrus, cloves and other Asian spices were all in evidence. In turn, the lengthy finish saw the citrus and cordial-syrup sensations vie for precedence in an intriguing as well as satisfying manner.

Whilst at peak form today, the gentle tannins which were clearly in evidence would suggest that this port has another five years at its current plateau. As such, those stumbling upon a like bottle over the near term should find themselves treated to a beautifully balanced, agreeable port.

-93 points

[DaveRL]

Surely an early contender for "Tasting Note of the Year"? Enjoyed reading this, thank you.