An Evening in Chesterfield

[Alex Bridgeman]

On 4th March, I was in the right place at the right time to be able to meet up for dinner with DRT. Of course, as one would expect, when two members of TPF meet then port is not far behind.

After an extremely good-value-for-money meal, costing the grand sum of £7 and yielding a very large plate of well roasted pork, potatoes, gravy, vegetables and yorkshire pudding then we retired to DRT's house where he promptly poured me a glass of port and asked "What is it?".

This is what I made of it. "Rosy red colour, still very deep and holding into the rim. Lots of blackcurrants on the nose, sweet and with a woody tone to support. Slightly warm, so too much alcohol showing. Very silky in the mouth. Full of fruit, but showing some softness from maturity, not a massive fruit bomb but now more restrained and with a strong acidic structre. Huge aftertaste, long and lingering with fruit, chocolate and so much more. Absolutely delicious and with the promise of better to come. 92/100." Logic indicated that this was young, but not a baby, perhaps an early teenager. It had lost the puppy-fat fruitiness of babyhood but still had plenty of youth. The refinement and elegance of the fruit indicated (rather than the pure power) indicated to me that perhaps this was a wine sourced mainly from the Douro Superior. With Derek wearing his best poker face and giving absolutely no clues, I plumped for a Canais from 1995.

I was a year out and on the wrong side of the river. It was a 1994 Vesuvio. Yum!

I served Derek a disappointing Fonseca 1963 - my first rewaxed bottle. Disappointing due to the poor fill and poor state of the cork. This was the bottle which I have referred to in other posts where the port was running down the side of the bottle in liquid drips when it was stood upright.

[RonnieRoots]

Not a bad guess at all, well done!

It also gives some nice ideas for future tastings:

1. Douro Superior
This could include Vargellas, Canais, Vesuvio, Senhora da Ribeira, Vale Meao

2. Opposing vineyards
Vesuvio vs. Senhora da Ribeira
Vargellas vs. Canais
Terra Feita vs. Cavadinha vs. Cruzeiro
etc etc

[DRT]

2. Opposing vineyards
Vesuvio vs. Senhora da Ribeira
Vargellas vs. Canais
Terra Feita vs. Cavadinha vs. Cruzeiro
etc etc

I think Noval would be devastated if they were excluded from the third suggestion

[RonnieRoots]

2. Opposing vineyards
Vesuvio vs. Senhora da Ribeira
Vargellas vs. Canais
Terra Feita vs. Cavadinha vs. Cruzeiro
etc etc

I think Noval would be devastated if they were excluded from the third suggestion

Alright, alright, but only the lower part of the vineyard would qualify, as the rest is technically "just around the corner"!