Sat. 13th Oct; great Ramos Pinto vertical from 1880 - 2007
Posted: 12:16 Tue 16 Oct 2012
A large Ramos Pinto vertical in October in Leverkusen, with ports of three centuries. Apart from 13 wine lovers, also Mr. Joao Nicolau de Almeida (chief winemaker of Ramos Pinto) and Mr. Joao Machete (export manager of Ramos Pinto) joined this unique tasting, who was perfect organized by Axel Probst (many thanks again).
Powerful and elegant - the vintage ports from Ramos Pinto
The vertical axis on the three centuries has clearly shown that the Ramos Pinto Vintage ports are equipped with a structure that allow a long development. Even in the over 60 year old ports I have found that alcohol and acidity are in perfect harmony with the other components. The 1880 Vintage Port was a great experience and one of the best ports from the 19th Century that I have been drinking. In the great vintages of the first half of the 20th Ramos Pinto century sprout pad has some vintage ports that are impressive high quality. Since the early 80s, Ramos Pintos 1980, 82, 83 and 85 put down a series of ports that are resistant to the top five of her vintage. We see here already the distinct mark of Joao Nicolau de Almeida, whose style is powerful, concentrated and fruity port, with velvety tannins but more present, with small to medium sweetness, making it elegant. Even the newer vintages follow this style with a consistently high quality and with the young ports are not undrinkable, but at the same time bring a backbone for a long development.
The 1924 is darker in color than his colleagues from the 30s, it is spicy and slightly bitter, still alive with medium body, shows a lot of character and a long finish, beautiful notes of tobacco.
The bottle of the 1931 vintage port was unfortunately failed and showed fungus on the nose and on the palate. At the peak, however, were the 1934 and 1935 . Two great years. The 34 is more elegant, the 35 is something massive and sweet with slightly spicy notes.
The vintage 1945 has become amazing, perfect now, but still with a structure to further decades of development. Showed bright garnet, still with red highlights. Beautiful mature blackberry fruit on the palate, along with hints of tobacco tangy spices, medium-long finish, perfectly integrated alcohol.
The Vintage 1960 on the other hand had matured much further, relatively sweet and only of medium structure. But again in the upper class Ramos Pinto is definitely with the 1970 . Still cherry red, almost unbelievable for a port who is over 40 year old. Already drinking very nice, welcoming warmth and beautiful wild berry notes. I think we will have thereto much joy in the coming decades.
The vintages of the 80s consistently showed a high level. Even in temperate years 1982 was possible to generate a very respectable vintage port, which should be enjoyed by them as the first after all. 1980, 1983 and 1985 are still concentrated and show their age, unlike many other producers ports, hardly.
Due to the medium year 1991 was somewhat lighter. But 1994 shows that this is a very good port of a great vintage. Is only now beginning to open slightly, excellent structure, velvety tannins, I think can still be at least 15 years. Even the 1997 . He is said to not have much, maybe not quite as powerful as the 1994, but also very promising and charming. It will be very interesting to see which of the two will better develop.
And also in the new millennium the class of Ramos Pinto is still high, even though all three are very different due to its vintage characteristics. 2000 : I like it, pleasantly proportioned tannins and a nice spice to the wild berry notes, but these are not as dominant as in other cohorts with much higher yields.
2003 is objective clearly considered the most powerful of the three and the bigest Vintage Port. Still extremely closed with enormous-present tannins and very concentrated berry fruit, make an assessment of the underlying structure is extremely difficult. I think this is a great vintage that still needs a lot of time.
2007 on the other hand is much more elegant. Something like the dainty little sister to 2003. This port is fresh, medium-bodied and already pleasant to drink. A kind of a rare Charmer among young port wines. This is unusual and still shows the port in the background caressing tannins that should allow a long development. Many experts predict this a great vintage. Without a doubt the 2007, which come from a moderately warm, rather precipitate rich year, performing well over a medium-long period and be pleasant to drink, also I'm sceptic, but let me would like to teach better from these ports in 25 years.
In very small quantities (about 5000 bottles) is sometimes also a Single Quinta Vintage Port from Quinta da Ervamoira generated . Most recently in 2007 and 2009. During the 07 is currently difficult to assess, and a port of medium-bodied with nice fruit notes, the 2009 clearly shows the characteristics of this hot, dry vintage. He is very focused, of strong flavor, with lots of extract and powerful tannins. (this both were not part of the tasting, but was tasted from me at a visit of Quinta Ervamoira in July 2012)
Tawnies in a class
As a Portuguese house Ramos Pinto has always specialized on the production of quality Tawnies. Almeida's father once said, "a vintage is a wine, a tawny is a port". Colheitas were once filled in small amounts, but not anymore. However, they have outstanding aged Tawnies. Here is the series with a ten year old, who comes from the Quinta da Ervamoira begun. It is a mature and elegant of its kind. The 20 year old , "Quinta do Bom Retiro", is my favorite. This has power and elegance of a mature port wine and flavors combine with a wide range of nuts, raisins, dried fruit with medium sweetness and perfectly integrated alcohol with a trace acid that this port provides a pleasant freshness. The 30 year old Tawny is even more concentrated and a little bit more sweet. Slightly malty notes and with a significant acid, that makes him fresh and intereseting (10y and 20y Tawny were not part of the tasting, but were tasted a few weeks ago).
Just a pity that the vintage ports from Ramos Pinto are so hard to obtain. They are often much cheaper than the big names and plenty of drinking pleasure. But just the older vintage ports were only produced in quantities of 10,000 to 20,000 bottles and are therefore correspondingly rare. The recent vintages have a circulation of app. 50,000 bottles.
Pictures from the tasting can be found at my website: http://www.passion-port.de/bilder_album.php?id=16
Powerful and elegant - the vintage ports from Ramos Pinto
The vertical axis on the three centuries has clearly shown that the Ramos Pinto Vintage ports are equipped with a structure that allow a long development. Even in the over 60 year old ports I have found that alcohol and acidity are in perfect harmony with the other components. The 1880 Vintage Port was a great experience and one of the best ports from the 19th Century that I have been drinking. In the great vintages of the first half of the 20th Ramos Pinto century sprout pad has some vintage ports that are impressive high quality. Since the early 80s, Ramos Pintos 1980, 82, 83 and 85 put down a series of ports that are resistant to the top five of her vintage. We see here already the distinct mark of Joao Nicolau de Almeida, whose style is powerful, concentrated and fruity port, with velvety tannins but more present, with small to medium sweetness, making it elegant. Even the newer vintages follow this style with a consistently high quality and with the young ports are not undrinkable, but at the same time bring a backbone for a long development.
The 1924 is darker in color than his colleagues from the 30s, it is spicy and slightly bitter, still alive with medium body, shows a lot of character and a long finish, beautiful notes of tobacco.
The bottle of the 1931 vintage port was unfortunately failed and showed fungus on the nose and on the palate. At the peak, however, were the 1934 and 1935 . Two great years. The 34 is more elegant, the 35 is something massive and sweet with slightly spicy notes.
The vintage 1945 has become amazing, perfect now, but still with a structure to further decades of development. Showed bright garnet, still with red highlights. Beautiful mature blackberry fruit on the palate, along with hints of tobacco tangy spices, medium-long finish, perfectly integrated alcohol.
The Vintage 1960 on the other hand had matured much further, relatively sweet and only of medium structure. But again in the upper class Ramos Pinto is definitely with the 1970 . Still cherry red, almost unbelievable for a port who is over 40 year old. Already drinking very nice, welcoming warmth and beautiful wild berry notes. I think we will have thereto much joy in the coming decades.
The vintages of the 80s consistently showed a high level. Even in temperate years 1982 was possible to generate a very respectable vintage port, which should be enjoyed by them as the first after all. 1980, 1983 and 1985 are still concentrated and show their age, unlike many other producers ports, hardly.
Due to the medium year 1991 was somewhat lighter. But 1994 shows that this is a very good port of a great vintage. Is only now beginning to open slightly, excellent structure, velvety tannins, I think can still be at least 15 years. Even the 1997 . He is said to not have much, maybe not quite as powerful as the 1994, but also very promising and charming. It will be very interesting to see which of the two will better develop.
And also in the new millennium the class of Ramos Pinto is still high, even though all three are very different due to its vintage characteristics. 2000 : I like it, pleasantly proportioned tannins and a nice spice to the wild berry notes, but these are not as dominant as in other cohorts with much higher yields.
2003 is objective clearly considered the most powerful of the three and the bigest Vintage Port. Still extremely closed with enormous-present tannins and very concentrated berry fruit, make an assessment of the underlying structure is extremely difficult. I think this is a great vintage that still needs a lot of time.
2007 on the other hand is much more elegant. Something like the dainty little sister to 2003. This port is fresh, medium-bodied and already pleasant to drink. A kind of a rare Charmer among young port wines. This is unusual and still shows the port in the background caressing tannins that should allow a long development. Many experts predict this a great vintage. Without a doubt the 2007, which come from a moderately warm, rather precipitate rich year, performing well over a medium-long period and be pleasant to drink, also I'm sceptic, but let me would like to teach better from these ports in 25 years.
In very small quantities (about 5000 bottles) is sometimes also a Single Quinta Vintage Port from Quinta da Ervamoira generated . Most recently in 2007 and 2009. During the 07 is currently difficult to assess, and a port of medium-bodied with nice fruit notes, the 2009 clearly shows the characteristics of this hot, dry vintage. He is very focused, of strong flavor, with lots of extract and powerful tannins. (this both were not part of the tasting, but was tasted from me at a visit of Quinta Ervamoira in July 2012)
Tawnies in a class
As a Portuguese house Ramos Pinto has always specialized on the production of quality Tawnies. Almeida's father once said, "a vintage is a wine, a tawny is a port". Colheitas were once filled in small amounts, but not anymore. However, they have outstanding aged Tawnies. Here is the series with a ten year old, who comes from the Quinta da Ervamoira begun. It is a mature and elegant of its kind. The 20 year old , "Quinta do Bom Retiro", is my favorite. This has power and elegance of a mature port wine and flavors combine with a wide range of nuts, raisins, dried fruit with medium sweetness and perfectly integrated alcohol with a trace acid that this port provides a pleasant freshness. The 30 year old Tawny is even more concentrated and a little bit more sweet. Slightly malty notes and with a significant acid, that makes him fresh and intereseting (10y and 20y Tawny were not part of the tasting, but were tasted a few weeks ago).
Just a pity that the vintage ports from Ramos Pinto are so hard to obtain. They are often much cheaper than the big names and plenty of drinking pleasure. But just the older vintage ports were only produced in quantities of 10,000 to 20,000 bottles and are therefore correspondingly rare. The recent vintages have a circulation of app. 50,000 bottles.
Pictures from the tasting can be found at my website: http://www.passion-port.de/bilder_album.php?id=16