1994 Noval

[jdaw1]

On Tuesday 26th March 2024, at The Boot & flogger, we tasted 1994s.

• Review of the evening as a whole;
  • 1994 Croft;
  • 1994 Taylor;
  • 1994 Fonseca;
  • 1994 Tesco;
  • 1994 Martinez;
  • 1994 Warre;
  • 1994 Dow;
  • 1994 Graham;
  • 1994 Quinta do Vesuvio;
  • 1994 Cockburn;
  • 1994 Kopke;
  • 1994 Quinta do Noval;
  • 1994 Burmester;
  • 1994 Cálem;
  • 1994 Royal Oporto;
• Planning and arrangements;
• Placemats;
• Food order.

[jdaw1]

I just hate 1990s corks. Bloody Fonseca cork exploded into tiny fragments, even after being loosened with the JDAW cork impeller.

Ditto my Warre cork, but Martinez and Noval came clean. All three opened 23:30.


Edit: N, W, Mz — all decanted 07:45.

N94, opened 23:30 the night before, decanted 07:45: dark red, 60% opaque. Brooding, with a slight bitterness throughout, touched with aniseed. Very curious, but much liked.

Perhaps the best N94 that I have ever tasted.

[nac]

50% opaque and a beautiful ruby tone. Nose muted. Some evident tannin and good structure. Liked. 6-/7 & 2pts.

[Alex Bridgeman]

Opened at 23.30, doube-decanted at 07.45 and tasted at 19.30.

Dark red colour, 80% opaque. Lots of blackcurrant on a fruit-forward nose. The blackcurrant dominates the early palate with generous amounts of fruit but also seriously imposing acidity. The wine is nicely flavoured and wholly inoffensive but is probably just emerging from being closed and out of balance. Should be showing much more in 4-5 years. 88/100.