Port, Sherry and Dessert Wine Tasting Notes

Here are our tasting notes for sweet and fortified wines. They do not include American/French Hybrid ports and dessert wines which are on the American French Hybrids Tasting Notes Page.
About our ratings. We have used a variety of systems over the last few months. We initially started with a 100 point system, for a while, I used a 20 point system. We are now both using our own 30 point system but older tasting notes were left with whatever system we were using at the time of tasting. For a fuller explanation, please see my Understanding the Wine Ratings Page. We are now including complete scores with our tasting notes. Here are what the abbreviations stand for; AP:appearance/clarity, C:color, AR:aroma/bouquet, AC:appropriate acidity, SW:appropriate sweetness, B:body, FL:flavor, TN:appropriate tannin, AS:asescence, F:finish, GQ:general quality, T=total points.

We also use a 5 point Quality-Price-Rating (QPR), which measures our feelings about buying them again, i.e., are they a good value for the money.


Ports and Sherries
Amontillado Valdespino Jerez NV Solera Sherry. $11.00
Rich, honey-amber color. Nutty, sweet, creamy vanilla nose with some alcohol notes. Jenny and I agreed up to this point. I found it to be tart, with nutty, wood and cedar flavors; high acidity and no finish to speak of. Jenny found it to have honey and walnut flavors with some maple, especially on the long finish.
Brad's Scores. AP:2, C:2, AR:3, AC:1, SW:0, B:2, FL:2, TN:2, AS:1, F:1, GQ:2, T=18
Jenny's Scores. AP:2, C:1.5, AR:3.5, AC:2, SW:1.5, B:2, FL:3.5, TN:2, AS:2, F:2, GQ:3, T=25
Benjamin Australia Tawny Port NV. $12.00
Beautiful caramel color, Jenny compared it to a sunset. Nose full of raisins, orange zest, honey, caramel and vanilla with rich floral overtones. Layers of delicious fig, raisin, honey, cola, peach, caramel and honey with a touch of nuttiness. Nice but not spectacular finish. A delicious bargain for the price. Tasted on 6/19/97. QPR=5.
Brad's Scores. AP:2, C:2, AR:3, AC:2, SW:2, B:2, FL:3.5, TN:2, AS:2, F:2, GQ:3, T=25.5
Jenny's Scores. AP:2, C:2, AR:4, AC:2, SW:2, B:2, FL:4, TN:2, AS:2, F:2, GQ:4, T=28
Beringer Napa Valley Port of Cabernet Sauvignon 1993. $20.00
Very deep, rich colors. Rich cab-like nose with raspberry, blackberry, cherry, tobacco, spicy clove and floral notes. Sweet, full-bodied, rich and luscious. Flavors of raisin, honey, blackfruit, cherry, nutmeg, and currants with a bit of vanilla showing up on the finish. This one is a bit young, the acidity is a bit high and the whole thing needs some time to integrate. Give it another 2-5 years but probably no more than that. I don't think it has the structure to go much beyond that without starting to deteriate. Tasted on 3/2/98. QPR=5
Brad's Scores. AP:2, C:2, AR:4.5, AC:2, SW:2, B:2, FL:4, TN:2, AS:2, F:1.5, GQ:3.5, T=27.5
Jenny's Scores. AP:2, C:2, AR:4, AC:2, SW:2, B:2, FL:4.5, TN:2, AS:2, F:2, GQ:3-3.5, T=27.5-28
Chateau Reynella McLaren Vale Old Cave Tawny Port NV. $12.00.
Rich buttery nose, beautiful red-purple color. Raisin, cola, cassis, caramel flavors with hints of anise, tobacco and smoke. Jenny compared this to a liquid mincemeat pie! Very nice. Tasted on 5/2/97. QPR=4.
Brad's Scores. AP:2, C:2, AR:3, AC:2, SW:2, B:2, FL:4, TN:2, AS:2, F:1, GQ:3, T=25
Jenny's Scores. AP:2, C:2, AR:3, AC:2, SW:2, B:2, FL:4, TN:2, AS:2, F:1, GQ:3, T=25
Christian Brothers Napa Valley Zinfandel Port (NV). $11.00.
A chance find in a winedealers basement and a pleasant surprise. Delightful nose of buttery raisins, spice, currants, vanilla and anise. Layers of cola, raisin, black fruit, oak, cinnamon, caramel and nutty flavors. Almost like a very, very good rum in some of its flavors. Finish goes on and on. Tasted on 6/7/97. QPR=5 but this one was old and unique locally.
Brad's Scores. AP:2, C:1, AR:4, AC:2, SW:2, B:2, FL:3, TN:2, AS:2, F:2, GQ:3, T=25
Jenny's Scores. AP:2, C:1, AR:4, AC:2, SW:2, B:2, FL:4, TN:2, AS:2, F:1, GQ:3, T=25
Cockburn's Tawny Porto Aged 10 years bottled in 1996.
Reddish gold color but not an amber. Cola and berry nose with maple and orange peel notes as well as some alcohol notes. Black cherry, anise, cola, raisin, honey and oak flavors with a nice finish. Acid is slightly high. Tasted on 8/31/97. QPR=3.
Brad's Scores. AP:2, C:1, AR:3.5, AC:1.5, SW:2, B:2, FL:3.5, TN:2, AS:2, F:1.5, GQ:3, T=24
Jenny's Scores. AP:2, C:1, AR:3, AC:1.5, SW:2, B:2, FL:3, TN:2, AS:2, F:1.5, GQ:2.5, T=23.5
Cockburn's Director Reserve Tawny Porto Aged 20 years bottled in 1996.
Reddish, honey colored. Maple, cola, blackfruit nose with cherry, honey, and alcohol notes. Fairly high acid but not badly so. Raisin, plum, maple, cherry cola flavors. Shows depth and smoothness but not as flavorful as their 10 year old. Tasted on 8/31/97. QPR=3.
Brad's Scores. AP:2, C:1.5, AR:2.5, AC:1.5, SW:2, B:2, FL:3, TN:2, AS:2, F:1.5, GQ:3, T=23
Jenny's Scores. AP:2, C:1, AR:3, AC:2, SW:2, B:2, FL:4, TN:2, AS:2, F:21, GQ:3, T=25
Cockburns Special Reserve Porto NV. $13.00
Simple but pleasant nose of cola, blackberry, plum, and vanilla with some alcohol notes. Creamy currant, grape, blackfruit, and cola flavors with a hint of spice and orange. Nice finish. Tasty but simple port, a good everyday port. Tasted on 8/11/97. QPR=3.
Brad's Scores. AP:2, C:2, AR:2.5, AC:1.5, SW:2, B:1, FL:2.5, TN:2, AS:2, F:1.5, GQ:2.5, T=21.5
Jenny's Scores. AP:2, C:2, AR:3, AC:2, SW:2, B:1.5, FL:3, TN:2, AS:2, F:1.5, GQ:3, T=24
Hardy's Tall Ships Tawny Port NV. 10.00
Nose of butterscotch, cola, cassis and caramel nose. The buttery richness carried over to the relatively simple flavors of raisin, cola, and caramel. Nice finish. Simple but quite tasty. Tasted on 10/3/97. QPR=4
Brad's Scores. AP:2, C:2, AR:3.5, AC:2, SW:2, B:2, FL:3.5, TN:2, AS:2, F:1.5, GQ:3, T=25.5
Jenny's Scores. AP:2, C:2, AR:3.5, AC:2, SW:2, B:2, FL:3.5, TN:2, AS:2, F:1.5, GQ:3.5, T=26
Taylor Fladgate First Estate Reserve Porto, $16.00.
Flavors of raisins, prunes, cassis and black cherries. Nice on the nose with some earthy/mushroom scents apparent. Good finish. Less tannin and oak than I expected. Lovely color. Tasted on 12/25/96. QPR=4.
Yalumba Tawny Port South Australia Clocktower NV. $11.00.
Loaded with raisin and caramel flavors with overtones of lemon and butter. A very nice tawny port. Tasted on 3/22/97. QPR=4.
Warre's Warrior Porto NV. $15.00
Nose of cola, raisin, vanilla, and blackfruit. High acid but not too bad. Grapey flavors dominate over the blackfruit, raisin, figs, and cola flavors. Strong alcohol notes. Very simple but tasty. Tasted on 9/13/97. QPR=3.
Brad's Scores. AP:2, C:2, AR:3, AC:1.5, SW:2, B:2, FL:3, TN:2, AS:2, F:1, GQ:2.5, T=23
Jenny's Scores. AP:2, C:2, AR:3, AC:1.5, SW:2, B:2, FL:3, TN:2, AS:2, F:1.5, GQ:3, T=24

Dessert Wines
Bonny Doon Framboise (NV). $10.00 (375 mL).
Try to imagine a raspberry flavored port. Stops just short of being syrupy, bursting with raspberries and some underlying raisin flavors. Sweet but not overwhelmingly so. This was wonderful, Jenny compared it to childhood memories of stuffing her mouth full of wild, ripe, fresh-off-the-vine, raspberries! I gave this 18/20. Tasted on 4/13/97. QPR=4 (and would be a 5 if we drank more dessert wines.)
Hogue Cellars Columbia Valley Late Harvest White Riesling 1996. $7.00
A very floral nose, full of fruit and spice. Crisp acidity sets off a mouthful of apple, apricot, peach, pear, citrus, and nectarine. Sweet without being cloying. Very nice finish. This one is rich and delicious now but should continue to improve for 1-2 years. A great value. Tasted on 12/7/97. QPR=5
Brad's Scores. AP:2, C:2, AR:3.5, AC:2, SW:2, B:2, FL:4, TN:2, AS:2, F:1.5, GQ:3, T=26
Jenny's Scores. AP:2, C:2, AR:3.5, AC:2, SW:2, B:2, FL:4, TN:2, AS:2, F:2, GQ:3, T=26.5
Hogue Cellars Columbia Valley Late Harvest White Riesling 1994. $7.00
Pretty nose of ripe apples, pears and pineapple. The nose carries over into the flavors where apricot appears as the dominant note. Sweet, with crisp acidity, it stops just short of being syrupy. Relatively simple, but good value cheese and fruit wine. Tasted on 6/12/97. QPR=4.
Brad's Scores. AP:2, C:2, AR:3, AC:2, SW:2, B:2, FL:3, TN:2, AS:2, F:1, GQ:3, T=24
Jenny's Scores. AP:2, C:2, AR:3, AC:2, SW:2, B:2, FL:3, TN:2, AS:2, F:1, GQ:3, T=25
Oliver Blueberry Wine NV. $10.00
Surprisingly dry. This is really not a dessert wine. Crisp, well balanced acidity with just enough blueberry flavor to be interesting. The winery recommended this one with crab cakes, a combination which sounds delightful. Tasted on 5/31/97. QPR=3.
Sutter Home California Moscato Muscat Alexandria 1996. $5.00
Nose of peach, fruity musk, ripe tropical fruit, mandarin orange scents. Peach, pear, citrus and spice flavors that could use a touch more acidity. A pleasant though not very complex wine that was a nice value. Tasted on 5/24/97. QPR=4.
Brad's Scores. AP:2, C:1, AR:4, AC:1, SW:2, B:1, FL:3, TN:2, AS:2, F:2, GQ:3, T=24
Jenny's Scores. AP:2, C:2, AR:3, AC:2, SW:2, B:1, FL:3, TN:2, AS:2, F:1, GQ:2, T=22

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Revised: August 13, 1997
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