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.
- 5=definitely buy again
- 4=probably will buy again
- 3=willing to buy again
- 2=don't buy again
- 1=don't drink again even if it is free.
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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