Ports/Sweet Wines

Rated in No Order

2004 Dow Porto Late Bottled Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto (10/28/2010)
Ruby in color. Nose of spice, raspberry, licorice, and carmel. A bit of heat on the nose. On the palate very spicy along with carmel, syrup, and licorice. Short finish overall. Not bad. (87 pts.)

N.V. Croft Porto 10 Year Old Tawny - Portugal, Douro, Porto (10/6/2010)
Carmel, burnt fruit and a bit too hot. Not as balanced as I would like to see but with a chocolate dessert the flaws would be hidden. (86 pts.)

N.V. Graham Porto 20-year Tawny - Portugal, Douro, Porto (9/23/2010)
Rich with raspberry, maple syrup, nuts and sweet. (90 pts.)

N.V. Warre Porto Otima 10 Year Old Tawny - Portugal, Douro, Porto (9/22/2010)
Maple syrup, orange peel, brown sugar and sweet. Nice minerals on the palate and a good vale Tawny. (90 pts.)

N.V. Yalumba Antique Tawny Museum Release - Australia, South Australia, Barossa (9/1/2010)
Bordeaux Tasting (Edina Country Club): A nice wine but a little goes a long way with carmel, roasted nuts, maple syrup and a powerful finish. (91 pts.)

1983 Fonseca Douro Port $$$$$

Color: Black

Nose:  Cedar, plum, spice

Taste:  Big with cedar, plum, minerals, spice

Finish:  Complex and long

Evaluation:  Almost 30 years old and drinking well 91 points

1995 Taylor Fladgate Quinta de Vargellas Vintage Porto $$$$

Color:  Dark purple

Nose:  Sweet fruits featuring plum and blackberries.  licorice, and a hint of floral

Taste:  Intense and thick with sweet fruit, chocolate, blackberries, plum, spice, pepper, and licorice

Finish:  Short finish with sweet fruits, pepper, spice. 

Evaluation:  I am writing tasting notes 2 weeks later as it is starting to open up.  Cellar for 10 plus years.  91 points

Broadbent Malmsey Madera 10 year $$$

Color:  Black

Nose:  Powerful with spice,coffee and plum

Taste:  High alcohol but had an intense taste of coffee, crude oil, and plum

Finish:  Extremely long.  You could blow fire with this one.

Evaluation:  This is not a beginner beverage.  It is an acquired taste.  88 points

2002 Dolce Napa Valley Late Harvest Wine $$$$

Color:  Medium Gold Hue

Nose:  Honey suckle, little musty

Taste:  Sweet and thick with butter scotch, carmel, honey, maple syrup

Finish:  Medium with carmel, butter scotch, honey, brown sugar

Evaluation:  Very complex wine but not a good buy at $60 for 375 ml.  91 points

2002 Kaesler Fortified (Touriga Nacional) $$$

Color:  Carmel

Nose:  Explosive with carmel, coffee, fruit

Taste:  Balanced with carmel, blackberries, and sugar

Finish:  Long with fruit and carmel

Evaluation:  What a great offering.  Enjoy with Chocolate.  95 points

2004 Torbreck Moscato Bianco Bothie $$

Color:  Clear

Nose:  Sweet honey, Sugar

Taste:  Sweetest, honey, slight floral note

Finish:  Medium with honey and sweetness dominating

Evaluation:  A little too sweet but nice with desert.  87 points

N.V. R L Buller Premium Fine Muscat $$

Color:  Dark amber

Nose:  Brown sugar, nuts, carmel

Taste:  Rich with maple syrup, brown sugar and nuts

Finish:  Long with brown sugar and maple syrup dominating

Evaluation:  A great desert wine at a great value.  92 points

NV Jonesy Rare and Aged Port $

Color:  Amber hue

Nose:  Sweet maple syrup

Taste:  Maple syrup, candied fruit

Finish:  Medium with maple syrup and nuts

Evaluation:  If you have never tried a port (tawny) try this one at $9.  89 points

Yalumba Museum Release Antique Tawny $$

Color:  Amber hue

Nose:  Maple syrup, carmel

Taste:  Huge with maple syrup and brown sugar

Finish:  Extremely long and satisfying

Evaluation:  Enjoy with chocolate.  92 points

Dutschke The Tawny 22 Year Old $$$$

Color:  Amber brown Nose:  Maple syrup, honey, molasses, and INTENSE

Taste:  Huge wine with all of the above and more

Finish:  LONG.  This is a steal at under $50.  Much more impressive then Ports in this range

Evaluation:  96 points

2003 Concha Y Toro Sauvignon Blanc Late Harvest Private Reserve $$

Color:  Medium gold

Nose:  Floral, honey

Taste:  Sweet with honey, floral

Finish:  Medium and good acidity

Evaluation:  Nice sweet wine for the money 88 points

Ramos Pinto Tawny Portugal $$

Color:  Ruby

Nose:  Maple syrup, nuts

Taste:  Sweet with maple syrup and nuts

Finish:  Medium

Evaluation:  Simple but good 85 points

Smith-Woodhouse "Lodge Reserve" Port $$

Color:  Medium

Nose:  Cedar, plum, coffee

Taste:  Plum, spice, cedar

Finish:  Medium

Evaluation:  83 points

Graham's 20-year Tawny

Color:  Ruby

Nose:  Butterscotch, honey, carmel

Taste:  Butterscotch, honey of course sweet

Finish:  Medium and interesting

Evaluation:  87 points

1996 Chateau Doisy-Daene Barsac

Amber color with golden apples, honey and good minerality.  A concentrated finish that paired well with my fruit pie dessert.  91 points

2000 Robert Mondavi Winery Sauvignon Blanc Botrytis

Dark yellow.  Apricots, honey and floral dance out of the glass.  A thick wine with incredible balance and was really enjoyable.  A nice sticky.  92 points

2005 Chateau Guiraud Sauternes $$$$

Medium yellow.  A nose of golden apple, honey, and apricots.  A sweet wine with thick concentration featuring lovely fruits.  This is extremely young and should evolve into a great wine.  Currently 91 point

 

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