This week's "Wine Talk" tasting notes feature a delicious late bottled vintage port, or LBV, from Dow's, a prominent port house. As the days shorten and evenings bring a chilly blast of cold air, a glass of port or a port-style wine by the fire offers great appeal.
Port, as most wine enthusiasts know, is an after-dinner dessert wine fortified with brandy. It delivers a bit more warmth and kick than the average table wine. True port is produced from grapes grown in Portugal's Douro Valley.
It comes in two basic styles. A tawny port is aged at length in oak casks, sometimes for 10, 20, 30 or even 40 years. During the lengthy aging process, a tawny port loses the dark color of its youth and takes on a tawny color. A ruby port spends less time in cask and retains its dark color, sometimes for decades.
Vintage port, capable of extraordinary complexity and longevity, is the epitome of ruby port, prized by collectors and thus the most expensive of all port wines. Vintage port is aged two years in barrel and then bottled and typically aged at least a decade (usually more) before serving.
If you like this style but cost is a consideration, a late bottled vintage port could be an attractive alternative. An LBV is a ruby port from a single vintage, but it is not a vintage port. Vintage port is declared by individual port houses, and only in exceptional years.
An LBV typically comes from a good vintage and must possess the characteristics of balance, tannin and complexity that you would expect to find in a vintage port. By law, an LBV must be aged four to six years in cask before bottling. An LBV should be ready to drink when bottled (as opposed to a vintage port, which requires considerable aging after bottling to be ready).
It is the ruby port that can be served and enjoyed on a casual basis instead of waiting for that special occasion. And the best part: the price. A top-notch vintage port can easily command prices of $100 or more. The Dow's that is featured this week is $24.
Tasting Notes
Wines are rated on a 100-point scale. Wines are chosen for review because they represent outstanding quality or value, and the scores are simply a measure of this reviewer's enthusiasm for the recommended wine.
Attilio Ghisolfi 2014 Barolo, Bricco Visette, Italy ($95) — This suave Barolo from Attilio Ghisolfi walks the fine line between the more modern iterations of Barolo and the fierce wines of yore. It's powerfully structured and firm, with ample tannin for long-term cellar potential, and it's remarkably enjoyable despite its youth. It shows a floral nose with hints of spice, followed on the palate by the aroma of dark cherry and notes of dried herbs. Drink now or any time over the next two decades. Rating: 97.
ZD 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley ($75) — Best known for its richly layered chardonnay, ZD is the Napa Valley's sleeping giant of cabernet sauvignon. The winery has been on a cabernet roll in recent vintages, and the 2015 is another spectacular effort. This vintage shows intense aromas of blackberry, cassis and blueberry, beautifully integrated tannins and an attractive note of vanilla. Rating: 97.
Black Kite 2016 Pinot Noir, Kite's Rest, Anderson Valley ($50) — Vibrant raspberry and cherry fruit are the charm of this estate wine from Black Kite. With bright acidity to match and a note of wood spice, this is a beautifully structured pinot that will age nicely over the next several years, although it is superb even at this young stage. Rating: 94.
Dow's 2012 Late Bottled Vintage Porto, Portugal ($24) — Dow's is one of the Symington family's top port houses and a sure bet with an LBV at this modest price point. While not built for age in the same way a vintage port is, the 2012 LBV is beautifully structured and richly layered, exhibiting a floral nose, fine tannins, rich layers of red and black fruits, and hints of mocha and spice. It's superb for the genre! Rating: 91.
Black Kite 2016 Pinot Noir, Sierra Mar Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands ($45) — Intense aromas of black cherry and earth, this is a somewhat rustic pinot that will pair beautifully with roasted game, ripe cheeses and autumn stews. Rating: 90.
Follow Robert on Twitter at @wineguru. To find out more about Robert Whitley and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
View Comments