Taylor Fladgate Late Bottled Vintage Port 2015

Lovely magenta intensity and nearly black. Aromas of stewed prunes, fresh raisins, a hint of anise,

Palate-Full bodied, hotter than usual, intense sweetness but the alcohol is overpowering the flavors of the fruit. The foundation is coarse rather than elegant. The finish is lovely with a long lingering fruity ending.

This *LBV (Late Bottled Vintage) Port is out of balance and really detracts from what the wine could be.

AT $22 I would not get this again. I will enjoy it with friends and my wife's flourless chocolate tort. It is an unbeatable combination.

I recently had the same wine in the 2008 vintage and it was to die for. (See that review here)

*What is Late Bottled Vintage Port? Borrowing from Roger Voss with the Wine Enthusiast: "The official definition says that it is a “ruby Port from a single year, chosen for its high quality and bottled after aging for four to six years in wood.” It is a vintage Port in style, but not in price."

LBV is ready to drink when released and does not improve with age. Vintage port can age for decades, many decades and in fact most need to in order to get the most out from them. LBV's tend to run around $20-$35. You will not see vintage port ever even starting near that point and it's value goes up with age. So don't confuse the two!

Comments

Emma Reichart Gewürztraminer 2020

*Label is for their Riesling not their Gewurztraminer Pale straw hue with loads of sweet aromas consisting of vanilla, citrus, tropical fruit with a lime splash. Palate--mouth watering acid, mouth filling tropical fruit, lime base, with sweet-tart freshness This $10 Gewürztraminer literally "Spicy Traminer" is one of my favorite German grapes and under appreciated much in the way German Riesling is. If you can get past the name, it's a lovely wine that pairs with Asian foods, spicy foods, or all by itself so raise a glass!

Barrel Heist Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Lighter hued cranberry color with aromas of sweet red berries and dried red fruit with a touch of spice. Palate--Fruit forward, easy to quaff with soft tannins, and a simple pleasant all around red. Just don't confuse this with a "real" cabernet Sauvignon. At $7 (Trader Joe's) let's get real... It's better than two buck chuck!

Beaulieu Vineyards Chardonnay (Carneros) 2016

Gentle golden hue with aromas of lovely cinnamon, vanilla, light tropical fruit salad, a hint of bananas and sweet baking spices. Palate--Lovely mouth filling tropical fruit flavors, a luscious, mouth watering, razor sharp acidity, tropical fruit compote., mouth watering structure and a finish that doesn't want to quit with a warm and sunshine flavors keeping you warm in colder climes. BV is one of my favorite California vintners having visited them twice with the best tasting room staff and always solidly vinified wines. This is a lovely Chard from one of my favorite Napa/Sonoma regions and at 5 years of age is going great and should be fine for another 5. The price point on this Chard is $30 and if I paid that I would not have been unhappy with what I got. But I paid $13 for it in this bizarre season of noon-science and pseudo medical BS. Raise a glass to the poor millions who are suffering needlessly in this dark, politically motivated scamdemic. Let wine help you cope....

Wine Reviews You can Use

Search This Blog