{"id":468,"date":"2015-07-03T14:54:19","date_gmt":"2015-07-03T14:54:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/vinoveritas.com.mo\/?p=468"},"modified":"2015-12-03T06:42:09","modified_gmt":"2015-12-03T06:42:09","slug":"news-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vinoveritas.com.mo\/pt\/news-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Quatro Vinhos do Porto Antigos do S\u00e9culo XIX"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Four Very Old Ports from the 19th Century<\/p>\n

March, 2013<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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Everyone is looking for the big bang\u2014perhaps particularly in these days of financial hardship.\u00a0 In Douro, a region famed for holding back old juice to bottle at later times, this type of \u201cbang\u201d lately seems to consist of finding and releasing some long held treasure of extreme age from old port cellars. That frequently means something from the 19th century. They typically come with hefty price tags. They also provide something special. Even when they are not necessarily better\u2014old is not automatically \u201cbetter\u201d–they are certainly different than, say, a 1994 Colheita. Whether the difference is worth the cost is up to you—but every one of these can count as a prime time wine, not a faded echo of what once was.<\/p>\n

The problem for producers looking for that big bang, of course, is that if wishes were horses, beggars would ride. That is, it isn\u2019t so easy to come up with good 19th century wines on demand. No doubt there will be more and others have hit the marketplace as well (Taylor\u2019s Scion, notably, which had a big PR splash awhile back)\u2014but they aren\u2019t ever going to be released in large quantities even when they occasionally appear. Thus, when good ones do appear, it is inevitably noteworthy and it understandably garners a lot of attention for however long they are available. It is fair to say that this group has everyone abuzz at the moment, with special tastings in Portugal, intense activity on the internet, enthusiasm from various wine geeks and so on. It is certainly an exciting set of wines\u2014not that too many will collect the whole set considering their price points.<\/p>\n

They\u2019ve crossed my lips as well at various times in the last few months. Two of these notes have been published previously and separately. Some minor changes have been made in the previous notes published on my forum and elsewhere largely to match this new venue (and also for the simpler reason that giving a writer another chance to change text inevitably leads to some changes). In any event, given that these were all tasted recently (unlike some not included) and given the imminent USA launches from the producers, I thought that this was a good time to collect these recent tastes together and expand a little on the topic. Indeed, given that these wines have come out in fairly close proximity to one another, it is hard not to think of them as a group–and as competitors. Considering the hefty price tags, it is also hard not to wonder whether they will cut into each other\u2019s markets.<\/p>\n

Why should anyone care about wines in this price range just because they\u2019re really old, no matter how good? Good question. I\u2019m something of a cynic, which means that I\u2019m not much concerned with romanticism, honestly. If anything, I often view it as a big mistake in wine\u2014a trap for the consumer that suppresses good judgment. Certainly, it sure doesn\u2019t and shouldn\u2019t make the wine taste any better. I can\u2019t deny, though, that there is\u2014at least for a moment–something fascinating about the possibility of drinking a wine from the time of historical figures like Abraham Lincoln,\u00a0et al.<\/em>\u00a0Secondly and more importantly, discarding the romance, it is also a rare insight into the ageworthiness of these wines when well kept. Do you think all those old ports are really dried out? These notes prove otherwise. These wines are examples not only of the effects of age, but in these instances evidence of some potential benefits. (That and other issues like this also relevant to these wines were discussed in\u00a0my recent Colheita article<\/strong><\/a>. For tips on drinking temperatures and the like, see that article.) If nothing else, it is certainly a look at how wines were made in a bygone time.<\/p>\n

To be sure, not every old wine ages the same way or is of equal quality. For sure, not everything old is great because it is old. Yet, these also performed brilliantly. I suspect that they would not have been released otherwise and might have simply become blending wines. So, thirdly and most importantly, they are fascinating because they are distinctive and fine just as wines. When I\u2019ve had a chance to encounter these \u201cbuzz\u201d wines, they have invariably demonstrated that they are not just intellectual curiosities. These are actually fine just to drink. Surely, the Tributa tastes old and concentrated, for one instance, but it is hardly a relic that dies an hour after opening. It is still sweet and delicious.<\/p>\n

Old tawnies, including generally the ones here, are often released in tranches, with much of what is available allowed to remain in barrel with the intention of bottling it at a later time, perhaps quite a long while from now. Given that I am not the only cynic in the world and lest someone suggest that there is an attempt to make scarce wines even scarcer to send the price higher, let me make the most obvious point for the record: bottling old tawnies in tranches and\/or on demand is typical practice in the region, as previously discussed in my Colheita article. That is done routinely with young[er] Colheitas, too. Plus, these 19th century wines are going to be scarce no matter what. Simply put, in a region with a long established tradition of holding wines back a long time, the producers often tell me that they are consciously making a decision to leave a window into the region\u2019s past for the next generation. It will be a decision for a later day\u2014and perhaps a new generation–on when to release whatever is left. At some other point in time, other winemakers in a different era made similar decisions. That is why we are able to taste these four wines today.<\/p>\n

Then, there is the predictable fly in the ointment. With this series of recent releases, these three producers (with four wines) have come up with something designed to create lust in every Port lover\u2019s heart. They are not, however, going to be wines that match many pocketbooks. Some table wine trophies these days have hit astonishing price points, but when a producer has a couple of barrels of wine that have been held for, say, 140 years, it shouldn\u2019t surprise anyone–or generate any real complaint–that it will come with a hefty price tag. If a 1937 Noval Colheita held in cask for some 70 years before bottling might have a $1,100 suggested retail price, the prices here are probably fairly consistent with that practice. \u00a0Whatever the rationale, though, these most certainly have rather hefty price points. \u00a0So, if it turns out for 99.50% of us that these are merely wines to admire wistfully from afar, so be it. There are some interesting stories to tell nonetheless.<\/p>\n

Because of the way these are bottled and priced, if you are interested, the best thing to do is call the importer I have listed and ask for them. In some cases they may only be bottled on demand (as with the Wiese & Krohn), but they not likely to be hanging around on many retailer shelves. Finally, all of the photos are stock photos, not mine, as you will no doubt be able to tell from their clarity.<\/p>\n

I. QUINTA DO VALLADO:\u00a0 (1866) “Adelaide Tributa” ($3,000)
\n<\/strong>Importer: Quintessential, Napa, CA; tel: (646) 484-64111<\/em><\/p>\n

\"1866<\/p>\n

This old wine was acquired by Quinta do Vallado, one of the \u201cDouro Boys\u201d producers. It is said to be an 1866 Colheita from pre-phylloxera vines. The \u201c1866\u201d is in parentheses\u2014my idea\u2014because it is not actually marketed as a Colheita. Vallado\u2019s Francisco Spratley Ferreira told me that they can’t honestly say for sure if it is a true (single vintage) Colheita, which is why it is sold just as “Tributa.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was bottled for Ant\u00f3nia Adelaide Ferreira’s 200th anniversary. The wealthy and powerful ancestor of Vallado\u2019s owners, she was an iconic figure who essentially controlled and shaped a lot of the Douro in the 19th century, owning some 30 quintas at her death, according to the Douro Boys\u2019 dossier.<\/p>\n

Francisco told me recently (with some typos corrected) that “we think it is a true colheita, but it’s impossible to be sure… We bought this wine and the owner said to me that [he] never touched … this wine last 50 years! We believe that with this concentration and baume (13,5), this is really very old and wasn’t “refrescado” (add young wines to fill the barrel)…. At same time it’s amazing the acidity, especially thinking in this baume! The wine only was bottled [in the] last weeks!” \u00a0As with most of the new releases, the packaging here is very pretty, as you can see from the winery\u2019s photos.<\/p>\n

\"1866<\/p>\n

How\u2019s the wine, though? Read on. Of some very old Ports I had tasted at various times before this Tributa (5g, 1863 Niepoort, Sequeira), I was most impressed with the Tributa. All were exceptional and all were very different, to be sure, but this would have been my winner. Very dark in color and richer than the 5G (although not, perhaps, as vibrant and fresh), this is remarkably viscous. \u00a0I won\u2019t claim to be able to tell you if it is all 1866 just by tasting it, but there seems to be no question that it is old and concentrated. It is very complex, too. More importantly, it is wonderful. Laced with molasses, dark chocolate and a touch of charcoal, it is enlivened by a big hit of acidity. The texture is quite caressing and surprisingly sexy. Its age shows mostly in its thick, concentrated demeanor. It reminded me of some century old Moscatels I’ve had in Southern Portugal\u2014at least by rough analogy. It is remarkably sweet and fresh in most other respects, laced with that complex medley of flavors. Overall, it is a wonderful experience.<\/p>\n

The bad news is that there were just 1,300 bottles produced–and they are coming in special decanters running around $3,000 per 750ml bottle. These are not wines likely to attract bargain hunters–it seems quite silly to be talking about value in this stratospheric price range–but this may well be the best intersection of quality and price here. Currently, it seems to be priced around 3,000 euros as a suggested retail price in Portugal, so the price here may not yet be finalized until it reaches our shores\u2014which, I was told, it will. 99 points.<\/p>\n

II. WIESE & KROHN: 1863 Colheita and 1896 Colheita ($13,000 for the two pack)\u00a0<\/strong>Importers: Megawine, Van Nuys, CA; tel: 877-MEGAWINE; Regal Wines, Moorestown, N.J.; (856) 985-6388<\/em>.\u00a0 Note that the importation details were still in negotiation as this was written. It is possible that there will be other importers in different regions as well.Cristiano van Zeller (producer of the fine table wines of Quinta Vale D. Maria,\u00a0et al.<\/em>\u00a0and formerly of Noval) flew into town with a vertical of his fine table wine CV to show me (notes to come in April). He also happened to bring some tasting samples of these old Colheitas, the latest entrants I\u2019ve seen into the 19th century port sweepstakes. He is working with Krohn on this project, a joint venture of Wiese and Krohn (the Falc\u00e3o Carneiro family) and Van Zellers & Company. They are being bottled with the big vintage date and the bottle number on the front.<\/p>\n

\"1863<\/p>\n

If you care about appearances, the packaging here, as with the others, should fit the bill pretty well. It will come in a heavy wooden box and \u201cwill also include a silver necklace with the word Porto, as in the old Port decanters, produced by the \u2026 old Portuguese Royal Jeweler Leit\u00e3o & Irm\u00e3os, whose current owner is also a member of the van Zeller family, Jorge van Zeller Leit\u00e3o.\u201d Plus, it will come with crystal glasses and a decanter designed by \u201cleading architects, \u00c1lvaro Siza Vieira, from Porto, Portugal \u2026one of the few living Pritzker Prizes\u2019 winner (known as the Nobel prizes of architecture).\u201d<\/p>\n

Recent 19th century releases have some things in common\u2014they are generally superb and very high priced. This is a little different in some important respects, though. First, coming from Wiese & Krohn\u2019s cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia, they are, van Zeller said to me, the only known registered (with the Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Porto, \u201cIVDP,\u201d regional regulatory authority) 19th century Colheitas still in cask\u2014meaning that there is a good paper trail and sufficient evidence for them to be accepted as true Colheitas, not just possible multi-vintage blends. There is clearly a premium here for that scarcity and certification, plus the continuity of ownership. Coupled with the small quantity, that makes this by far the highest priced of the group. Indeed, van Zeller said, they examined an 1896 white Port, too, but they have not released it as yet as it could not be certified.<\/p>\n

While a high price is not unusual for old rarities like this, another difference here is that the price will double because these will be released in two-packs, likely to make it $13,000 for the two bottle package, I was told (although since final details have not been arranged, it may well be that the pricing in the USA varies). While that price is breathtaking even for these rarities, I suppose that it is true that new release, certified Colheitas from the 19th century don\u2019t exactly come along every day. This has a certain claim to fame. Its worth is something only you and your pocketbook can judge, but note that the wines are breathtaking as well. In any event, the conclusion remains the same at this level or any of the others–fair or unfair, reasonable or otherwise, it obviously won\u2019t be for everyone.<\/p>\n

\"1863<\/p>\n

With only 1,300 liters available in total, this release will contain 400 bottles of each vintage. (Approximately 1\/4th of the release is already sold, I was told.) The rest, says van Zeller, will be put away for the next generation to experience, intentionally leaving something for the future. Indeed, it is interesting to note that these have been released before. Some of these were last sold in the 1950s, van Zeller said to me.<\/p>\n

Finally, these will all be bottled only on demand. That is, they are not all ready and waiting in bottle somewhere. They continue their journey untouched in barrel until ordered.<\/p>\n

The\u00a01863 Colheita<\/strong>\u00a0is from \u201cthe last great harvest in the Douro before phylloxera, a disease that destroyed the vineyards across Europe in the 19th century, had begun [causing major damage],\u201d said Van Zeller.\u00a0 Recently, I reviewed a 1934 Niepoort, which in its own right is a stunning, dense and intense Colheita that would be a fine bargain alternative (if you think $1,000 is a bargain). This 1863 reminded me of that in some respects with its dark, old wood nuances and its intense, concentrated flavors and bouquet. There, the comparison tends to end, however. This has far less depth and pure power, but far more harmony. Simply, it is a complete wine. Don’t even dare to think of it as a half dead relic. It is anything but. It opened soft, with a sensual texture that simply said “sex appeal” from start to finish. Cloaked in velvet and remarkably caressing, it is an old tawny that surely shows its age, although certainly not in a negative way. It simply has the feel of healthy maturity honestly acquired over time. It seemed a little reticent otherwise on opening, although sweet and juicy. The mid-palate showed some wood and still delicious fruit with a dark demeanor. I loved its complexity as well as its sensuality. It was a huge winner, but it truly sealed the deal the next day.\u00a0\"1896I retasted the remnants a little cooler, pulling it out around 45F and allowing it to warm to the low to mid-50sF. I thought it drank best there, a bit colder than my normal optimum (of around 60-63F). The wine reinforced something that I noted the day before, but did not obsess about the first time around–the classically powerful bouquet. I sat it down on a table about 3 feet from my chair. It was pretty glorious in a cool, drafty room. It was simply astonishing how lively and intense this ancient wine ultimately showed. Every drop of this I touched would cause the heavily concentrated aromas to linger indefinitely—on my teeth, my hands, my lips.(Gratuitous and Obvious Tip Department<\/em>: Don’t try tasting this and then going to a table wine tasting!) If it did not seem quite as intense in that regard as, say, the Niepoort, it held its own amazingly well, notwithstanding the extra 70+ years of age. The flavor medley seemed especially complex on Day 2, leaning more to treacle and hickory smoked molassess, but the marvel was how mouthwateringly juicy it was on the finish, the acidity cutting through the wood and the fruit and dramatically enlivening this. This simply deserves all the plaudits you can give it. 100 points.<\/p>\n

The\u00a01896 Colheita<\/strong>\u00a0is disappointing only next to the 1863. Frankly on first taste, a few minutes after they were opened, I actually liked this better. I won’t be shocked if some prefer this 1896 today, notwithstanding the natural tendency, I think, to gravitate to the more ancient wine. This 1896 is certainly more immediately noticeable. It is a hint deeper and a hint fresher, plus it shows more pure power on the finish. It is not, however, quite as complex\u2014a relative comparison\u2014or as mouthwateringly bright and juicy on the finish. \u00a0If it also doesn’t have the caressing and silky texture of the 1863\u2014enough with what it\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0<\/em>have!–it is awesomely delicious in its own right, bright, burnished, shockingly fresh and laced with sweetness on the finish. In its own right, it has complexity to spare. It also shows that remarkable intensity and grip on the finish. As with the 1863, it is worth underscoring again that this is anything but a relic. It handled being tasted over a couple of days effortlessly. 99 points.<\/p>\n

III. WINE AND SOUL:\u00a0 NV \u201c5G\u201d
\n<\/strong>
\n\"Wine<\/p>\n

This is a multi-vintage tawny from Wine and Soul, the well known producer justly famed for table wines like Guru and Pintas. It is a blend of vintages from the 1870s to 1900, I was told by co-owner Sandra Tavares da Silva.<\/p>\n

It comes from the family estate (Quinta da Manoella in Douro) of her husband, co-owner Jorges Borges. As a family project released by the same family, one of its claims to fame is the fine continuity. At one time, the family sold grapes to Taylor’s. Over the years, table wines like Fojo and Manoella appeared at times. Jorge started his own winery, Wine and Soul (“Pintas”), with wife Sandra Tavares (who was also formerly the winemaker for Cristiano van Zeller\u2014in Douro, the overlapping connections are many). Recently, they acquired a family Quinta, Manoella (from which fine table wines are now made again under Wine and Soul\u2019s label). With it, resting in Manoella\u2019s underground lodge in Douro, came the 5G (Five Generations).\u00a0\"WineLike most such releases, it is also in pretty packaging, as shown here. The amazing thing about this tawny, in contrast to, for example, the style of the Tributa, was the elegance and freshness, while retaining its viscosity. It is wonderfully bright and graceful, subtly intense. Unlike some in that thick, molasses and treacle style, this simply seems lively, yet with that fascinating viscosity and tension on the palate. It is remarkable that the youngest vintages are over a century old. Vibrant and charming, it is a wine that is easy to appreciate. I just loved this–but who wouldn’t? As with all such bottlings of late, there is only a limited production (1,300 bottles, I was told), but it is the most reasonably priced of the group. If you can afford it, it is a very fine and unusual experience. As with the Wiese & Krohn, there is more of this in barrel which will be released for another generation. I was advised that this would be imported, but it is not here yet as of this writing. It is priced around 1,500 euros per bottle in Portugal, a veritable bargain as these things go. 95 points.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n

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Four Very Old Ports from the 19th Century March, 2013 Everyone is looking for the big bang\u2014perhaps particularly in these days of financial hardship.\u00a0 In Douro, a region famed for holding back old juice to bottle at later times, this type of \u201cbang\u201d lately seems to consist of finding and releasing some long held treasure […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3617,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vinoveritas.com.mo\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/468"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vinoveritas.com.mo\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vinoveritas.com.mo\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vinoveritas.com.mo\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vinoveritas.com.mo\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=468"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/vinoveritas.com.mo\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/468\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4460,"href":"https:\/\/vinoveritas.com.mo\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/468\/revisions\/4460"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vinoveritas.com.mo\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3617"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vinoveritas.com.mo\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=468"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vinoveritas.com.mo\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=468"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vinoveritas.com.mo\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=468"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}