This is the story of what some people call the greatest wine in the world.
In fact, there is a sentence I like very much: "No one should walk through this earth without first tasting a great wine port and leave."
Before the invention of the basket press, capsule press, or screw press, the traditional method of squeezing juice from fruit was to stand in a grape pot and step on it with your feet. Although this is rare today, let me tell you how the two best port companies handle this process.
If you make ordinary red wine, the juice is usually placed with the peel for 6 to 12 days during the "maceration" process to extract color and flavor before and during fermentation. For Port, the hope is to stop this process before the yeast converts all the sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide; all the "good things" must be extracted within two or three days. Stomping is ideal because it is intense, but it also avoids any cracking and releases unwanted bitterness.
Taylor's team still enters the tank and does this rather tiring exercise. Graham's now uses robotic pistons in their tanks. These pistons are equipped with silicon pads with the density and texture of human feet and apply the pressure of a 155-pound human. One story I've heard is that they took this approach after they discovered that all the workers were watching their favorite football team on a small TV after stomping on one end of the tank. Perhaps the title of this article should be "Man and Machine".
I can suggest that the perfect way to end Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner is to share a beautiful old-fashioned port or treat a bottle of wine as a lovely gift. It’s almost guaranteed that you’ll have a great year, because, on average, only three years in ten years are considered worthy of being brewed in a year. Overall, only 2% of all Port wines end up being bottled For the year!
Our 2003 Taylor's Vintage Port scored 97 points in Wine Enthusiast and 96 points in Wine & Spirits, but as the latest review of Parker's Wine Advocate, I will quote this: "2003 Taylor's has mature original blackberries, The aroma of basin., vanilla and jam. The taste is medium-bodied, and the tannins are very calm and delicate, which masks the heat of that summer. There is a wonderful focus and delicate tension. The ending rhyme provides precise black cherries, mulberries, cloves and whites. The taste of pepper. This is one of the best Port wines of early maturity. ʺ106.55 USD (stock #3111).
Parker raised Taylor’s rating in 2011 to 98/100 and wrote: “The multifaceted Pandora’s nose is fickle in the glass: first blackcurrant, then blackberry and raspberry, and politely asked it to be moved aside. Then there are withered rose petals and Dorset plums. The mouth is sweet and sensual, luxurious and rich, with rich black cherries, bosen berries and black currant fruits. It just glides on the taste, with glycerin The taste of the taste, with a wonderful light touch, shows how it is easier to obtain vintage Port in young vintages today." US$132.40 (stock #3113).
If you want a beautifully crafted gift box with a beautiful 1863 Taylor's Single Harvest Port decanter, then my inventory data shows that we have one left. Even after so long, critics rated it even higher than anything else I mentioned today. What a treat! $3,795-I have seen more on the Internet. (Stock#3121).
Taylor now owns Croft, and as far as I know, they bought this very old producer, which was founded in 1581 because they wanted a large stock of old tawny Port. We have the 2003 Croft described by Wine Spectator in this way: "96/100. The gorgeous aroma of blueberries and dried flowers is accompanied by a sweet, full-bodied taste. Velvety round with lovely fruit flavors. Long talk." $101.45. (Stock#3069).
Our 1994 Graham's was made a few days before the robotic system was first used in 1998. Parker gave it 95/100 in his 2016 review, which he called "irresistible, sexy and charming". USD 133.75 (stock #3044).
According to James Suckling, Graham’s 2000 “smells like freshly picked orchids with plenty of ripe, clean fruit. The wine is full-bodied, moderately sweet, very powerful and lively. It lasts on your palate It took a few minutes, but this old port has a balance and class. This is the best Graham I have tasted, regardless of age. The best since 2014. 9,000 cases – 98/100" were manufactured. You can spend $125.10 (stock #3042) to celebrate the arrival of the new century.
Our 2003 Graham's scored 96 points from Wines & Spirits, as described: "With rich mineral and black fruit flavors, this year's Graham's is all-encompassing with its sheer power. Tannins and fruity aromas are exuded on the gravel. A strong floral, purple and black taste is balanced. The crumbly tannin feels soft and curvaceous in the end, which defines the boundary of the fruit, rather than restricting it. Graham has the most recent memory Good year." 115.70 USD (stock #3019).
Another 97 pointer of Parker is our 2011 Graham, which received the following comment: "Deep and complex, incredible strength. This wine is purple-black to the edge, exuding violet blue, Chinese black tea and The delicate aroma of ripe red fruit. In the mouth, it initially provides a strong fruit. It shows good acidity, balanced tannins and ripe but not dry. The aftertaste is clean and perfect. It will age well in the next few decades It has developed into a very balanced and elegant wine." US$137.25 (stock #3040).
Things to remember. Please avoid using those stupid little "wine glasses" to give wine a chance to show its beauty in larger glasses, such as those used for Chardonnay. Old Port wine has a lot of sediment, so it should be allowed to settle for a few days before opening the bottle, and then gently decanted. Please perform this operation carefully and do not forcefully pass through the cloth or coffee filter.
This column is an advertisement of Burrows Lightbourn Ltd. Please contact Michael Robinson at mrobinson@bll.bm. Burrows Lightbourn has shops in Hamilton (Front Street East, 295-1554) and Paget (Harbour Road, 236-0355). Visit www.wineonline.bm
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