Offley Late Bottled Vintage 1997

16.5 / 20

Producer: Offley

Region: Porto

Country: Portugal

This one looks a lot younger than its 15 years. Starting by the color, a really dark purple, and carrying on to the nose, where a lot of black berries are still very present, along with a slight more chemical paper feel and the usual dried plums, raisins and a hint of spices. Very intense and vibrant bouquet.

Good intensity on the palate as well, its good structure showing some distinct layers where sweet black fruits mix with sweeter notes, a touch of syrup but still brought together by a nice lingering acidity. Good, strong and lengthy ending.

A notch up from the 200 LBV I tasted a year or so from the same brand and another piece of evidence in favour of older LBVs.

Ramos Pinto Vintage 1997

17.0 / 20

Producer: Ramos Pinto

Region: Porto

Country: Portugal

Light ruby with a slight garnet tinge, the nose shows some signs of evolution, with raisins and prunes taking center stage along with some spices and toffee.

Feeling quite tamed in the mouth, this is a delicate and elegant wine still showing a lot of fruit, although its age is starting to show in some more tertiary, sweeter flavors. Good finale with some smoke hints and toffee.

Although this is a good vintage, it felt a bit subdued and hidden. Maybe it's going through a sleeping phase right now, as some vintages seem to do.

Tasted on 2012-01-10

Quinta do Castelinho Vintage 1997

17.0 / 20

Producer: Quinta do Castelinho

Region: Porto

Country: Portugal

A blind buy at the last wine auction here in Lisbon, this was a good surprise and a great introduction to Quinta do Castelinho wines (I don't think I had tasted a wine from them before).

Showing a beautiful and youthful dark ruby color, the nose is impressive for its intensity and purity of ripe red fruit backed up by impressions of spices and molasses. If tasted blindly, I would never guess it was 14 years old.

To the taste, a full-bodied wine, powerful, multilayered, showing a lot of fruit. Yet, tannins are tamed enough so this intensity is already mixed with some of the finesse and complexity of an older vintage. Very persistent with notes of red ripe berries and spices - cloves and cinnamon.

I think this was on the perfect balance between the intensity and power of a younger vintage and the grace and complexity of older ones. Apparently, it received quite a few awards when it came out. From this taste, I think they were very well handed.

Right now, a cigar. Or a dark chocolate based dessert. It still needs to be a strong flavored dish to match this fruit intensity.

Tasted on 2011-03-19

Dow's Vintage 1997

18.0 / 20

Producer: Dows

Region: Porto

Country: Portugal

Deep ruby, the nose is still closed, telling us this Vintage is still very young. Even so, some nice black fruit, alongside with spices and a vegetable touch, appeared during the tasting. In the mouth, it shows red fruit and some chemical notes. The tannins are still very present, although they do not steal any of the elegance and complexity of this wine.

I would try this one with a dessert based on chocolate. Maybe a dry chocolate cake.