Mole in the Mountains

A gastronomic adventure in Xalapa, Mexico.

. A few dollars more and you’re into the big names, most of whose 10-year tawnies are quality products. That said, I find Quinta do Infantado’s Ruby delivers the biggest bang for the port buck these days.

Creamy pots of coffee custard.

Nice to see Port being discussed on the boards. I have recently obtained a 1963 Quinta do Noval which I am keeping for another 18 years or so for a special occasion.

usually do a port tasting in Feb/March. Last year was all tawny ports - 4 single year and the full range of ‘specified age’ (10, 20, 30-, and 40- all from Taylor). In February, they are scheduled to do a tasting of...

To stay in that price range you will either have to stick with Tawny Ports and/or buy what is a port style wine made in Australia. Of the former, Graham, Warre, and Taylor Fladgate all make good 10 year old non-vintage Tawny...

Quinta do Noval. Fonseca is just about the driest of the top major Port houses, and I would say QdN is second. Taylor is also very good but a bit sweeter. The same could be said of Graham’s (although I don’t like it...

by the Barros 20-Year Old. Niepoort and Noval both produce excellent 20-Year Old Tawnies, but I generally prefer their 10-Year Old bottlings. The same is true for Delaforce — their “Curious and Ancient” 20-Year...

2003 was a declared year and should be very good. I’d stick with the established houses: Fonseca, Quinta do Noval, Taylor Fladgate, Dow, Niepoort

on a tawny color. It is very sweet, unctous, and smooth. You can get 10, 20, 30, and 40 year old, the price rising with the age, all from a good maker (Grahams, Sandeman, Fonseca, Taylor Fladgate) are great. Vintage Port from a...

A followup on the port tasting: I bought a 63 Croft ($169) from K&L and ordered an 83 Fonseca ($95) and an 85 Warre ($39 for 375 ml) from Golden West. My friend visiting Lisbon brought back a bottle of 20-year Quinta do Noval...

According to burn’s (see link below) this is it: "Vintage Port and Quinta dos Canais: should be consumed within 24 hours of opening the bottle. Fine Ruby, Fine Tawny, Special Reserve and Anno Late Bottled Vintage: should be...

release, as are 10-20-30-40 Year Tawnies and Colheitas. Most LBVs are not going to improve in the bottle (though there are some exceptions), while VPs and Single-Quinta Ports will. Some, not coming into their own, for decades...

Year Old Tawny Porto from Fereirra or Barros (if you can find them where you live). You can still find some singlequinta Vintage Porto around in the $50 price range, but — again — it depends where you live. I, too,...

by Barros. Really great 10-year Tawnies can be found from Neipoort, Noval, Delaforce, and Barros. Cheers, Jason