3 | Wine | Porto | Page 4

"A strikingly provocative aromatic display. This firmly-structured, classic, tightly-knit, restrained port exhibits brilliant purity as well as impressive intensity."

"Graham is another great port house, producing one of the deepest-colored and sweetest styles of vintage port. Along with Taylor and Fonseca, Graham has probably been the most consistent producer of great port in the post- World War II era. Their tawnys are quite good rather than exceptional, but their vintage ports are truly sublime and sumptuous."

"The Niepoort Dry White Port is much less sweet, and possesses a remarkable combination of richness, finesse and wonderful freshness. I was intrigued. The Wine is completely delicious." - Gregory Fulham, Binny's Hyde Park

"Dense ruby/purple-colored, with an exotic, exuberant perfume of black fruits, flowers, incense, and licorice, this unctuously-textured, full-bodied port is one of the most concentrated of the vintage. Sweet, expansive, and succulent, this large-scaled, but remarkably well-balanced effort is surprisingly forward and accessible (by Fonseca's standards)."

"When tasting young vintage ports, Taylor is always the most backward. Yet potentially, it has the capability to be the most majestic. This classically made, opaque purple-colored wine is crammed with black fruits (blueberries and cassis). It reveals high tannin and a reserved style, but it is enormously constituted with massive body, a formidable mid-palate, and exceptional length. It is a young, rich, powerful Taylor that will require 10-15 years of aging."

"Primary yet detailed nose offers crushed blackberry, black cherry, licorice, bitter chocolate, minerals and flowers. Pure, elegant and precise in the mouth, with terrific energy and thrust to the flavors of crushed black fruits and spices. Perhaps best today on the sharply focused, gripping, palate-staining finish, which shows a captivating gingerbread spiciness. This can be tasted now thanks to its intensity and sheer personality but is built to age." Reviewed by Stephen Tanzer.