Wilfred Wong is the popular and affable Cellar Master at BevMo! His palate is highly regarded; his opinions matter a great deal. Please enjoy.
Winery images have been borrowed from the respective wineries’ Web sites; for emphasis and their promotional use, only. Wilfred’s image comes from his BevMo! wine blog page.
Three PORT wine picks from Wilfred Wong is perfect for this holiday season… and those romantic nights with opulence rules supreme.
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From my notebook: Notes from an extreme taster
Any port in a storm
By Wilfred Wong
Let’s make it clear not all ports are the same. It’s just like when you find someone name Brandi in a dark and dingy bar, this may not be the Brandi that you wanted. As the year and the nights get just a little bit cooler, what neglected-for-most-of-the-year wines finally get center stage? Why port of course!
For my three picks of the weekend, I’m taking us on a flight over the big pond landing us in the land of Porto. Portugal is home to some of the greatest fortified wines in the world.
My first pick is the Graham’s Six Grapes. Rich, deep and concentrated, yet textured, with mild soft tannins. I can hear a slice of not too sweet chocolate cake making its way to the table. At $22.99 and a ClubBev retail of $19.99, this is one the best vintage character ports in the marketplace.
For those who feel the need to be just a bit more sophisticated, let us engage in the Graham’s 10 Year Old Tawny. Wood-aged and elegant, this wine is still fruit-packed and sweet in the finish. One could leave the parlor, kitchen or living room and sit in the back porch (with some heat lamps) and smoke a mild cigar. I can see this match generation some fiery conversations. BevMo! Retail at $31.99 (ClubBev: $27.99).
Taking it to the house, one needs to try the Taylor Fladgate 20 Year Old Tawny. Complex, with wood and vanilla elements, mature fruit and aged character, this can stand on its own and inviting intense and mature discussions of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, etc…BevMo! Retail: $54.99 and worth every cent!
These ports are not just any ole’ ports in a storm, they are three of Porto’s (from Portugal) best players in the marketplace. Time to close out the year and sip on these fine treasures, by the way when you see Brandi, tell her that I am dry and need three more ounces of Taylor Fladgate 20 in my glass.
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