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Saturday, December 30, 2006

N.V. Warre’s Otima 10 Year Old Tawny Porto

I have a bottle of 1977 Vintage Port that I intend on opening after the new year, but I figured before I open that I should try some other Ports to have fresh in my mind to compare. This 10 year Tawny ran me $20 for a 500 ml bottle.

When I first opened this bottle around two weeks ago I just found it to be blah...no complexity, nothing interesting, just some caramel and that’s it.

I recorked it and put on the rack for a few days and was blown away with what this developed into. The more time I gave it, the better it got so I decided to hold off on giving this a full review until I let it get some more air time.

Ports last a while when opened, I’ve heard different time estimates, the more conservative are six weeks, but I’ve heard some people say if you keep the bottle in the fridge it will last six months. Port is not a wine that you can finish a bottle of in a night or two, it’s heavy, thick, and has a high alcohol content (20%).

A touch of alcohol with walnuts and raisins on the nose.

Maple syrup, pecans, raisins, currants, and plums on the palate. Very nice depth and complexity with almost no burn.

The finish is nutty, with some caramel, vanilla, and just a hint of orange zest.

The last time I had a 10 year Tawny I found it simple and not all that great. This one has some very nice depth and complexity. I’d strongly recommend this one if you’re new to the world of Port as it’s reasonably priced and an excellent value.

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