Taylor's Port Tasting in City

Taylor's Tasting in City

Chris Forbes of Taylor's was in the Ballymaloe Wineshop at Brown Thomas for an early afternoon tasting. We started off with the White Chip Dry Port. This may be mixed into a long drink, with tonic water for instance, but I like it just the way it is, straight from the fridge. 

Then we moved on to the Crofts Late Botted vintage (LBV).  LBV ports are the product of a single year's harvest and tend to be lighter bodied than a vintage port. This 2005 is very approachable, a ready to drink Port with an attractive fruity, rich taste. Chris advised that this may also be taken chilled.

Ballymaloe's Colm McCan (left) with Helen Lynch (Cloudberry Bakery),
Chris Forbes (Taylor's), Yours Truly and Maurice O'Mahony (Wine Alliance)

The two older wines followed, starting with the 1983 vintage. Taylor’s Vintage Port is one of the world’s great iconic wines. Made only in the very finest years – known as ‘declared’ vintages – Vintage Ports are blended from the best produce of the firm’s own estates of Quinta de Vargellas, Quinta de Terra Feita and more recently, Quinta do Junco.

The other "senior" was the 30 year old Tawny. This is one of the rich and mellow tawny ports which age for longer periods in oak casks. Taylor's do 10,20, 30 and 40 year old tawny. These have a delicious nuttiness and aromas of butterscotch and fine oak wood that intensify the longer they spend in wood.

These were two beauties and regrets were expressed that we weren't going to Ballymaloe this evening where Chris is joining forces with Wilkie's Chocolate for what is sure to be a lovely evening in the Cookery School. Details here.

But we did have the considerable consolation of trying the ports with some delicious macarons from Cloudberry Bakery who also have a shop in the Emporium and then it was off on a surprise visit to Idaho Cafe where VAT campaigner Richard Jacob was able to celebrate his success with a drop of the Port and where we each enjoyed a cup of his super Joe.

TAYLOR’S WHITE PORT

TAYLOR’S CHIP DRY EXTRA DRY WHITE PORT, 20%, (Bradleys, North Main Street)

This is a rather rare, in these parts anyway, white port. But is has a 77 year history, having been first introduced, as a style, by Taylor’s in 1934. It is made in exactly the same way as regular Port but from white grapes.

Taylor’s claim that it is the original extra dry white aperitif port. Don’t let the many mentions of dry put you off – it has a crisp dry finish but it is some distance away from its Sherry counterparts in terms of jaw-locking! Indeed, it is quite fruity, both on the nose and on the palate, the mild mellow aromas coming from its aging in seasoned oak vats.

Even the white is a bit mis-leading, as the colour of mine was close to gold.

Really glad I took a chance on this one. Chilled it down well and used it as an aperitif with a small bowl of marinated olives from Provence. As you know, there is no shortage of olives in the English Market (and in some Farmers Markets) these days. Toasted almonds are also recommended as an accompaniment or just have it on its own.

The producers also promote it as a long drink, in a big glass with ice and tonic. Not too sure about that but different strokes for different folks!