We tried this w/ the chocolate cake at BacchusBadBoys Thurs night:
1. Woodbury Vintage Port AlexVlly OldVines (20%; U/U) WoodburyWnry/SanRafael 1981: Med.light some browning color; slight alcoholic very strong grapey/old Porto some cedary/pencilly/vanilla bit chocolaty slight herbal/Kansas hay mow some dusty/OV rather complex nose; soft some hot/alcoholic very strong oldPort some grapey some dusty/OV rather smooth/graceful bit cedary/pencilly/old oak fully mature quite complex oldPort flavor w/ light/gentle/smooth tannins; very log/lingering grapey finih that mirrors flavor; a lovely example of an old Calif Port. $9.23 (B)
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More purtapence from TheBloodyPulpit:
1. Back in the late '70's, there were a number of winemakers who decided to make Calif Port in the style of Portugese Porto. They felt the grape variety was not as important as using authentic Pot Still brandy to fortify. Up until that time, most good Calif Ports (think BrotherTim/ChristianBros & Dave Ficklin) used neutral grape spirits to fortify, which is pure ethanol. They felt the higher alcohols (congeners...stuff that give you hangovers) gave more authenticity & Porto character to the Port that you get in Pot Still brandy.
Russ Woodbury was one such Port maker. Jim Olsen at JWMorris Port Works in Emeryville, Jim Prager/NapaVlly out back of SutterHome, Andy Quady/Lodi were some of these folks. Those ports of that era were outstanding, though not exact replicas of Portugese Ports.
As I recall, this Port was made from OldVine Zin from the AlexVlly. It's developed quite nicely. It doesn't quite have the fumey burn of old Porto & is distinctly Calif in character. So much for that theory.
Tom