The SOMM Journal

April / May 2015

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{ SOMMjournal.com }  67 Don Schliff 's excellent Port adventure is exactly the type of high-profile event that provides proof positive that pairing Port with a variety of courses, even seafood, is not only achievable, but can deliver out- standing results. Kudos to Wolfgang Puck for coming up with course after course of well-considered combinations. Not only did the 30 participants love the Port that they came to drink, but the simplicity with which the subtle flavors of the Port and stunning array of ingredients delivered harmony throughout the meal. Arriving early allowed for the pho- tographing of the ritualistic opening of 26 standard-sized Port bottles plus five magnums. Don brought along a specially designed stand to heat Port tongs over a Meker-type burner. Using Port tongs eliminates the time and messy task of chipping away at old wax capsules and painstakingly trying to extract fragile old corks without having them crumble into the wine. Instead, Port tongs are heated directly over an intense open flame until red hot, then placed below cork level on the neck of the bottle. After transferring heat to the bottle neck, a cloth napkin or towel is dipped into an ice bath then placed around the hot neck of the bottle thermally "shocking" the glass, causing it to crack. This leaves capsule, neck and cork in one piece, separated from the rest of the bottle as shown below. Traditional decanting of vintage Port can then take place using some cheesecloth inserted into a wine funnel ensuring that no slivers of glass, cork or sediment wind up in the decanter. Proper aeration allows Port to absorb oxygen which enlivens aro- matics, deepening the color, slightly soften- ing the tannins and delivering a significantly improved drinking experience. As Ports were being poured behind the scenes, guests began to arrive and were treated to a fine selection of passed hors d'oeuvres and mingled on the sunny patio sipping from jeroboams of 1988 Pol Roger "Sir Winston Churchill" and 1999 Louis Roederer "Cristal" C hampagne. Upon being seated inside, Don intro- duced the Guest of Honor, Christian Seely, Managing Director of AXA's wine portfo- lio, which includes ownership of Quinta do Noval. Other notables were Darryl Corti, (of Corti Brothers retail shop) as guest commentator and rare wine consultant Dennis Foley, who supervised the Port service. Don and Darryl provided back- ground on the 1963 vintage in Portugal's Douro Valley, and Seely elaborated on the 2.5-hectare (6-acre) parcel of Noval's Nacional and why it is widely regarded as the greatest vintage Port. PAIRINGS AND NOTES FIRST COURSE & 1963 VINTAGE PORT FLIGHT: Duck Foie Gras Torchon Douro Port Wine Shippers and Growers. A rarely seen bottle. Rich, fully mature, drink up. Robertson's Rebello Valente. From Sandeman back in the day. Sweet, warm, simple. Quinta do Noval. Light weight, symmetrical, soft and generous red fruits. Fine length. Smith Woodhouse. Spicy pine/eucalyptus; fully mature fading fruit. Soft but clipped end. SECOND COURSE & 1963 PORT FLIGHT: Pan Roasted Mediterranean Turbot Sandeman. Evocative nose, palate delivers spicy mature red fruits. A classy classic. Cockburn's (magnum). Sophisticated profile, fully mature, spirit poking through. Elegant. Warre's (tregnum of 1774.4 ml.). Imperfect bottle. Nose is better than the palate here. Dow's (tregnum of 1800 ml.). Deeply extracted, sublime texturally, long/intricate ending. THIRD COURSE & 1963 PORT FLIGHT: French Black Truffle Risotto Taylor, Fladgate & Yeatman. A top notch '63 today. Full-bodied, young, vibrant acidity. Croft. On a plateau; 10–15 years left. Silky, seductive, suave and warm with a fine finish. Fonseca. A show-stopper and not surprisingly, the best of 1963s after the Nacional. Graham's (magnum). Fab aromatics, flavors of fig, mocha and caramel. Long aftertaste. FOURTH COURSE & NOVAL NACIONAL PORT FLIGHT: Slow Roasted Venison "Filet Mignon" 1958 Quinta do Noval Nacional. Few '58s exist today. Delicate, intricate and delicious. 1960 Quinta do Noval Nacional. Good but the fruit is beginning to fade a bit. Drink up. 1962 Quinta do Noval Nacional. Very dark, spicy, focused and youthful with finesse. 1963 Quinta do Noval Nacional. Few if any Ports can top this hedonistic experience! FIFTH COURSE & ANCIENT VINTAGE PORT FLIGHT: Slow Roasted Venison "Filet Mignon" 1931 Quinta do Noval. An ultra-rare mind blowing Vintage Port at 84. Drinks like it's 30! 1927 Dow's (magnum). Excellent condition. Exotic red fruits, salted caramel complexity. Don Schliff, Vice Chairman and CEO Imports at Wine Warehouse and avid Port collector, opens bottles using heated Port tongs. The opened bottles will be decanted using a cheesecloth filter.

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