Croft Quinta da Roeda, Vintage Port, 2004, Portugal
I love port and vintage port is the best. This single quinta vintage by Croft is pretty good. Vintage port is softer and much more delicate than your average Ruby Port. Its soft, with flavours of blackcurrant and plum, chocolate, vanilla, raisins and excellent integration.
At £20 a bottle it’s great value and a great choice for winter evenings.
Old Chablis is not like the fresh flavour, younger vintages. As it ages it softens and loses some of those fresh green notes. The acidity loses its edge and flavours change.
This is true of this Premier Cru, there are subtle light aromas of green apple and vanilla, a lightness of texture and a light taste of creaminess. Delicate and quite special this has been waiting in our wine store since about 2006 and finally we get to try it.
At 15 years old its not something you are going to get even in a decent wine merchant. That’s a shame as few people will get to try what an older white wine tastes like compared to a much one of the same region or producer, even if the younger Chablis is a supermarket standard one.
Find a 15 year old Premier cru and its going cost you upwards of £40 a bottle, my suggestion is by a few of these when young, put them to one side and wait.
Domaine Pascal Bouchard Beauroy Chablis, Premier Cru 2004, France