Slowly but surely the 2001 Vintage Ports are finding their way to the retailers. The vintage itself hasn’t been cause of the saem hype surrounding the ‘00s, but some very fine Ports were made this year. An additional benefit: prices are 1/3 to more than ½ down, compaired to the 2000 VPs.

I’ve tasted the Fonseca 2001 Q.d. Panascal in November last year, and was really looking forward to trying its bigger sister: the Guimaraens. I know, I should have tasted them side-by-side, but the Panascal wasn’t available. Sorry!

Fonseca 2001 Guimaraens Vintage Port: Tasted from 0.375 (21 Euros / 37 for a 750). Opened 3.5 hours before tasting, but not decanted. I was going to complain about the fill of the bottle (near bottom neck), until I pulled the cork: more than 5 cm long! That just left 1.5 cm of air between cork and wine: OK then.
This is one dark Port! Pure black, with just a 2 mm thick purple red rim. The concentration is visible just waltzing the wine slowly in the glass: an orange red hue stains the glass.
Good nose, not overpowering. A first sniff is rewarded with fresh black fruits, sweetness, violets and roses. Not a whiff of alcohol in sight (or should that be smell?).
This is a good medium-to-thick bodied Port. Again, there are loads of fresh fruits here: sweet cherries and dark plums. The midpalate shows some alcohol hotness, but this becomes less with additional sips. The sweetness is quite on par for Fonseca: not as dry as Dow, but not as rich as Graham’s. It’s a style I really, really like. Tannins are clearly there, but they seem to be masked by that same sweetness: they are the most pronounced in the finish. Speaking of which:
NICE finish on this wine as well: there is some hotness carried over from the midpalate (again less noticeable after two, three sips), but as this fades one is left with an intense black chocolate flavour (the really good stuff). A real lip-smacking finish: it lingers for minutes, raising the anticipation for the next sip…

Do I like this? You bet. Simply put, this is an excellent glass of young VP. I’d finish the bottle this evening, hadn’t I promised myself to follow its development over the next days! Very curious to see where this Port is headed (I'll post additional notes). Ronnie & Lady Roots will taste it tomorrow, and I hope they chime in with their opinion then.
As far as point are concerned: for how this is drinking today I give it an easily earned 94 points.

Wow, sounds awesome for the price you paid (though I shudder to think that it'll be nudging $50 USD with the cruddy exchange rate - I'm still thinking Euro = USD). I had a 1995 Guimaraens that either was a very slightly off-bottle (not bad, just not quite prime) or just didn't have all those wonderful dark fruits you describe a few weeks ago but I'll keep my eyes out for the 2001. Although it won't be $32 like the 1995!

Looking forward to the Roots Report also.

Welcome to Massachusetts - Be Fabulous and Say "I Do"

You guys sure do get a lot of interesting ports. I doubt we'll ever see this here, but if so I'll be sure to get a couple of bottles

snow sucks, cold is worse.......

Sounds like I'm in for a treat tonight

Now I just wish I hadn't blown my budget for the coming months, because this looks like a must-buy.

Remember Ronnie, must-buys are not part of our monthly budget.

Stevie, with your tasting nostes it's like I'm drinking it rigth now. Reading this, it's even a bigger disappointment for me that I can't join you tonight. Maybe you can save the empty bottle for me, so I can make a smelling note.

Tasted again 27 hours after opening. I’ll refrain from repeating myself and just comment on the differences since yesterday.
The nose is still super, but the flowery touch has darkened, the violets have been replaced with an almost musk-like aroma. Body seems to have added some weight, but I won’t called it full bodied. The fruitiness has evolved and has become (even more!) pronounced. The finish is still super. I stand with my initial 94 points.

It is difficult to judge how long this Port will age, but my estimate would be that this is a Port to enjoy for its upfront fruitiness now to 2 years; then leave it for 10 to 15 years. It might last longer, so buy more than one bottle: I know I will! There is still some left, I’ll keep you posted.

I haven't seen any '01 here & am afraid to ask about it for fear I may have to buy some.
Seriously, I'm about ready for some new, young blood to try now.

Tasted it after it had been opened for one day. I don't think my notes will differ a lot from those of Stevie, but here they come anyway.

Very concentrated black color, with only a small bright purple/pink rim. The nose is just awesome, with lots of cherries, roses and spices (I thought nutmeg, Stevie thought musk...). It smells very dark, but also very fresh, not at all sharp or alcoholic. I could just smell this all night! Luckily, I didn't! This tastes soooo smooth, it's wonderful. It starts with full, sweet cherries, that evolves into rose hip and after that you're left with fresh raspberries. Aside from these there are also some dried green spices, like bay leaf and sage. Medium bodied and medium sweet, with firm tannins that are mostly masked by the sweetness and dominant fruit. The finish leaves you with a long aftertaste of bitter chocolate.
Great port, I will certainly buy a couple of bottles of this and save them for at least ten years. I completely agree with the 94 points Stevie gave.

Tasted this port again tonight, and it's still every bit as beautiful as it was two years ago. It hasn't changed much, which is probably a good sign. Perhaps a bit darker than it was (more bay leaf licorice than herb), but otherwise still as open and outspoken as it was just after release. A great port, and I guess it will go a long way. Steady at 94 points.

Thanks for the update Ronnie.

We have these available here in B.C. (BCLDB government stores) for $80cdn.
I just ordered 2 bottles.

Ronnie & Lady Roots: thank you for opening this one tonight! WHAT a superb glass of young VP - the only difference compared to my initial post is that it it not as hot...better! Highly recommended - tyee: two bottles will not be enough...

quote:

tyee: two bottles will not be enough...

Stevie,
I'll probably pick up another pair down the road...I just pulled the trigger on a case of Albert Mann Alsatian whites, and a few other things.


Let's call this 2 bottle purchase an attempt in 'Flying under the Spouse Financial Radar'...especially when I'm pretty confident there will be plenty available for some time to come...might as well spread the purchases out.

A few months ago I picked up 4 bottles of the 84 Guimaraens, for $17US each! I've drank 2 of them and thougth they were amazing, given it was only my 3rd VP. Any thoughts on the 84? Should I put the two remaining away for a few more years, or is it time to drink now?

Well - haven't tried the 84 but 86 is drinking very nicely now and I can't see it getting much better. Guimaraens is not meant to be much more the twenty years old when drunk (just like Bush's daughters).

$17 each - that's even better than I got my 86's for. Ok, who's off to Chicago?

Haven't seen the 2001 here yet.