Martinez
Martinez Gassiot & C:a
| Founded | 1790 |
|---|---|
| Owner | Symington family |
| Vineyards | None but are buying their vintage port from Quinta da Eirha Velha. |
| Vintage Port Brands | Martinez, Quinta da Eirha Velha, Quinta do Chousa |
D. Sebastian Gonzales Martinez founded the company in 1790. He was a Spaniard who sold Port, cigars and sherry from an office in Mincing Lane, in the city of London. Martinez had the inspiration. John Peter Gassiot, an Englishman who joined him in 1822, provided the stability. Together they created Martinez Gassiot and Company. Then in 1834 they acquired a lodge in Vila Nova de Gaia. John Gassiot had three sons John, Charles and Sebastian who all became partners in the firm. When Sebastian Gassiot died in 1902 he had no successors and the firm was up for sale and 1916 Arthur Nugent handled the firm follow by Donald Mac Lean till his death 1939 and then by Gilbert Eastaugh.
The company was bought by Harveys of Bristol in 1961 and as Harvey’s also bought Cockburn Smithes the following year; they were managed in close co-ordination. In 1966 Harvey’s was bought by Showerings, Vine Products and Whiteways Ltd (SVPW), which was bought by Allied Breweries in 1968 which subsequent name changes to Allied-Lyons PLC in 1981 and to Allied Domecq PLC in 1994.
In 1978 the group started making a Single Quinta Vintage Port from Quinta da Eirha Velha. The vintage 1978 was bottled by Cockburn and the following years of Martinez with the vintage 2000 being the last Eira Velha single quinta produced by Martinez. Quinta do Chousa is a part of Quinta do Tua and was in 1995 bottled as a Single Quinta Vintage Port by Martinez.
Today, since 2006, Martinez belongs to the Symington family. Cockburn Smithes has been managed by the Symington family since 2006 and was fully acquired in 2010.
| Martinez Vintages: | 1834, 1836, 1840, 1844, 1847, 1851, 1858, 1861, 1863, 1864, 1865, 1867, 1868, 1870, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1877*, 1878, 1880, 1881, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887, 1890, 1892, 1894, 1896, 1897, 1900, 1904, 1908, 1911, 1912, 1919, 1922, 1927, 1931, 1934, 1935, 1945, 1947, 1950, 1953, 1955, 1958, 1960, 1963, 1967, 1970, 1975, 1978, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2007 |
|---|---|
| Quinta da Eira Velha Vintages: | 1890 (Hunt), 1896 (Hunt), 1902 (TukeHoldsworth), 1943 (Hunt, Hunt, Roope & Co), 1945 (Hunt), 1953, 1974, 1975, 1978 (Cockburn), 1982 (Cockburn), 1987, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2011 |
| Quinta do Chousa Vintages: | 1995 |
| House | Martinez | Vintage | 1922 |
| Colour | Yellow mature almost tawny in colour. | Number of tastings | 5 |
| Bouquet | Wonderful crème caramel, toffee, violets, liquorice and roses in the nose. | Score range | 16.00 - 17.75 |
| Taste | Medium body. Mature and of course peaking but not particularly old! Elegant and complex. Roses and liquorice in taste. A lovely port with a wonderful finish. Astonishing indeed! | Average score | 16.80 |
| Last tasted | 18th December 2015 | Point this date | 17.25 |
| Comment | At home with our private wine club. This port was bottled by UK merchant Edward Sheldon in Shipton-on-Stour, England. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Martinez | Vintage | 1934 |
| Colour | Lovely yellow and mature in colour. | Number of tastings | 2 |
| Bouquet | Chocolate, cream candy, creme caramel, toffee and lots of other things in the nose. | Score range | 16.25 - 17.50 |
| Taste | Lovely body. Mature and peaking. Balanced with maybe some old acidity but very elegant and with a wonderful complexity and with an excellent, very long and attractive finish which never seem to end. What a lovely Port! | Average score | 16.88 |
| Last tasted | 24th February 2024 | Point this date | 17.50 |
| Comment | Tasted at home with the family. This bottle belongs to Gerda and Ole Vesterdal Private Collection. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Martinez | Vintage | 1947 |
| Colour | Dark, mature tawny in colour. | Number of tastings | 1 |
| Bouquet | Crème caramel and burned sugar. Very complex nose. | Score range | 17.00 - 17.00 |
| Taste | Medium body. Mature and at its peak. Elegant and complex port with a generous and long finish. | Average score | |
| Last tasted | 31st May 1990 | Point this date | 17.00 |
| Comment | At the Danish Port Wine Club est. 1981 tasting in Copenhagen. | Tasters | SAI |
| House | Martinez | Vintage | 1955 |
| Colour | Almost tawny but quite nice in colour. | Number of tastings | 1 |
| Bouquet | Butter-scotch, cream candy but also a hint of pharmacy and hospital in the nose. | Score range | 16.00 - 16.00 |
| Taste | Medium body. Mature and peaking and even a little old but still quite balanced and very attractive. Butter-scotch and burned sugar in taste with a nice finish. Will not be better so better drink it up! | Average score | |
| Last tasted | 16th November 2017 | Point this date | 16.00 |
| Comment | At the Wine Society 18% Great Tasting in Malmö. In 2017 this vintage took part in a Great Tasting in the Wine Society 18%. For points and ranking see Great Tastings. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Martinez | Vintage | 1960 |
| Colour | Mature quite beautiful almost tawny in colour. | Number of tastings | 7 |
| Bouquet | Ginger, cinnamon, cacao, some crème caramel, mint some zest of an orange and old grocery shop in the nose. | Score range | 16.25 - 17.25 |
| Taste | Medium body. Mature and peaking. Balanced but sweet with cinnamon, cacao, mint dark chocolate and a lot of other things in taste. Elegant and complex with a wonderful and very long finish. Attractive port! If any bottle left in your cellar just drink it and enjoy it! | Average score | 16.56 |
| Last tasted | 7th September 2019 | Point this date | 17.25 |
| Comment | Tasted at the Restaurant 28+ in Gothenburg. In 2007 this vintage took part in a Great Tasting in the Wine Society 18%. For points and ranking see Great Tastings. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Martinez | Vintage | 1963 |
| Colour | Mature yellow a little bright in colour. | Number of tastings | 21 |
| Bouquet | Old grocery shop, crème caramel, cream candy, cacao, chocolate, nuts, ginger and some herbs in the nose. | Score range | 16.25 - 17.00 |
| Taste | Medium body. Sweet. Mature and peaking with a lovely old acidity in taste together with crème caramel, cream candy and other quite interesting tastes. Still quite elegant and complex but quite old and not at all so intensive as we are used to and a bit short finish. It is time to drink up, will not be better. | Average score | 16.78 |
| Last tasted | 15th November 2023 | Point this date | 16.25 |
| Comment | Tasted at the Wine Society 18% tasting in Malmö. In 2005 this vintage took part in a Great Tasting in the Wine Society 18%. For points and ranking see Great Tastings. In 2013 this vintage took part in a Great Tasting in the Wine Society 18%. For points and ranking see Great Tastings. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Martinez | Vintage | 1967 |
| Colour | Mature yellow almost tawny in colour | Number of tastings | 1 |
| Bouquet | Lovely complex crème caramel, old grocery shop and plum in the nose. | Score range | 16.75 - 16.75 |
| Taste | Medium body. Mature and peaking. Sweet. Elegant with some soft tannin. Easy to drink and a lovely very attractive finish. | Average score | |
| Last tasted | 17th November 2011 | Point this date | 16.75 |
| Comment | At the Wine Society 18% tasting in Malmö. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Martinez | Vintage | 1970 |
| Colour | Mature yellow in colour. | Number of tastings | 2 |
| Bouquet | Lovely complex old grocery shop in the nose. | Score range | 15.50 - 16.40 |
| Taste | Medium body. Mature and peaking. Sweet. Elegant. Easy to drink and a lovely finish but maybe a little short? | Average score | 15.95 |
| Last tasted | 13th November 2008 | Point this date | 15.50 |
| Comment | At the Wine Society 18% Great Tasting in Malmö. This bottle belongs to Gerda and Ole Vesterdal Private Collection. In 2008 this vintage took part in a Great Tasting in the Wine Society 18%. For points and ranking see Great Tastings. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Martinez | Vintage | 1975 |
| Colour | Mature tawny colour. | Number of tastings | 4 |
| Bouquet | Pharmacy and ether in the nose. | Score range | 15.00 - 16.50 |
| Taste | Medium body. Simple. Easy to drink. Sweet and a nice finish. | Average score | 15.63 |
| Last tasted | 16th March 2006 | Point this date | 15.50 |
| Comment | At the Wine Society 18% Great Tasting in Malmö. This bottle belongs to Gerda and Ole Vesterdal Private Collection. In 2006 this vintage took part in a Great Tasting in the Wine Society 18%. For points and ranking see Great Tastings. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Martinez | Vintage | 1982 |
| Colour | Mature beautiful yellow colour. | Number of tastings | 5 |
| Bouquet | Crème candy, crème caramel, fudge, sweet red berry and lovely spiciness in the nose. | Score range | 15.00 - 17.25 |
| Taste | Medium body. Sweet. Mature and peaking. Balanced and very attractive and elegant. Will not be better nut is wonderful today. Easy to drink and like. Just enjoy it with a delicate and very attractive finish. Lovely port indeed! | Average score | 16.19 |
| Last tasted | 11th February 2019 | Point this date | 17.00 |
| Comment | At the Wine Society 18% tasting in Malmö. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Martinez | Vintage | 1983 |
| Colour | Yellow mature, quite beautiful, almost tawny in colour. | Number of tastings | 1 |
| Bouquet | Butterscotch, crème caramel, roses, orange zest and some oak in the nose. | Score range | 16.40 - 16.40 |
| Taste | Medium body. Very mature, peaking but with an elegant and attractive old acidity. Still balanced and tasty with butterscotch, crème caramel, oak and roses in the mouth. Lovely, very sweet port with a quite intensive and seductive finish. | Average score | |
| Last tasted | 25th December 2020 | Point this date | 16.40 |
| Comment | Tasted at home with the family. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Martinez | Vintage | 1985 |
| Colour | Still rather dark ruby in colour but yellow mature rim. | Number of tastings | 14 |
| Bouquet | Fudge, red whortleberry, mature raspberry, dark chocolate, some herbs and burned sugar in the nose. | Score range | 15.75 - 16.90 |
| Taste | Medium bodied. Mature and peaking. Balanced and elegant. Taste of mature red berries, cacao and dark chocolate with a quite nice, long and quite complex finish. Easy to drink and like so drink up! | Average score | 16.35 |
| Last tasted | 17th September 2020 | Point this date | 16.75 |
| Comment | Tasted at the Wine Society 18% Great Tasting in Malmö. In 2020 this vintage took part in a Great Tasting in the Wine Society 18%. For points and ranking see Great Tastings. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Martinez | Vintage | 1987 |
| Colour | Dark but yellow mature in colour. | Number of tastings | 6 |
| Bouquet | Mint, candy, lots of herbs, cacao, dark chocolate, toffee and old grocery shop in the nose.. | Score range | 15.50 - 16.00 |
| Taste | Medium body. Mature and almost peaking. Sweet but balanced. Lots of different wonderful things to taste in your mouth with a very complex and elegant and an astonishing long finish. What a lovely and surprising port! | Average score | 15.85 |
| Last tasted | 17th November 2022 | Point this date | 16.00 |
| Comment | Tasted at the Wine Society 18% Great Tasting in Malmö. In 2022 this vintage took part in a Great Tasting in the Wine Society 18%. For points and ranking see Great Tastings. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Martinez | Vintage | 1991 |
| Colour | Still quite dark but yellow mature in colour. | Number of tastings | 7 |
| Bouquet | Unattractive bouquet of volatile acidity in the nose but also maybe some mint and herbs? | Score range | 14.90 - 14.90 |
| Taste | Medium body. Mature but as always a little unbalanced port with volatile acidity but this time more balanced and quite attractive with no problems to swallow. The finish is decent and quite long. We have had many problems with this Vintage Port indeed! | Average score | |
| Last tasted | 15th November 2023 | Point this date | 14.90 |
| Comment | Tasted at the Wine Society 18% tasting in Malmö. At least 4 bottles have been defect. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Martinez | Vintage | 1994 |
| Colour | Dark ruby with a yellow rim in colour. | Number of tastings | 4 |
| Bouquet | Elegant mature bouquet with red berries and also fudge, butterscotch and raisins. | Score range | 15.90 - 16.50 |
| Taste | Medium body. Quite mature but still with soft tannins and will probably improve. Elegant medium finish. | Average score | 16.22 |
| Last tasted | 23rd November 2019 | Point this date | 16.25 |
| Comment | At Peter Andersen's Vintage 1994 tasting in Copenhagen, Denmark. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Martinez | Vintage | 1997 |
| Colour | Black in colour. | Number of tastings | 1 |
| Bouquet | Juicy and fruity in the nose. | ||
| Taste | Quite full-bodied. Immature and lots of tannins of course. Very juicy but a very promising finish | ||
| Last tasted | 15th November 1999 | Rating this date | Impressive |
| Comment | At the Port Wine Festival in Copenhagen. Port so young we evaluate only as : Good – Very good- Impressive – Very Impressive | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Martinez | Vintage | 1999 |
| Colour | Dark blue in colour with a yellow rim. | Number of tastings | 2 |
| Bouquet | Fruit and old grocery shop in bouquet. | Score range | 15.50 - 16.25 |
| Taste | Medium body. Quite developed and easy to drink. Elegant and an acceptable finish. | Average score | 15.88 |
| Last tasted | 2nd November 2009 | Point this date | 15.50 |
| Comment | At the Port Wine Festival in Copenhagen. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Martinez | Vintage | 2000 |
| Colour | Dark blue in colour. | Number of tastings | 2 |
| Bouquet | Quite shy in the nose but fruity and even juicy. | Score range | 15.50 - 15.50 |
| Taste | Full bodied and loaded with fruit. Immature and lots of tannin. Long and promising finish. Will be wonderful. | Average score | 15.50 |
| Last tasted | 26th August 2008 | Point this date | 15.50 |
| Comment | At the Danish Port Wine Club est. 1981 tasting in Copenhagen. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Martinez | Vintage | 2003 |
| Colour | Still black in colour. | Number of tastings | 2 |
| Bouquet | Cherry and fruit bouquet. | Score range | 16.25 - 16.25 |
| Taste | Medium body. Lots of tannin. Still very fruity and immature but with a delicious finish. | Average score | 16.25 |
| Last tasted | 2nd November 2009 | Point this date | 16.25 |
| Comment | At the Port Wine Festival in Copenhagen. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Martinez | Vintage | 2007 |
| Colour | Black in colour. | Number of tastings | 1 |
| Bouquet | Fruity and juicy in the nose. | ||
| Taste | Loaded with fruit. Lots of tannins indeed and immature of course. Hard to swallow. Will be excellent I suppose. | ||
| Last tasted | 27th June 2009 | Rating this date | Impressive |
| Comment | At the Danish Port Wine Club est. 1981 trip in Douro. Port so young we evaluate only as : Good – Very good- Impressive – Very Impressive | Tasters | SAI |
Old Colheita/Tawny tasting notes:
| House | Finest and Selected Old Martinez- Gassiot | Tawny | |
| Colour | Quite dark and tawny on colour with an olive-green edge. | Number of tastings | 1 |
| Bouquet | Butterscotch, some toffee, crème caramel, bonbons and nuts in the nose. | Bottled | 21 May 1958 |
| Taste | Medium body. Mature. Balance and elegant port with crème caramel and butterscotch in taste. Lovely port with a quite attractive finish. Easy to drink and to like. | Score range | |
| Last tasted | 17th November 2016 | Point this date | 16.75 |
| Comment | At the Wine Society 18% Semi Great Tasting in Malmö. This Port must be almost 100 years old. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |