Great Vintage Port Tasting
Messias - 30 Years Jubilee Tasting 18%
Our wine club The Wine Society 18% celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. In 1992 the Society was planned for by 6 persons, where of only Sten is still a member, but two more participated in our Jubilee Tasting. The actual start of the Wine Society was in 1993, a difficult year for Vintage Port, but the Wine Society still stands strong after all these years. Since many years also Jörgen and Stef-an are members. We have during these 30 years tasted quite a lot of vintage port. It has been alto-gether >800 different vintage ports ranging from 1862 to 2014. Unfortunately, we have only tasted 4 vintage ports from the 19th century.
The Wine Society 18% have 15 members and have 5 meetings/year, and some extra every now and then. Since we are only 15 members, we can have quite rare bottles as one bottle of each is enough.
The Wine Society 18% has had once a year a Great Tasting since 2005. It all started with a Great Tasting of the vintage 1963 with 39 houses. Since then we have had 21 Great Tastings spanning vintages between 1947 and 1992. We have only had 7 house tastings during these years so we decided to have a Messias/Quinta do Cachao Tasting as our 30 Year Jubilee Tasting.
Messias was established 1926 by Mr. Messias Baptista who got involved in the Port Wine business and production in 1934 but started shipping Vintage Port in 1950. He was chief for the house until 1973 and today, the descendants are in the board of directors. Until 2009 the label Quinta do Cachão (or only Cachão) was used on some markets for the exact same wine as Messias. 2009 was the first time two different Vintages were produced in the same year; both Messias and Quinta do Cachão.
The tasting was held on May 4 and we were 15 participants in the tasting, including 4 old members. The tasting was semi-blind i.e. we knew which wines participated in each Flight but not what we had in each glass. We had 2 Flights.
Tasting notes. Note that the points are for the actual bottle tasted. Read about how we set point on the page "How to understand our points valuations"
Sort on: Vintage Sten's rank Jörgen's rank Stefan's rank Group's rank
House | Quinta do Cachao Messias | Vintage | 1960 | ||||||||||||||||
Colour | Mature, yellow in colour. Quite beautiful indeed. | ||||||||||||||||||
Bouquet | Toffee, chocolate, cacao herbs, raisin, coffee, spiciness and old grocery chop in the nose. | ||||||||||||||||||
Taste | Medium body. Mature and peaking. Balanced and very tasty toffee, cacao, chocolate raisin and lots of other, lovely things in the mouth. The finish is elegant. Quite attractive, quite long and lovely. Just drink this port and enjoy it now – it will not be better but is quite wonderful today. | ||||||||||||||||||
SAI point | 16.25 | JB point | 16.50 | SS point | 16.25 | Group point | 16.27 | ||||||||||||
SAI rank | 2 | JB rank | 1 | SS rank | 6 | Group rank | 2 | ||||||||||||
Comment |
House | Quinta do Cachao Messias | Vintage | 1963 | ||||||||||||||||
Colour | Yellow, very mature in colour. | ||||||||||||||||||
Bouquet | Toffee, cream candy, herbs and zest of an orange in the nose. | ||||||||||||||||||
Taste | Medium body. Mature and peaking. Will not be better so drink it and enjoy it now. Balanced and tasty with toffee, candy, herbs and orange zest in the mouth. The finish is quite attractive, rather long but very elegant. | ||||||||||||||||||
SAI point | 15.90 | JB point | 16.00 | SS point | 16.25 | Group point | 15.37 | ||||||||||||
SAI rank | 5 | JB rank | 7 | SS rank | 6 | Group rank | 12 | ||||||||||||
Comment |
House | Messias | Vintage | 1965 | ||||||||||||||||
Colour | Yellow, mature in colour. | ||||||||||||||||||
Bouquet | Cacao, dark chocolate, ginger, roses, herbs and old grocery shop in the nose. | ||||||||||||||||||
Taste | Medium body. Mature and peaking. Balanced and very tasty with cacao, chocolate, ginger, roses and much more in the mouth with a lovely, quite long and quite attractive finish. | ||||||||||||||||||
SAI point | 16.25 | JB point | 16.50 | SS point | 16.90 | Group point | 15.97 | ||||||||||||
SAI rank | 2 | JB rank | 1 | SS rank | 1 | Group rank | 5 | ||||||||||||
Comment |
House | Quinta do Cachao Messias | Vintage | 1967 | ||||||||||||||||
Colour | Light yellow and mature in colour. | ||||||||||||||||||
Bouquet | Cacao, candy, some toffee, zest of an orange and some honey in the nose. | ||||||||||||||||||
Taste | Hardly medium body. Mature and peaking. Will not be better so drink up. Balanced and tasty. Very easy to drink today and enjoy with an elegant but maybe rather short finish. | ||||||||||||||||||
SAI point | 15.90 | JB point | 16.00 | SS point | 15.00 | Group point | 15.83 | ||||||||||||
SAI rank | 5 | JB rank | 7 | SS rank | 14 | Group rank | 6 | ||||||||||||
Comment |
House | Quinta do Cachao Messias | Vintage | 1970 | ||||||||||||||||
Colour | Beautiful yellow mature colour. | ||||||||||||||||||
Bouquet | Crème caramel, cacao, dark chocolate, toffee, coffee, tea, herbs and much more. Wonderful nose. | ||||||||||||||||||
Taste | Full bodied. Mature and peaking and is perfect today with lots of taste such as crème caramel, cacao, chocolate, coffee beans and much, much more. Balanced, elegant and very complex with a very long and lovely finish. | ||||||||||||||||||
SAI point | 16.75 | JB point | 16.50 | SS point | 16.40 | Group point | 16.40 | ||||||||||||
SAI rank | 1 | JB rank | 1 | SS rank | 5 | Group rank | 1 | ||||||||||||
Comment |
House | Quinta do Cachao Messias | Vintage | 1977 | ||||||||||||||||
Colour | Very beautiful almost tawny in colour. | ||||||||||||||||||
Bouquet | Unfortunately unbalanced and quite a lot of volatile acidity and acetone. Not particularly enjoyable. | ||||||||||||||||||
Taste | Lovely body but taste dominated of not quite balanced acidity but with a drinkable finish, maybe | ||||||||||||||||||
SAI point | 14.00 | JB point | 13.50 | SS point | 11.00 | Group point | 14.10 | ||||||||||||
SAI rank | 15 | JB rank | 16 | SS rank | 17 | Group rank | 17 | ||||||||||||
Comment |
House | Quinta do Cachao Messias | Vintage | 1979 | ||||||||||||||||
Colour | Yellow mature in colour. | ||||||||||||||||||
Bouquet | Cacao, chocolate, herbs, citrus zest and old grocery shop in the nose. | ||||||||||||||||||
Taste | Medium body. Mature and peaking. Will not improve so drink and enjoy it now. Lovely cacao, chocolate and herbs in taste. Balanced and elegant port. A little honey in the finish, which is quite long, elegant and attractive. | ||||||||||||||||||
SAI point | 15.40 | JB point | 16.00 | SS point | 16.50 | Group point | 15.83 | ||||||||||||
SAI rank | 12 | JB rank | 7 | SS rank | 3 | Group rank | 6 | ||||||||||||
Comment |
House | Quinta do Cachao Messias | Vintage | 1982 | ||||||||||||||||
Colour | Yellow very mature in colour. | ||||||||||||||||||
Bouquet | Crème caramel, toffee, nutty, candy, some butterscotch and cacao in the nose but also some spiciness and nougat. | ||||||||||||||||||
Taste | Medium body. Mature and peaking. Balanced with toffee, cacao, candy, nuts and some spiciness in taste. Quite tasty and elegant with a lovely, now long and very attractive finish. Will probably not be better but is wonderful now! | ||||||||||||||||||
SAI point | 15.75 | JB point | 16.50 | SS point | 16.50 | Group point | 16.20 | ||||||||||||
SAI rank | 9 | JB rank | 1 | SS rank | 2 | Group rank | 4 | ||||||||||||
Comment |
House | Quinta do Cachao Messias | Vintage | 1983 | ||||||||||||||||
Colour | Yellow, mature, very beautiful in colour. | ||||||||||||||||||
Bouquet | Cacao, chocolate, coffee, roses, raisin, herbs, candy and gingerbread in nose. Very generous bouquet indeed. | ||||||||||||||||||
Taste | Medium body. Mature and peaking. Will not be better but is wonderful today. Balanced and elegant. Herbs, coffee, ginger, crème caramel and cacao in taste. Dry but easy to drink and like. Very attractive with a lovely and quite long and very elegant finish. Just drink it and love it! | ||||||||||||||||||
SAI point | 15.90 | JB point | 16.50 | SS point | 16.50 | Group point | 16.23 | ||||||||||||
SAI rank | 5 | JB rank | 1 | SS rank | 3 | Group rank | 3 | ||||||||||||
Comment |
House | Quinta do Cachao Messias | Vintage | 1984 | ||||||||||||||||
Colour | Still quite dark but yellow mature in colour. | ||||||||||||||||||
Bouquet | Liquorice, cream candy, cacao, roasted coffee, zest of oranges and cinnamon in the nose. | ||||||||||||||||||
Taste | Medium body. Mature and on top. Taste of cream candy, roasted coffee, herbs and liquorice. Balanced and lovely and easy to drink with a quite complex, rather long and lovely finish. | ||||||||||||||||||
SAI point | 15.90 | JB point | 16.00 | SS point | 15.90 | Group point | 15.63 | ||||||||||||
SAI rank | 5 | JB rank | 7 | SS rank | 9 | Group rank | 10 | ||||||||||||
Comment |
House | Quinta do Cachao Messias | Vintage | 1989 | ||||||||||||||||
Colour | Yellow mature colour. | ||||||||||||||||||
Bouquet | Pharmacy, burned sugar and butterscotch in the nose. | ||||||||||||||||||
Taste | Medium body. Mature and peaking with a little unbalanced acidity but quite drinkable. Burned sugar in taste and an acceptable, light finish. Not quite convincing. | ||||||||||||||||||
SAI point | 13.50 | JB point | 15.50 | SS point | 13.50 | Group point | 14.43 | ||||||||||||
SAI rank | 16 | JB rank | 11 | SS rank | 15 | Group rank | 15 | ||||||||||||
Comment |
House | Messias | Vintage | 1997 | ||||||||||||||||
Colour | Yellow mature in colour. | ||||||||||||||||||
Bouquet | Cacao, some chocolate, toffee, herbs, cream candy and old grocery shop | ||||||||||||||||||
Taste | Lovely body. Mature and peaking but with some light tannins. Balanced and quite tasty with an elegant, rather long and quite attractive finish. | ||||||||||||||||||
SAI point | 16.00 | JB point | 14.00 | SS point | 15.50 | Group point | 15.13 | ||||||||||||
SAI rank | 4 | JB rank | 15 | SS rank | 11 | Group rank | 14 | ||||||||||||
Comment |
House | Messias | Vintage | 2003 | ||||||||||||||||
Colour | Black in colour. | ||||||||||||||||||
Bouquet | Fruity and dark cherry in the nose. | ||||||||||||||||||
Taste | Medium body. Immature and lots of tannin. Good and quite easy to like. Not a long runner. | ||||||||||||||||||
SAI point | 15.25 | JB point | 15.00 | SS point | 15.25 | Group point | 15.57 | ||||||||||||
SAI rank | 13 | JB rank | 14 | SS rank | 13 | Group rank | 11 | ||||||||||||
Comment |
House | Messias | Vintage | 2005 | ||||||||||||||||
Colour | Quite dark with a yellow edge. | ||||||||||||||||||
Bouquet | Pharmacy, old hospital and some volatile acidity in the nose. | ||||||||||||||||||
Taste | Medium body. Quite unbalanced and alcoholic. Drinkable when we started but very soon the volatile acidity took over. The finish was quite short and not quite okay. Hard to give aggregable points. This bottle was defect even if it was agreeable in the beginning. | ||||||||||||||||||
SAI point | 12.75 | JB point | 13.50 | SS point | 12.00 | Group point | 14.13 | ||||||||||||
SAI rank | 17 | JB rank | 16 | SS rank | 16 | Group rank | 16 | ||||||||||||
Comment |
House | Messias | Vintage | 2007 | ||||||||||||||||
Colour | Still quite dark but yellow, mature in colour. | ||||||||||||||||||
Bouquet | Ripe plum, chocolate, cacao, herbs and spiciness in the nose. | ||||||||||||||||||
Taste | Medium body. Mature and almost peaking but will improve due to some very elegant and round tannins. Balanced with chocolate, cacao, herbs and spiciness in taste. With an elegant, quite long and attractive finish. A lovely port indeed. | ||||||||||||||||||
SAI point | 15.75 | JB point | 15.50 | SS point | 16.25 | Group point | 15.77 | ||||||||||||
SAI rank | 9 | JB rank | 11 | SS rank | 6 | Group rank | 8 | ||||||||||||
Comment |
House | Quinta do Cachao Messias | Vintage | 2009 | ||||||||||||||||
Colour | Quite yellow and mature in colour. | ||||||||||||||||||
Bouquet | Flowers, cream candy and some spiciness in the nose. | ||||||||||||||||||
Taste | Quite light in body. Mature and peaking but with some acidity which may do that it will improve. Balanced and quite tasty with an interesting, quite long and rather attractive finish. | ||||||||||||||||||
SAI point | 15.25 | JB point | 16.50 | SS point | 15.50 | Group point | 15.37 | ||||||||||||
SAI rank | 13 | JB rank | 1 | SS rank | 11 | Group rank | 12 | ||||||||||||
Comment |
House | Messias | Vintage | 2011 | ||||||||||||||||
Colour | Quite yellow mature in colour. | ||||||||||||||||||
Bouquet | Roasted coffee, cacao, some herbs, spiciness and old grocery shop in the nose. | ||||||||||||||||||
Taste | Medium body. Balanced and quite opened and mature but will probably be better. The finish is quite attractive and elegant and so is the port but in a quite modern style. | ||||||||||||||||||
SAI point | 15.75 | JB point | 15.50 | SS point | 15.75 | Group point | 15.67 | ||||||||||||
SAI rank | 9 | JB rank | 11 | SS rank | 10 | Group rank | 9 | ||||||||||||
Comment |