Tag Archives: Port Wine Festival

Copenhagen Port Wine Festival 2016

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Dominic Symington and Gustavo Devesas

The annual port wine festival in Copenhagen, arranged by Henrik Oldenburg, was this year visited by well-known Dominic Symington from the Symington Family Estates. Dominic arranged, with help from Gustavo Devesas (Market Manager at the Symingtons) a tasting to show that the terroir and micro climate of the quintas in the Douro valley are very different. By tasting six of the Symington Single Quintas we could all see the difference between Quinta da Cavadinha, Quinta do Bomfim, Quinta dos Malvedos, Quinta dos Canais, Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira and Quinta do Vesuvio. To understand the differences better we tasted all of these quintas from both 2001 and 2010 to also see the maturation aspect of the different terroirs. Dominic talked about the work the Symingtons are doing to improve the quality in all of the quintas using modern technology combined with their long experience. The harvest can for instance be done in a more optimal way by investigating how strong the vines are throughout the quinta and then harvest different parts of the quintas at different days for perfect grapes.

festival2016_2In the open tasting we could as usual taste quite a lot of interesting Vintage Ports. There were several mature Vintage Ports from some of the importers. We were as usual impressed by the range of mature Vintage Ports from Vintageportvin.dk, and we could taste a lot of mature Vintage Ports from the Symington houses Smith Woodhouse and Gould Campbell from the vintages 1977, 1980, 1985 and 2000 and also Quarles Harris from 1977. From these the 1977, 1980 and 1985 are really impressive and peaking today and the 2000 is also nice today but it is a perfect investment for the cellar. We could also taste Warre’s Vintage Port from both 1980 and 2000 at the Kjaer Sommerfeldt table, both really good.

We would like to thank Henrk Oldenburg, Dominic Symington, Gustavo Devesas and all Danish importers for an enjoyable festival and hope to see you all again soon.

Henrik Oldenburg’s new port wine book

PortvinBook2016The port wine festival in Copenhagen is coming up, and so is the new port wine book from Henrik Oldenburg, the organizer of the festival. The book is the 4th edition of “Portvin” (port wine in danish) and it will be released at the port wine festival on November 7. It is said to be the biggest book in the world about port wine. The book will have 520 pages and include information about more than 100 port producers.

Check out more info on Forlaget Smag webpage.

Port Wine Festival 2015

This year’s Port Wine Festival was as usual held at Børsen, Copenhagen, on the 2nd of November.JoaoNicolaAlmeida

This year João Nicolau de Almeida from Ramos Pinto visited, and he talked very warmly about the Douro table wines, especially their own Duas Quintas that celebrates 25 years in 2015. It is without doubt a very good wine and the red reserva shows a fantastic ageing potential. João should know all about making good red table wines as it was his father Fernando Nicolau de Almeida that created Barca Velha, the best red wine from Portugal. If you like port wine and haven’t tried out the table wines from the Douro you should do so because the quality is better for each year. For Port lovers like us it was of course also very nice to taste the 1983 Vintage Port which was actually the first Vintage Port that Ramos Pinto made where they had kept all grape varieties separate until making the final blend. The wine is fantastic today, very elegant and delicious but still with power and it shows some soft tannins, see tasting notes here.

There were as usual a lot of port wines to taste from many different Danish importers. Maybe because both 2012 and 2013 are a bit weaker vintages compared to the amazing 2011 Vintage there were not many new, really young vintages to taste. On the other hand several fully mature Vintage Ports could be tasted. Grahams 1983, Dow’s 1985, Quinta do Infantado 1985 were some examples that could be tasted.PortBrothers

The two brothers Jens-Peder and Troels from Vintageportvin.dk were offering some of the best mature Vintage Ports this year. They had a range of six mature Vintage Ports. Both Gould Campbell and Smith Woodhouse from 1980 and 1985, all four very good and still with some power and soft tannins to make them last for another couple of years. Gould Campbell is a bit rounder and elegant with a very nice complex body, whereas Smith Woodhouse show more power and dark berries from the very dark coloured wine. Vintageportvin.dk also served a very nice Madalena Vintage 1996 from Smith Woodhouse. Finally, the best, the Quarles Harris 1977 Vintage Port; this is wonderful today, peaking and showing all you want from a mature Vintage Port. We must give our very best recommendations of Vintageportvin.dk to anyone seeking for a mature Vintage Port.

As usual the Festival was a great success and we would like to thank Mr. Oldenburg for continuing this tradition and hope to see you all again next year!

Port Wine Festival, Copenhagen

Forlaget Smag is arranging the annual Port Wine Festival at Børsen, Copenhagen on Monday November 2. Henrik Oldenburg is as usual the man behind the Festival and we have been informed that João Nicolau de Almeida from Ramos-Pinto will be this years special guest.

There will as usual also be many more representatives from port producers during the festival.

If you have not already bought your ticket, now is the time to do so, as they are selling out fast! Find all information about participating importers and producers and buy tickets on http://forlaget-smag.dk/

Copenhagen Port Wine Festival

Thank you Henrik Oldenburg for continuing the Port Wine Festival. We have only missed one of all these wonderful Festivals since the start in 1988. This year Cristiano van Zeller gave us a wonderful history of Port wine and red wines in Douro. The family has been in wine business since 1620 and his daughter is now the 15th generation in the business. In the tasting room we could taste around 50 different vintage ports, the oldest a Martinez from 1987 but also four vintages from the 1990s. As usual Portal was most generous with 6 vintage ports but both Borges and Quinta de Roriz were also very generous and let us taste 4 different vintage ports of excellent quality.

Fourteen dealers presented the already famous 2011 vintage for tasting. The vintage is very exciting and sound. It seems to be a long runner even if some houses continue to do a more modern style of vintage port. Many compare this with the famous 1963 vintage. Read what point your favorite house got from us in the Last tasted section to the right.

Copenhagen Port Wine Festival 2014

Now it is time to buy tickets for this years Port Wine Festival at Børsen in Copenhagen. The event will take place on November 3.

As usual it is Forlaget Smag and Henrik Oldenburg that is arranging the event and we already know that Christiano van Zeller will be present at the festival. With a history in Quinta do Noval Christiano is now part of some very interesting projects that produces Vintage Ports under the names of Quinta Vale D Maria and also VZ (van Zeller). See more on our info site for Lemos & van Zeller.

There will as usual be more representatives for port producers around during the festival.

Tickets are available at http://forlaget-smag.dk/ and you will also find more info about participating importers.

The Port Wine Festival in Copenhagen

Thank you, Henrik Oldenburg, for continuing the Port Wine Festival in Copenhagen. We have only missed one of all these wonderful Festivals since the start in 1988.

This year Dalva presented their exciting Colheita of White Port. They are indeed very lovely and exciting.

Many dealers presented the already famous 2011 vintage for tasting and 30 out of 32 served this exciting vintage free of extra charge in our glass. The 2011 vintage is very exciting and sound. It seems to be a long runner even if some houses continue to do a more modern style of vintage port. If you have children or grandchildren you are to be congratulated indeed, since this is a vintage that we think they will be able to enjoy for a long time. Read what point your favorite house got from us in the tasting notes. You find them to the right, or here on the date 4th of November.