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Cellar Favorite: 2019 Niepoort Batuta and Redoma

Portugal, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites

Neal Martin, Mar 2023

I am a big fan of Dirk Niepoort’s fortified and non-fortified wines. Earlier this year, I tasted his latest releases. Two of them will offer pleasure in the near term but are also worthy of cellaring.

Bual cossart gordon 1895

Cellar Favorite: 1895 Cossart Gordon Bual

Portugal, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites

Neal Martin, Jan 2023

Few wines are as indestructible as Madeira. Plenty of 19th-century wines continue to thrive. Following a recent exploration of Frédéric Mugnier’s Chambolle Les Amoureuses, we finished with this fine 128-year-old Madeira that affirmed its time-bending properties.

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Quinta do Noval: Recent Vintages 2011-2020

Portugal, featured

Neal Martin, Nov 2022

This brief article updates recent vintages of Quinta do Noval and Naçional at a recent tasting in London hosted by Christian Seely. It was proof, if any was still necessary, that Noval is consistently bringing its A-game.

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Cellar Favorite: Blandy’s Madeira – 2022 Bottlings

Portugal, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites

Neal Martin, Sep 2022

I recently joined Blandy’s CEO, Chris Blandy, and head winemaker, Francisco Albuquerque, for a tasting of their 2022 Madeira bottlings.

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Cellar Favorite: 1971 Taylor’s Single Harvest Port

Portugal, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites

Neal Martin, Feb 2022

Although I have banged on about the 1971 vintage being fecund for stupendously good wines around the world, there are a few exceptions; one is the Douro Valley since there was no General Declaration that year.

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Cellar Favorite: Quinta do Noval 2019s

Portugal, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites

Neal Martin, Sep 2021

When I was at Château Pichon-Baron in June, Christian Seely finished my Bordeaux tasting with the three latest releases from Quinta do Noval, part of Axa-Millésime’s portfolio of properties.

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Symington: 2019 Single Quintas New Releases

Portugal, featured

Neal Martin, Jun 2021

The 2019 vintage in the Douro may not have coerced Symingtons into a declaration, but it did lay the foundation for a set of new single Quintas releases.

1896 taylors port

Cellar Favorite: 1896 Taylor’s Single Harvest Port

Portugal, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites

Neal Martin, Jun 2021

Several years ago, Taylor’s Fladgate had what might be described as a eureka moment. Instead of using precious, ancient and irreplaceable pipes of Port into their 40-Year Old Blend for example, why not see if there is a niche market for limited launches of historical fortified wines?

Taylors single harvest 1961

Cellar Favorite: 1961 Taylor’s Very Old Single Harvest Port

Portugal, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites

Neal Martin, Jan 2021

After half-a-century, Taylor’s have just released a 1961 Very Old Single Harvest Port. The 1961 growing season was no write off.

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Cellar Favorite: 1966 Dow’s Vintage Port

Portugal, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites

Josh Raynolds, Oct 2020

The vintage Ports of 1966, despite their extremely high quality, have and probably always will live in the shade of the monumental 1963s, which is great news for consumers.