Andresen is an independent, family-owned Portuguese-owned Port House, justifiably renowned for its wood aged Ports. Carlos Florés dos Santos and winemaker Álvaro Vanzeller presented this tasting of Colheitas – single vintage tawny ports.
It’s an exciting style because of the variables. Vintage has an impact of course but, for Florés dos Santos, it’s the bottling date which holds the key to a wine’s character. What’s more, since all wines are bottled by barrel, each batch is different! As Florés dos Santos observes, it’s challenging, but it does serve to remind you that wine is a living thing – mutable magic in a glass!
Here are my tasting notes. Save for the 1937 (bottled some 30 years ago), each wine had been bottled 2 days previous.
Andresen Colheita 1997 – deep mahogany with a youthful bright reddish hue (in contrast with the 91 which, as Vanzeller points out, already has tawny/yellow flashes). Powerfully nutty while still endowed with fruit in this outstanding (vintage declaration) year. Hazelnuts, rather than walnuts also confirm its youth. Keep.
Andresen Colheita 1991 – muscular with terrific palate presence, wonderful intensity of flavour and yet so elegant – persistent acidity makes for a super-long, super-fine finish. Fabulous; broachable now but will keep going a good few decades. (And just to lift off the page Florés’ comment about bottling by barrel, he describes this as having come from “a stand out barrel, very clean with very good acidity.”)
Andresen Colheita 1982 – not showing well, reduced/muddy on the nose and less impressive on the palate than the others, that lack of clarity following through in a singed quality to its liquorice and nuts. Fiery finish too.
Andresen Colheita 1980 – for Vanzeller, this is “quite nervous yet – doesn’t know where it is” – some lovely flavours though, with orange peel and mellow caramel note fleshing out its long nutty spine. I’m interested to see where this is going!
Andresen Colheita 1975 – Vanzeller calls this “my little lady” and it’s certainly a refined wine, neatky structured and much more savoury and developed than the 1980 with its nam pla umami nuances. A touch one note for me.
Andresen Colheita 1970 – rich and deep in colour this has a delicious salt caramel quality which just keeps building in the mouth. Well structured with plenty of mouthfeel and plenty in reserve. Impressive.
Andresen Colheita 1968 – pointing out that, after 40 years, wines pick up more colour from the pipa (barrel) and no longer precipitate tannin, Vanzeller describes this mahogany-coloured wine as a “macho style.” It’s certainly very generous, richly nutty and round (more sugar daddy?), with delicious buttered hazelnut and singed (tarte) tatin . Very good and á point.
Andresen Colheita 1937 - bottled in 1980 and, of course, significantly older than all bar the 1910, it lacks a bit of nervosité/freshness compared with the other very recent bottlings. A savoury profile with nam pla, green walnut, coltsfoot and sasparilla/dried herbs. The alcohol is a tad elbowy. Disappointing.
Andresen Colheita 1910 - a lovely rich, deep mahogany hue with a fetching saffron rim tees you up for the concentrated but lifted and layered palate. Acidity provides terrific animation and drive to its singed tatin edged sweet and sour tamarind, well supported by a nutty, nutty spine. Really delicious with great length.
You can read my notes on other Andresen ports, including the excellent 1900 Colheita and age dated tawnies and white ports here and here.
Sarah Ahmed
The Wine Detective
(Wines tasted 6 November 2010)
