Modern Luxuria Vol 20 January 2022

www.modernluxuria.com

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WINTER WARMERS

Classic Port

The craft cocktail and natural wine trend may be in full flight nowadays, but for us hardy Edmontonians, we need something a little stiffer to get us through our bone‑chilling winters.

Port provides those in the know with an ideal winter treat ‑ the warmth of a scotch, the character of a wine, the finish of a dessert. As styles of port can vary dramatically, we will journey along through three different producers and ages of port to help you find your perfect winter warmer.

WORDS BY CHRIS BODNAR

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January 2022

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TAYLOR FLADGATE 10 YEAR OLD TAWNY PORT

Douro, Portugal

A long established name, Taylor Fladgate is a smart buy for quality made in a traditional process. They still foot‑tread their grapes rather than rely on automated machines to extract as much character from the grape skins in an exceptionally short period.

A 10 year tawny is an excellent choice for the discerning drinker who wants a rich and mellow experience while retaining ample primary fruit characteristics.

This example maintains its balance expertly and has a healthy amount of dense dried cherries showing still, outpacing the toffee, coffee, and nuts while holding on for its grand finale ‑ a kick of marzipan.

CRESTWOOD FINE WINES, $39

www.crestwoodfinewines.com

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RAMOS PINTO 20 YEAR OLD TAWNY PORT

Douro, Portugal

Ramos Pinto produces this 20 year old tawny from a single quinta ‑ Quinta do Bom Retiro, which is very atypical in my experience for a tawny. This Quinta has a documented history all the way back into the late 1700s ‑ truly historic.

Ramos Pinto specifically has held this property since the early 1900s and this is produced from a mix of field blend grapes (multiple grape varieties grown together in the same rows) and organized rows of single grape varieties.

This is a port you may want to leave in a decanter for a day or in an opened bottle for a week, as there is a noticeable wave of spirit character present at first passing. Fret not, as the rewards are ample, given time.

Lively aromas of pungent figs, nuts, mandarins and caramel bring a fierce cinnamon, cask spice and herbal edge into focus. With so much complexity, I found the structure of the wine was retained for

several days after opening with perhaps the exception of the finish of burnt pecans and toffee growing more persistent as time moved forward.

COLOR DE VINO, $90

www.colordevino.ca

January 2022

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CAVES MESSIAS 1995 COLHEITA PORT

Douro, Portugal

From a single harvest year (different from a declared single vintage year), the 1995s are truly from an underdog vintage which had extreme heat that challenged even the finest growers. This is not to mention it was produced in the shadows of the historic 1994s that are some of the finest of its generation.

This is in the prime drinking window now and is delightfully hedonistic in its character, likely due to the warmth of the growing season. Just a touch of pruned, dried tree fruit remains to prepare you for the main attraction ‑ the finish. One of the lengthiest I can recall of any port, this goes on for minutes. Wave after wave of toffee, walnut, coffee, and chocolate dance among your senses ‑ a seriously enjoyable experience.

This is the port to drink when you wish to shut off your brain after a long day and stare at the roaring fire or impress your party goers at the end of the night when their palates are weary of dissecting the mysteries of the bottle.

FINE WINES BY LIQUOR SELECT, $67

www.liquorselect.com