Port fit for a Prince

Quinto do Infantado
1992 Vintage Port
$59.99
Shane’s Notes

I decided it was time for another Vintage Port,so Jen and I traveled to the Wine Stop in Burlingame to mull over their selection. We narrowed the choice down to the Warre’s 1994 and the Quinto do Infantado 1992. The Warre’s has received spectacular reviews (and 1994 was a better overall vintage than 1992), but I was afraid it might be too young to drink. However, we had never had an Infantado so it was an unknown. We took a chance and grabbed the Infantado.

In the glass, it is an opaque red. The overpowering aromas include cooked fruits, jam and raspberries with overtones of earthiness and sweetness. The palate was initially much too tannic. We let the wine open up in the decanter and listened to some Bob Dylan before approaching it again. It definitely improved (I recommend letting it sit for at least a half an hour). The texture was dense and syrupy, and the palate displayed rich flavors of jamminess, dark chocolate, black licorice and black cherries. Jen detected hints of vinosity and mint on the finish. It is extremely well-structured and finishes dry but not as dry as a Dow. It is definitely a powerhouse, and we suspect that the tannins will soften and even more complexity will develop in the next two to five years. Even if we are wrong and the wine is peaking now, it is still an excellent Vintage Port. It’s quite a deal for the price.