You don't see too many fortified wines posted on here so hopefully this makes a nice change….
Alvear Pedro Ximenez de Anada 2018
This was my least favorite of the 3. Cloyingly sweet and syrupy. Intense taste of caramel and maybe some citrus. Ok for a little sip but couldn't drink more than a mouthful
Kopke 20year Tawny Port
Pretty young in Port terms but already showing some nice flavors. Subtle caramel, dried oranges and super smooth in mouth. Not too sweet
Broadbent Colheita Madeira 1999
My favorite of the 3. Intensely rich and nutty flavor with some honey. Nicely acidic and just a touch of sweetness.
by adamscj79
18 Comments
Pedro Ximenez, that sweet sweet molasses lol. Never found anyone who liked it beyond me because of that thicccc consistency. The solear 1927 was my favorite.
Thanks to watching a ton of Frasier, my entry into wine was with sherry, then port. Drank just fortified wines for 7 years until early 2024. Obsessed with port until I discovered Sauternes.
That’s not my favorite PX … but a trick for PX that isn’t awesome for you, pour it over vanilla ice cream 🍦!!!
My first encounter with red was Port. Usually makes an appearance on the back of a small bus coming back from a rugby match. Often paired with Glenn Campbells Rhinestone Cowboy sang wonderfully badly by enthusiastic teenagers.
I’m into all kinds of stickies. PX Sherry is about the only Sherry I usually drink. Like all ports and many Madeiras.
Love Port – Sandeman 30 yr is absolutely stellar!!
I’m a huge fan! The diversity in sherry and Madeira wines is so impressive. Compare your PX to a Fino – or a Malvasia to a Verdelho. Young Ruby to an old Colheita. Also the fact that from most of the wines you can drink a glass and leave the rest for next week without a quality loss is a big plus for me.
Madeira is criminally underrated at the moment, imo.
Love sherry, provided it’s dry. A good Manzanilla on a hot day or a nice 30yo+ Amontillado are brilliant
I think Montilla Moriles can not be called ‘Sherry’.
But that PX isn’t actually a Sherry—it’s from Montilla-Moriles in Córdoba (also in Andalusia, but a completely different region from the DO Jerez-Sherry-Xérès). From the wide range of Sherries, the naturally sweet styles are my least favorite. I’d recommend giving a VOS/VORS Palo Cortado or a good Oloroso a try instead.
I love Port and Madeira, tasted Grahams 20Y Tawny when I was 18 years and nothing has been the same after. The layers of taste and the complexity is just right for me! All of my friends makes fun off me for enjoying it saying that it is an old man’s beverage🤣 I’m only 24 but started collecting some years ago
Nice! Sweet wines get a bad rap (wrap?) because Americans (me included) are very insecure about our psychotic volumes of sugar consumption. They’re fantastic and I will never say no to a nice sweet wine
Love port especially around Christmas time when it’s cold here. Just started into Sauternes….oh man so good.
Adding Canadian ice wine to the conversation. They wait til the grapes are frozen for a couple days, harvest and press only the slightest amount of sweet thick liquid to then make wine with.
PROTIP:
PX might be cloying, right until you pour it on vanilla ice cream
PROTIP:
Caramelizing onions? right before they’re done, pour a splash of PX on them and swish it around. That causes a chemical reaction that transforms the onions into crack.
I’m on a little port kick right now. Did a Port tour when over there so that got me going.
Madeira is the drink of champions.
Prefer a drier style myself. Chilled Manzanilla on a warm evening accompanied with salted almonds, wafer thin slices of Pata Negra, Manchego cheese or gambas al ajillo. Heaven.
(While dancing on the table with a rose between my teeth, somehow managing to sing a song about how hard it is to be a fisherman)
Yes
Quinta do Noval LBV- love that stuff