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Port, Sherry, Madeira, etc…
Posted By Stephen
As part of my studying for the fortified wines module of my wine diploma, I’ve been tasting a fair number of fortified wines as you can see. The exam is tomorrow, after which a lot of these will be thrown away (some are empty or almost empty, some are past their best for having been open for too long and some are just rubbish) and only certain of them kept, so it seemed like a good time for a family portrait.
One of the interesting discoveries for me was Madeira. Not the cooking-quality Sainsbury’s Madeira at the front, but the decent examples behind and to the right of it – Sercial, Verdelho and Malmsey. Another wine that I had never tasted before is the lusciously sweet Rutherglen Muscat from Australia which is over on the right next to the comedy bottle of Commandaria.
Out of all that lot, the ones that I’ve bought normally in the past are the various dry styles of Sherry and maybe the occassional Port (the reason there is no Tawny Port in the picture is that is always disappears quickly and was recycled ages ago!). I might explore a few different types in the future once this lot is a memory 🙂
Mar 11th, 2009
Good luck with your exam. That’s the kind of studying I’d enjoy!
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Best of luck with your exam, Stephen, let us know how you get on!
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What a charming family portrait! It seems like you have really dedicated yourself to learning about fortified wine there Stephen – good work! I shall be tapping you for wine advice next time I see you – and good luck with the exam, of course.
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Thanks everyone! The fortified wine exam did go pretty well I think. Not so sure about the “business of wine” exam that I did on the same day though; have to wait 12 weeks to see how I did.
I remember my kitchen looking just like this before my fortified wine exam. I adore Madeira and always have a couple of bottles on the go. Hope that you did well in the exam.
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They’ve just published the “tasting key”, i.e. the list of what the wines actually were. I successfully got 2 of them and almost got the third. The two that I got right were Olorosso Sherry and Malmsey Madeira and the one that I got almost-right was a Ruby Port but I’d said it was Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) Port. Guessing the wine is only a small percentage of the mark, but it’s fun to get them right!
Antonia, I love Madeira now too and am glad I got one in the exam. I forgot to comment on the greenish tint which I’m kicking myself for; would have been an extra mark I think.
Hi Stephen, it sounds like you had great fun with the tasting and I love the photo with all your study materials.
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Wow wow wow! What a family potrait! All the best for your exam Stephen!
Why not have us all over to finish the lot???
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