The Bergqvist family has been making port since 1815. Quinta de Ia Rosa was given as a christening present for Claire Feuheerd, Sophia’s grandmother, in 1906. The family port shipping company, Feueheerd, was sold in the 1930s but La Rosa was kept and run by Sophia’s grandmother, Claire. In 1988 Sophia and her father, Tim Bergqvist, decided to restart the family business and launched Quinta de Ia Rosa as a top quality port producer onto the market place.

I have this 750 ml bottle at 20% from a auction lot. It is a rarely seen vintage year from Quinta De La Rosa.

2 hours in the decanter

Clear and light red colour with amber notes.

Aroma comes off with spices, warmth, dried fruits and they play between them is rather pleasant.

Tannin is strong and together with the alcohol it comes off rather hard in the start. It is more spiced than fruity and it is dry and fresh.

4 hours in the decanter

It has darkened up a little bit.

The aroma is much more fruitful.

Taste is the same and tannin is still dominating.

8 hours in the decanter

No difference from the above.

48 hours after decanting, on the bottle again

More fruit and some oak have started to shine through. Less tannin but it still comes off with a bite and the after taste is not overwhelming with dried fruits and sweetness.

I would say that it needs more than 8 hours in the decanter, the tannin are simply too rough and needs some more air to get the port to come better together. It is a very closed wine that needs some time and attention on when it is ready to drink.

I will save my last bottle of it for another 5 years and see how it is by then.

Overall rating 89 / 100