Warre’s Quinta da Cavadinha Vintage Port 1996: today’s seasonal recommendation

In March, I presented a tasting for Waitrose Food Illustrated readers at The Goring hotel, London.  As I blogged back then, I can’t remember a food and wine match that has rendered so many so speechless for such a sustained period of time.  It’s not been surpassed since and here it is:

Warre’s Quinta da Cavadinha Vintage Port 1996 and stem ginger chocolate fondant with drambuie clotted cream – a wicked match, both Port and pud long and intense on flavour.  And it wasn’t just about the richness of port and chocolate.  Spicy, aromatic ginger top notes – fresh, infused ginger according to Exec Chef Derek Quelch – chimed magnificently with the esteva (gum cistus) notes in the port.  

Single Quinta Vintage Ports, which come from a single year and a single estate, are among the wine world’s best buys – lots of class in the glass and the Warre’s is drinking beautifully.  It’s £28.49 at Waitrose and very bargainful indeed at Wine Direct where it’s on deal, down to £22.95.