I have good news and bad news about this wine … the bad news is that it’s up in price, but what do you expect, it’s from the 2005 short-crop vintage. Short crop means less wine, which translate into more money for high-risk wines where the possibility of something going wrong is greater. The good news, nothing did, and Lakeview has made one fantastic port-knock-off. I’ll let you figure out the Starboard / Port reference on your own and instead give you the highlights of this beauty. Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, fortified to 19% alcohol and topping out at a mere 7 on the sugar scale. This wine exhibits classic port-like characteristics: sweet black cherries and milk chocolate on the nose followed by full on dark chocolate covered cherries and sweet damson plum in the mouth, and a long sweet finish. Not as thick as port, nor as complex, but let’s give it some time and see how it develops – right now it’s quite delicious, I’d like to see what it’s like in 10 years or so.
Additional note: After 4 weeks of being open and taking a nip ever so often, the wine still retained great flavours and smoothness. Keep capped and at room temperature – and serve with dark chocolate.
