The clock was ticking, the defense closing in waving proclamations and documents. But Wildhurst calming stepped up and hit a buzzer beater.
Well, maybe it wasn’t a split second margin. In a move in line with strict international labeling agreements, the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau slammed the door on American “Ports” back in 2006, conceding that — like Champagne — the term belonged solely to wines from the Douro River Valley in Portugal, otherwise known as the Porto region.
As part of the decision, the bureau grandfathered in approved American Ports bottled before 2006. So the 2005 Wildhurst Port is a final winning shot, and the last of its kind.
Produced from the Portuguese varietals Trussao, Tinta Cao, Touriga and Souzau, blasted with spirit to stop fermentation and barrel aged, the wine offers a palette of dense hues. Drying raisin, milk chocolate and creamy butterscotch aromas swirl from the glass, drawing ahead of vague sweet spice notes that teeter between nutmeg and clove.
But there is a nonchalant note, as well — an almost jaunty flair not usually associated with a forbidding dessert wine. It appears on the nose as a trace of light cherry, on the palate as a brisk and almost citrusy edge that traipses around the darker savor.
This makes Wildhurst’s 2005 Port appear sprightly, despite the rich, weighty foundation of raisin, cured fig and dried clove. Earthy notes lift into honeyed zest. The bite of holiday spice takes on a nutty aspect. The bittersweet pall of caramel softens into a refined, creamy sensation.
Apparently the folks at Wildhurst pulled a clever stunt, a kind of winemaking pick and roll as time wound down. According to Tyler Weiper at the Kelseyville tasting room, the team added a splash of Zinfandel to the traditional yoke, giving the finished product an unexpected fruity radiance.
And this from a wine packing 19 percent alcohol.
So the wine is the last of its kind. It also may be one of a kind when it comes to American Ports.
Dave Faries can be reached at 900-2016
