Pick a year
- KillerB
- Taylor Quinta de Vargellas 1987
- Posts: 2425
- Joined: 22:09 Wed 20 Jun 2007
- Location: Sky Blue City, England
Pick a year
As the World actually started in 1963, we can start there. Could always do an older one later and a younger one as well. Cue Al B. picking a completely different year but I'm not leaving the option.
Ahh, we already have lurkers who can vote - cool 8)
I went for 1966. In my limited experience the major houses offerings are at least as good as their 63's and seem to be holding longer. I haven't had enough 1970's v 1977's to form a view but I have not yet had a bottle from either vintage that came close to the WOW factor as any of the top end 66's
Derek
I went for 1966. In my limited experience the major houses offerings are at least as good as their 63's and seem to be holding longer. I haven't had enough 1970's v 1977's to form a view but I have not yet had a bottle from either vintage that came close to the WOW factor as any of the top end 66's
Derek
Oops!
I did didn't I! D'ya know, there's something in this taking Notes lark.
Anyway. Hands up. Your right, but I cant remember it clearly. And it was such a quiet civilised evening...what went wrong!
What I am beginning to remember, was there was a clear equal or close second to the Harveys. Which one was that one?
Alan
I did didn't I! D'ya know, there's something in this taking Notes lark.
Anyway. Hands up. Your right, but I cant remember it clearly. And it was such a quiet civilised evening...what went wrong!
What I am beginning to remember, was there was a clear equal or close second to the Harveys. Which one was that one?
Alan
- RonnieRoots
- Fonseca 1980
- Posts: 1981
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- Location: Middle Earth
I heard there is a party going on over here? 8)
I voted for 1963. Mostly based on heresay, because I actually only tasted one '63 (Niepoort, being fully mature and great) and two '66's (Sandeman and Noval, both not the greatest examples of the vintage probably). But, from what I read and heard, the good 1966's should have long lasting power and the 1963's are more reaching their maturity now. The 1970 top ports are just young monsters still (Taylor, Fonseca and Dow) and the top 1977's are even younger (same suspects), although some are also early maturing, like Graham.
I voted for 1963. Mostly based on heresay, because I actually only tasted one '63 (Niepoort, being fully mature and great) and two '66's (Sandeman and Noval, both not the greatest examples of the vintage probably). But, from what I read and heard, the good 1966's should have long lasting power and the 1963's are more reaching their maturity now. The 1970 top ports are just young monsters still (Taylor, Fonseca and Dow) and the top 1977's are even younger (same suspects), although some are also early maturing, like Graham.
- RonnieRoots
- Fonseca 1980
- Posts: 1981
- Joined: 08:28 Thu 21 Jun 2007
- Location: Middle Earth
- RonnieRoots
- Fonseca 1980
- Posts: 1981
- Joined: 08:28 Thu 21 Jun 2007
- Location: Middle Earth
- RonnieRoots
- Fonseca 1980
- Posts: 1981
- Joined: 08:28 Thu 21 Jun 2007
- Location: Middle Earth
She likes you.
But she's a bit stressed at the moment. Work is being done in our house (the ceiling is gone and we can wave to our upstair neighbours) and it's a complete mess. However, she insists on laying on her favorite spot. Every evening when I come home, she's completely covered in dust. Poor cat.
But she's a bit stressed at the moment. Work is being done in our house (the ceiling is gone and we can wave to our upstair neighbours) and it's a complete mess. However, she insists on laying on her favorite spot. Every evening when I come home, she's completely covered in dust. Poor cat.
- StevieCage
- Fonseca LBV
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- Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- RonnieRoots
- Fonseca 1980
- Posts: 1981
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- Location: Middle Earth
- Alex Bridgeman
- Graham’s 1948
- Posts: 14915
- Joined: 13:41 Mon 25 Jun 2007
- Location: Berkshire, UK
I'm catching up with threads that have been posted here while I was away in the home of the other place and I came across this one.
Alex K has it spot on, I really can't vote for one of the 4 options that he has presented. Clearly the '66s, '70s or '77s are nowhere near mature-ish. Some of the '63s are but as a vintage in general I always consider only the top tier producers and I would suggest that Nacional, Taylor, Fonseca, Dow and Graham's at least still have a good decade ahead of them before reaching a mature-ish stage in their development. However, since the second tier ports from the vintage (Noval, Sandeman, Croft, Warre etc.) are probably at that stage then, if forced to, I could probably vote for 1963.
However, I would prefer to suggest some alternatives from the same sort of period. Certainly 1975 has a reputation of being mature-ish but having never tasted a vintage port from that year then I can't really comment.
1978 is drinking beautifully now, but is still probably a few years from maturity-ishness. 1965 is approaching maturity, as Derek can testify, but I have only ever tasted colheitas from that year so I again disqualify myself from comment.
So the only two years from the period that I would suggest fall into the category of "mature-ish" would be 1962 and 1967. 1967 produced the wider range of ports of these two years and the Fonseca-Guimaraens, Vargellas and Nacional are drinking extremely well at the moment, with a lovely mix of fruit, secondary flavours and some hint of those tertiary flavours of brown sugar and treacle.
So my vote is for 1967 and is presumably rejected as a spoiled ballot paper.
Alex
(Happy not to disappoint the invitation in Al-K's first post.)
Alex K has it spot on, I really can't vote for one of the 4 options that he has presented. Clearly the '66s, '70s or '77s are nowhere near mature-ish. Some of the '63s are but as a vintage in general I always consider only the top tier producers and I would suggest that Nacional, Taylor, Fonseca, Dow and Graham's at least still have a good decade ahead of them before reaching a mature-ish stage in their development. However, since the second tier ports from the vintage (Noval, Sandeman, Croft, Warre etc.) are probably at that stage then, if forced to, I could probably vote for 1963.
However, I would prefer to suggest some alternatives from the same sort of period. Certainly 1975 has a reputation of being mature-ish but having never tasted a vintage port from that year then I can't really comment.
1978 is drinking beautifully now, but is still probably a few years from maturity-ishness. 1965 is approaching maturity, as Derek can testify, but I have only ever tasted colheitas from that year so I again disqualify myself from comment.
So the only two years from the period that I would suggest fall into the category of "mature-ish" would be 1962 and 1967. 1967 produced the wider range of ports of these two years and the Fonseca-Guimaraens, Vargellas and Nacional are drinking extremely well at the moment, with a lovely mix of fruit, secondary flavours and some hint of those tertiary flavours of brown sugar and treacle.
So my vote is for 1967 and is presumably rejected as a spoiled ballot paper.
Alex
(Happy not to disappoint the invitation in Al-K's first post.)
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.