1980 Ramos Pinto

[Will W.]

It would appear that during the 1980s Ramos Pinto was exporting a great deal of its vintage ports to northwest Europe; and, when I was living in this region five or six years ago and starting to collect port, I bought a fair bit of it on the secondary market. When I finally got around to trying the stuff, after amassing a dozen or more bottles from various years, I did not much care for it. Just as I did not like beer as a sixteen year old. Alas, I learned to enjoy beer through perseverance; and, soon enough as a middle-aged man, I acquired a taste for the wonderful – and I would posit the unique – style of Ramos Pinto vintage ports. Its 1980s bottlings – 1980, 1982, 1983 and 1985 - are invariably overlooked by the cognoscenti, I suspect because these years are not found readily in the United Kingdom, never mind in the United States. In the event, I would suggest that Ramos Pinto's consistency of quality over the period 1980-1985 may very well match the collected offerings of Taylor, Graham, Dow or Fonseca – at far more favourable tariffs than are commanded by these better-known producers.

In the glass after a five-hour decant on 19 November 2020, the 1980 Ramos Pinto was true to form: the entirely opaque, dark purple hues were showing the first signs of bricking. At the nose, black currents, blackberries, quince and violets came together with the last vestiges of youth suggested by a whiff of forest floor. On entry, the black fruits were in evidence, giving way to nutmeg and grape stem, followed by splashes of spice and citrus. The unresolved tannins became evident at this juncture, whereupon the wine proffered a warming finish of medium length, albeit one bereft of particular distinction. This gentle, well-balanced wine, tending towards the dry side of medium, is very much in the Ramos Pinto style and, I suspect, still a decade from its peak.

-92.5 points

[JacobH]

I haven’t tried many of Ramos Pinto’s wines which is, I think, a shame because they are quite innovative (am I right in thinking that Quinta de Ervamoira was essentially newly-planted when it was bought by the shipper in the 1970s?) and some of their Ports are very high quality.

I tried the 1982 and 1997 Vintage Ports at their lodge this year. I enjoyed the 1982 which was considerably better than the 1997 which rather underwhelmed me. I notice you list the early 1980s vintages: was the a drop in quality thereafter?

[Will W.]

I notice you list the early 1980s vintages: was the a drop in quality thereafter?

In my opinion, no. I have never tried the '91, but the '94, '95 and '97 are all lovely (and very good value) in my experience. It is simply that I prefer ports in which the tannins are either fully or largely integrated and the RPs from the 90s are not quite there for my particular taste. The foregoing, and I am finding that most ports from the 1980s are drinking quite nicely these days, other than monsters such as the '85 Fonseca. I am starting to suspect - and I am not yet decrepit - that the said Fonseca will enter its optimal drinking window only after my demise.

[Glenn E.]

Its 1980s bottlings – 1980, 1982, 1983 and 1985 - are invariably overlooked by the cognoscenti, I suspect because these years are not found readily in the United Kingdom, never mind in the United States.

RP83 is one of my top Ports of that vintage. It is routinely excellent and sometimes outstanding. I've had it twice recently and both (blind) bottles received 93 points. I love its darker stone fruit flavors.

[JacobH]

In my opinion, no. I have never tried the '91, but the '94, '95 and '97 are all lovely (and very good value) in my experience. It is simply that I prefer ports in which the tannins are either fully or largely integrated and the RPs from the 90s are not quite there for my particular taste. The foregoing, and I am finding that most ports from the 1980s are drinking quite nicely these days, other than monsters such as the '85 Fonseca. I am starting to suspect - and I am not yet decrepit - that the said Fonseca will enter its optimal drinking window only after my demise.

There are quite a few Ports like that. I am not convinced that there will be any Dow 1980 left in the world un-drunk by the time it reaches maturity!

I was really very disappointed by the 1997 but I hope that perhaps it was a bad bottle.