Question re: VP and IVP/IVDP

[RAYC]

I'm sure the answer is on here somewhere, but couldn't fid it so will ask.

In what year did the declaration of "vintage port" become regulated? (i.e. by the requirement to either submit to IVP (or IVDP), or to have your declaration of "vintage port" approved by them)

Presumably, for many years, a port was a "vintage port" if the producer said it was?

[DRT]

The IVP was established in 1933. I Think the creation of regulations governing the individual styles of Port wine are much more recent but I do not know when the relevant legislation was passed.

In reality, it is virtually impossible to be certain that a wine prior to 1972 was bottled as what we know as Vintage Port today as many non-Portuguese wine merchants would buy in Pipes and then bottle at their leisure. This was one of the the main reasons why the Port shippers campaigned for Vintage Port to only be bottled in Portugal.

[RAYC]

The IVP was established in 1933. I Think the creation of regulations governing the individual styles of Port wine are much more recent but I do not know when the relevant legislation was passed.

In reality, it is virtually impossible to be certain that a wine prior to 1972 was bottled as what we know as Vintage Port today as many non-Portuguese wine merchants would buy in Pipes and then bottle at their leisure. This was one of the the main reasons why the Port shippers campaigned for Vintage Port to only be bottled in Portugal.

Ok - let's take an easy example.

There was Oporto bottling of Graham 63. Assuming IVP approval rights were not then in place, what made this "vintage port"? An official declaration? An internal designation? The fact that it was labelled, marketed and sold as such in domestic/overseas markets?

A more difficult example:

As noted in several posts in this thread, Malvedos released in the 50s and early 60s (exclusively Oporto bottled?) was clearly called "Crusted Port" on the label. Whilst harvest and bottling years were marked on the label, no mention was made of it being "vintage port" and it seems to have been marketed in the UK alongside LBVs and other crusted ports rather than alongside the vintage ports (presumably at Crusted/LBV prices?).

The rationale for regarding it as a vintage port nowadays is presumably that it was made in the same method as a declared "vintage port" would have been. But is there a more concrete basis for thinking of it as such (e.g.: a later IVP/IVDP approval) when the original producers (W. & J. Graham) did not appear to classify this as "vintage port" themselves?

[g-man]

My understanding was that in 1973

http://taylor.pt/en/about/history-taylo ... e-present/

Along with defining the labeling of the tawny's they set rules on everything else, I think this was from hear say from memory talking to Cynthia and I couldn't find the exact link or the email.

Tho in 1916, we did have a comercial treaty in England that forced all wines named ports to have a certificate of origin, so we can be assured that if it's port it had a cert of origin.