Ports

A Primer

Dessert wines in general have declined in popularity over the last decade or two. A shame because of how wonderfully complex and satisfying they are. Sweet? for sure, but they are the perfect end to a really good meal. That being said, there has been a recent uptick in Port sales, especially the tawnies. There are two main families of Ports, rubies and tawnies. 

Ruby Ports (including vintage Ports) are aged about 2 years in large wood casks (which slows oxidation). They are then bottled. Inexpensive ones are lighter and ready to drink, but  vintage Ports go on to age and mellow in the bottle, requiring at least 10 years. LBVs, (late bottled vintage), are a compromise that age about 4 years in cask. It’s an attempt to make a near-vintage-style wine that’s ready to drink at an early age. Most are filtered and will no longer age after bottling. Rubies are best drunk within a few weeks of opening the bottle. Refrigeration helps.

Tawny Ports age in small wood casks (to accelerate oxidation) for anywhere from 3 to 50 years before bottling. They lose their bright red color, becoming nutty brown (tawny), and no longer age after bottling. Tawnies have the benefit of lasting many months, even a year, after a bottle is opened.

VINTAGE - reviews are from when the wines were first released unless otherwise noted.

Graham's, 1970 ($219.95) - A classic, ready to drink. Wine Spectator: 94 "This is an extremely full-bodied, powerful wine, but it still retains a classy balance. Deep ruby, with chocolate and berry aromas, full-bodied, with anise and dried cherry flavors, full, hard tannins, and a long finish."

Fonseca, 1970 ($299.95) - A classic, ready to drink. Wine Spectator: 96 "Some people may enjoy this wine's rather fat, rich, and powerful fruit now, but I still find it too young for drinking. Deeply colored, with smoky mint, tar, and fruit aromas, full-bodied, with concentrated fruit flavors and plenty of tannins." Wine Advocate (Neal Martin): 95 "Tasted at the Vintners Company’s 650th anniversary celebration at Vintners Hall (2013), the Fonseca 1970 was the finest bottle I have encountered. The bouquet opens beautifully with heady scents of clove, ginger, small red cherries, bergamot, and allspice, displaying exquisite definition and harmony. The palate follows suit with lovely balance and poise in the mouth, notes of kirsch, shaved ginger, and walnut building to an opulent, viscous finish that lacquers the mouth. Yet this bottle shows more control than the bottle tasted four years ago. The 1970 Fonseca is in a very nice place at the moment. You should join it."

Dow, 1977 ($175) - A classic, ready to drink. Wine Advocate (Parker): 93 "This is an extraordinary house that seems to have been particularly successful with its vintage port since 1977. The 1977, still a baby, is fabulously scented, very rich and concentrated, and has a potential longevity of at least another 30-50 years."

Graham's, 1977 ($209.95) - A classic, ready to drink. Wine Advocate (Parker): 93 "Graham is another great port house, producing one of the deepest-colored and sweetest styles of vintage port. Along with Taylor and Fonseca, Graham has probably been the most consistent producer of great port in the post-World War II era. Their tawnys are quite good rather than exceptional, but their vintage ports are truly sublime and sumptuous."

Fonseca, 1977 ($249.95) - A classic, ready to drink. Wine Spectator: 100! "What a Vintage Port. Dark ruby center, with a dark garnet edge. Aromas of flowers, blackberry and licorice. Subtle and complex. Wow. What a palate. Full, concentrated and rich, yet balanced and beautiful. Solid and sleepy. Still not giving all it has to give. This is just coming around. Gorgeous and classy. Love it. '77/'85/'97 blind Port retrospective, 2008"

Fonseca, 1985 ($159.95) - A classic, ready to drink. Wine Spectator: 93 "Very dark and youthful ruby-purple. Very intense aromas of blackberry and black licorice. Full-bodied and lightly sweet, with chewy tannins and a rich licorice, blackberry undertone. Still tight. Drinkable now, but it needs a few more years. '77/'85/'97 blind Port retrospective, 2008" Wine Advocate (Neal Martin, 2013): 93 "The 1985 Fonseca is still youthful in appearance with hardly any ageing on the rim. The nose offers kirsch, sloes and Christmas cake. With time, there are subtle notes of dried fig and dates beginning to emerge and add to the complexity. The palate is medium-bodied and beautifully balanced on the supple, rounded entry. It is not quite as complex as the aromatics, with dates and dried fig, the finish mellow and refined. It is very elegant for a Fonseca, weighty but supremely well focused. This is a fabulous Fonseca that is ready to drink now, but will age for another 30 or 40 years."

Graham's, 1985 ($259.95/magnum) - A classic, ready to drink. Wine Advocate (Parker): 96 "Graham is another great port house, producing one of the deepest-colored and sweetest styles of vintage port. Along with Taylor and Fonseca, Graham has probably been the most consistent producer of great port in the post- World War II era. Their tawnys are quite good rather than exceptional, but their vintage ports are truly sublime and sumptuous. Graham is the undisputed star and kingpin of the 1985 vintage ports. Yes, it is made in a sweeter style than the other ports, but it is a fabulous wine because of a dazzling level of black-cherry fruit, an enormous structure, and staggering depth, dimension, and length. It is forward, as are all 1985s " Wine Spectator: 96 "Dark color, with intense aromas of blackberry, licorice and hints of flowers. Full-bodied, lightly sweet, with super-refined tannins. Long and caressing. Very youthful. Will improve for a long time. This is really excellent. Always has been. Just starting to come around. '77/'85/'97 blind Port retrospective, 2008"

Graham's, 1991 ($139.95) - A classic, ready to drink. Wine Advocate (Parker): 94 "Graham's 1991 Vintage Port gets my nod as the port of the vintage. While keeping in mind that Graham's aims for a sweeter-styled port, there is no doubting the opaque purple/black color, or the explosive nose of black fruits, licorice, spring flowers, and tar. Thick and full-bodied, with a satiny texture and a blockbuster, alcoholic finish, this is a top-notch vintage port." Wine Spectator: 93 "Lovely plum and coffee aromas open to a full-bodied palate, with sweet, decadent fruit. Velvety, with a long finish. Lots going on."

Fonseca, 1992 ($169.95) - Wine Advocate (Parker): 97 "The 1992 is a majestic young port that should ultimately rival, perhaps even surpass this house's most recent great efforts (1985, 1977, 1970, 1963). This colossal vintage port reveals a nearly opaque black/purple color, and an explosive nose of jammy black fruits, licorice, chocolate, and spices. Extremely full-bodied and unctuously-textured, this multi-layered, enormously-endowed port reveals a finish that lasts for over a minute. It is a magnificent port that will age well for 30-40 years."

Graham's, 1994 ($139.99) - Wine Advocate (Mark Squires): 95 "The 1994 Vintage Port has about 100 grams per liter of residual sugar. With a big eucalyptus note up front, this is elegant in the mid-palate with controlled tannins. Sweet and easy in some ways, this is readily approachable now, perhaps not at peak, but more expressive than the relatively brooding Dow's. The hint of caramel and raisins mixed with sugar makes this irresistible. It is sexy and intriguing. Wine Spectator: 95 "Emits lovely aromas of chocolate, berry, and plum, and is full-bodied with lots of sweet, fruit flavors and masses of velvety tannins. Long, sweet finish."

Fonseca, 1994 ($229.95) - Wine Spectator: 100! "Hold on to your hat. This is the best Fonseca since 1977, and it's probably even better than that classic vintage--more like the breathtaking 1948. Mind-blowing, with masses of color, aroma, and fruit flavor. Smells like fermenting berries, boasting loads of crushed grape, violet, and berry character. Big, full-bodied, and very sweet, with tons of tannins and a sweet finish. Tannic and huge, it's a long-term, great Port."  Wine Advocate (Parker): 97 "One of the most spectacular 1994s, this opaque purple-colored wine is an exotic, flamboyant, ostentatious port. Extremely fragrant and pungent, with a flashy display of jammy cassis, pepper, licorice, and truffles, this port is an attention-grabber. Awesomely rich, and full-bodied, with superb length, richness, and overall balance, it possesses a huge mid-palate, layers of flavor, an unctuous texture, and a blockbuster finish. Everything is in place, with the brandy and tannin well-integrated, even concealed by the masses of fruit and glycerin." Very limited.

Quinta do Vesuvio, 1997 ($149.95/magnum) - Vesuvio is a highly regarded but not well known Port house with a long history. It was purchased in 1989 by the Symington Family Estates, which also owns Graham's, Dow, Warre's, and Cockburn. Wine Advocate (Parker): 90 "A delicious, forward, dark saturated ruby/purple-colored port, this 1997 reveals copious quantities of jammy, grapey, black fruit flavors intermixed with earth and spice, full body, and silky tannin. It should drink well soon, but last for two decades." Wine Spectator: 91 "Lovely sweet toffee, toasted peanut and black tea notes start this off, with warm brown bread, mulled currant and fig fruit flavors filling in behind. Shows some maturity through the finish, but this will hang around a bit longer.—1997 Vintage Port retrospective (January 2017)."

Smith Woodhouse, 1997 ($79.95) - Wine Spectator: 93 "On the darker side of the spectrum, with Turkish coffee and licorice root notes leading the way, while the core of black currant, ganache and sticky toffee pudding waits in reserve. A tarry edge drives the finish, with a whiff of singed walnut lending cut at the very end.—1997 Vintage Port retrospective (January 2017)."

Graham's, 1997 ($119.95) - Wine Spectator: 94 "Still a bit compact, as the core of warm steeped fig, blackberry, and black currant fruit hasn't stretched out fully yet. However, there's so much warm toffee, toasted peanut, and singed alder coursing through that this is a fun drink now. A big, gutsy style. Should open up fully with a bit more time.—1997 Vintage Port retrospective (January 2017)." Wine Advocate (Parker): 93 "Blackberries, licorice, and melted asphalt stand out in this full-bodied, beautifully made vintage port's moderately intense bouquet. It is not one of the great Graham's ports, and is less sweet than normal, but it is full-bodied, rich, concentrated, and impressive."

Fonseca, 1997 ($119.95) - Wine Advocate (Parker): 93 "Somewhat of a lightweight for Fonseca, but undeniably charming, this dark ruby/purple-colored wine offers a floral, exotic, flamboyant bouquet, a sweet, fleshy style. Heady alcohol, sweet tannin, and a velvety texture make for a gorgeous finish. An outstanding, albeit lighter than normal Fonseca. 

Dow, 1997 ($125) - Wine Spectator: 95 "Warm and inviting, with a worn leather feel to the mix of dried anise, espresso, bittersweet cocoa, steeped fig and mulled currant notes, which move seamlessly together through the buckwheat-edged finish. There's plenty here to like now, but this has ample energy for additional development.—1997 Vintage Port retrospective (January 2017)."

Taylor-Fladgate, 1997 ($129.95) - Wine Advocate (Parker): 96 "Saturated black/purple-colored, with stunning aromatics of blueberries, blackberries, licorice, and iron, this spectacular vintage port is one of the stars of the vintage. Extremely full-bodied, with silky tannin, spectacular concentration and purity, multiple flavor levels, and an evolved, forward personality, this is an exquisite yet precocious 1997 vintage port."

Ramos Pinto, 2000 ($59.99) - This is a lesser-known but highly regarded Port House, making this wine quite a good value! Wine Advocate (Mark Squires, 2015): 92 "The 2000 Vintage Port was bottled in 2002. It is a blend of 60% Touriga Nacional, 15%Tinta Roriz, 10% Tinta Barroca, and 15% old vines, aged in large wooden vats (balseiros) for 18 months. It comes in at 89.2 grams per liter of residual sugar. Drinking rather well now, this has seductive texture and a balanced presentation, finishing with a touch of sugar and nuances of gracefully maturing Port. Laced with a touch of chocolate, it shows more power and grip as it airs out. When it was tasted again the next day, after plenty of air on Day 1, this showed even better, fresher, and steelier. That's a good sign. It demonstrates that it has plenty of life left (hardly a surprise), but it has already acquired necessary complexity and seems fine now. Drink it or hold it. It's in a good place, but it can still improve."

Croft, 2000 ($75) - Wine Spectator: 93 "A silky, fresh and stylish version, with a mix of cassis, cherry puree and plum reduction flavors, inlaid with graphite, black licorice and warmed fruitcake. Keeps a lovely caressing mouthfeel through the finish while the fruit echoes.—Blind 2000 Vintage Port retrospective (March 2021). Drink now through 2032."

Dow, 2000 ($109.95) - Wine Advocate (Parker): 94 'An opaque blue/purple color (typical of this vintage's top offerings) is followed by a strikingly provocative aromatic display (flowers, licorice, blackberries, and cassis). This firmly-structured, classic, tightly-knit, restrained port exhibits brilliant purity as well as impressive intensity. While not the most dramatic or flamboyant, it is a beautiful, classically structured port that will age gracefully."

Churchill, 2000 ($99.99) - Wine Spectator: 93 "This is a fresh and racy version, with good energy to the red and black currant compote flavors at the core that are laced with licorice snap, bramble, and roasted alder notes. The brambly edge lingers longest on the finish.—Blind 2000 Vintage Port retrospective (March 2021). Drink now through 2032." Wine Advocate (Parker): 91 "Complex aromas of lead pencil shavings, blueberries, creme de cassis, and licorice emerge from this dense ruby/purple-colored 2000. Full body, sweet tannin (which provides definition), and outstanding concentration result in a seriously-endowed, finely-crafted vintage port with well-integrated tannin, acidity, and alcohol."

Niepoort, 2000 ($109.95) - Wine Spectator: 95 "This has hit its stride, with a panoply of singed hazelnut, melted black licorice, Christmas pudding and steeped fig, boysenberry and blackberry fruit flavors all stretched out through the long, spice-infused finish, showing lovely freshness at the end. A gorgeous Port with another decade of evolution to go.—Blind 2000 Vintage Port retrospective (March 2021). Drink now through 2035."

Cockburn, 2000 ($99.99) - Pronounced KOH-burn. Wine Advocate (Parker): 95 "Potentially one of the most compelling wines of the vintage, this inky black/purple-colored 2000 exhibits notes of scorched earth, melted asphalt, blackberry liqueur, and a pungent, penetrating intensity that reverberates in the mouth as well as the head. Full-bodied, massive, and concentrated, with a 45-second finish, this thrilling effort should drink well between 2010-2035. 

Taylor Fladgate, 2000 ($139.95) - Wine Advocate (Parker): 98! "Among the most saturated blue/purple/black-colored examples of the vintage, Taylor's 2000 tastes like a young vintage of Chateau Latour on steroids. Aromas of graphite, blackberry liqueur, creme de cassis, and smoke jump from the glass. Spectacularly concentrated and enormously endowed, with sweetness allied to ripe tannin, decent acidity, and layer upon layer of fruit and extract, this is the leading candidate for the port of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2040."

Fonseca, 2000 ($135.95) - Wine Advocate (Neal Martin, 2013): 96 "The 2000 Fonseca continues to exude finesse and focus on the nose, with pure blackberry, juniper berries, licorice and a touch of sloes, perhaps as Adrian Bridge remarked, just beginning to close after ten years in bottle. The palate is underpinned by very fine tannins, a sensual, svelte texture with wonderful acidity. The harmony and symmetry is alluring, the finish precise and demonstrating the persistency to suggest a long future ahead. Drink 2020-2060."

We of course have younger ports, 2003, 2007s, and 2011s. We'll add them to this list as time allows.

Delaforce LBV Porto, 2020 ($24.99) - This has a lot of fruit and is quite a fair approximation of the vintage style. Too bad it was filtered; it would have benefited from some time in the bottle.

TAWNIES AND WHITES

Dalva Tawny Porto Colheita, 1995 ($47.99) - Better Tawny Ports usually come with an age designation, 10, 20, 30, or even 40 years old. Ten and 20 are the most popular. These wines are blends of vintages, all aged in barrels a minimum of the indicated time. Colheita (coo-YAY-ta) Tawnies are less common and are always from a single vintage. They are bottled only when there is demand for them, so the barrel(s) can get quite old before they are sold out. The important points to note are that they are from superior vintages, and for reasons unknown, they are typically less expensive (and I think better) than the roughly corresponding 10, 20, or older Tawnies. For example, this 1995 was bottled about three ago, meaning it is a 25-year-old Tawny. So it is older but LESS expensive than, say, Grahams 20-year-old ($69.99)! Refined, balanced, and delicious. Best of all, unlike vintage ports, Tawnies keep many months, even years after being opened. We also have the more recently bottled 1991 Dalva Colheita (a steal at $59.99), which is actually a 30-year Tawny (vs. Graham's @$150)!

Dalva Colheita White Port, 2007 ($47.99) - From the same Port house whose Tawny we tasted on a Saturday in March, this is the rarest of Ports: a white Port. It’s made like vintage and tawny ports but from local white grapes, typically Viosinho, Malvasia Fina, Códega, and Rabigato.  They can be bottled young like a basic tawny or ruby, or they can age in barrel and be bottled with the same age indications as tawny Ports or as a (single vintage) colheita. Lighter than red Ports, the colheitas  have incredibly complex flavors of citrus fruit and peel, stone fruit, and nuts. This one is too high in quality to mix into the classic cocktail, but if you insist: fill a highball glass with ice, add 2 oz white Port, and add 4 oz. quality tonic water. Stir gently and garnish with a slice of orange or lemon. 

Wine Advocate (Mark Squires): 91 “The 2007 Dalva White Port is basically a white Colheita and it pretty much leans to tawny in taste, too. A field blend of Malvasia Fina, Viosinho, and Rabigato, it comes in at 117 g/l residual sugar. Surprisingly rich. it is filled with caramel nuances. It’s a beauty that’s really easy to like and drink. Bright, fresh, and utterly delicious, it delivers a great performance that overachieves. 2017-35. Dalva’s new bottlings come with bar top corks. I’ve been particularly impressed by the whites, fine introductions to how good white Port can be—you know, the real stuff, not the ones where you want to add tonic. They develop some similarity at times to tawnies as they get older due to the barrel aging and they are full of extra flavor and richness, those hints of caramel. Yet, they are white. That means that they have extra understatement and refinement, too. They are rarely as thick and as rich as tawnies, but they have a brighter, fresher feel. They can be drunk even a bit colder than tawnies (and never drink tawnies too warm). Overall, this is the good stuff!”

Delaforce 20-year Tawny ($49.99) - Delicious and a bargain ($20 less than Grahams).

We also carry the Graham's 10-year, 20-year, 30-year, and 40-year tawnies.