Vintage Port Wines are essentially sweet, fortified dessert wines from Portugal. However, it was the English who invented Port in the mid-1700s. In order for wine to survive the long journey from Portugal to England, Brandy was added to preserve the wine. These wines were called "Fortified Wines" and later became known as "Port," named for the seaport city of Porto. Not every year is declared a vintage. The decision to declare a vintage is made by individual port houses. This is based on the quality of the grape crop in a particular year. Not all port houses declare the same vintage year. This makes it somewhat easier to buy Vintage Port for a declared year. However, there are quality differences between Port houses, so consulting vintage port wine ratings and reviews should be essential before making your choice.
1-Be aware, there are four major Port houses: Grahams, Fonseca, Dow and Taylor Fladgate. They usually command the highest prices for vintage port wines.
2-You'll discover that, generally speaking, older vintages from exceptional years can be expensive. The basic guide to selecting and buying the best port wines is this: the older the vintage, the more expensive the wine.
The following years are some of the best declared years for vintage port wine: 1970, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2003 and 2007. Some of the outstanding vintages are: 1970, 1977, 1994, 1997, 2000, and 2003. Due to availability, be prepared to pay several hundred dollars for a port from a top house.
3-Once purchased, port should be stored lying down in a cool, dark, dry place at a temperature of approximately 55 degrees. In order for a vintage port to reach optimum maturity, it should be a minimum of 20 years old from vintage date before serving. So a 2000, for instance, should not be served until 2020 for best enjoyment. There are some vintages, however, that can be held or consumed now. The vintage years for these wines are: 1980, 1985, 1987 and 1998.
4-Once you've decided to open a bottle of vintage port, you should stand it up for about 24 hours prior to serving to allow the sediment to settle at the bottom. Port is a viscous, dark ruby red wine that produces quite a bit of sediment as it ages and, though it may be esthetically unpleasant, does nothing to the taste of the port if you happen to find some in your glass.
5-Be aware, that in order to reduce or eliminate sediment, port should be decanted. Try not to shake or jostle the bottle while pouring. When decanting, it should be done slowly and carefully, trying not to allow sediment to pour out. If some sediment manages to escape, as stated before, it's not a major concern. The taste of the port will not be affected.
6-Port is traditionally served with Stilton cheese and some fruit, such as grapes. Port also goes very well with chocolate. Enjoyed for its sweet, fruit flavours and complex notes of chocolate and spice, port aromas include pepper, smoke, truffles and black currant. Vintage Port can be served all year round, but is especially suitable during the Christmas Holiday.
Love them! -Gaston F., Nantes, France
