Fortunate over the last month to attend several festive functions looking back on memories of 2023 and optimistically forward to 2024. […]
VINTAGE PORT has been somewhat out of fashion so far this century but is coming back despite the current trend of no/low alcohol beverages. Also all the dependable forwardly 20 year Tawny Ports and the exceptional 40 year Taylor. Another dessert wine, this one with fortification, that seems to live forever. A treat to try a historic nearing 100 years beauty:
1927 GRAHAM VINTAGE PORT: In Rich, Rare, & Red the IWFS Guide to Port by Ben Howkins he states: “Exceptionally declared by record number of 30 shippers, late vintage started 3rd October. Grapes were ripe and picked in perfect hot conditions.” Our bottle had cork issues into the bottle but nonetheless was fiery complex and had thrown loads of sediment.
1945 GRAHAM VINTAGE PORT: Generally the sweetest jammy style of all houses and shows best here with complex chocolate, coffee, mellow complexity!
1945 DOW VINTAGE PORT: Always lighter and drier with good structure of balancing acidity but showing more alcohol on the finish.
1948 GRAHAM VINTAGE PORT: Perhaps even more powerful from less production than 1945 but this bottle is flawed by some TCA – not as common in vintage port as red table wines.
1977 DOW VINTAGE PORT: Surprises with lots of lovely berry fruit and full flavour on an interesting plateau. Good vintage for Dow.
1997 TAYLOR VINTAGE PORT: is fresh pure excellent aromatics and drinking forwardly with buckets of fruit at 25+ years already enjoyable.
Read the full article here: https://blog.iwfs.org/2024/01/older-vintage-ports-sauternes-chateau-montrose-highlight-2023-year-end/