The Celebration of Vintage Port is one of the highlights in the life of the Confraria.

Each year, individual Port Wine producers determine whether their wines are of exceptional Vintage Port quality and, if so, will declare them as such and submit them to the Port Wine Institute for approval.

Historically, three out of 10 years have been declared vintage years (on average), but we have seen the frequency of Vintage Port declarations increasing due to the quality replanting of vineyards and better viticultural and enological practices.

If a majority of the producer Confrades declare a Vintage Port, the Chancelaria decides upon a Celebration of Vintage Port.

In 2017 the Confraria do Vinho do Porto clarified the steps and roles of “declaring” Vintage Port in the XXI Century which, in simple terms, can be summarized the following four steps:

• “Declaration” is the responsibility of the winemaker or producer
• “Certification” is the function of the Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto
• “Classification” is made by the wine critics and customers
• “Celebration” is carried out by the Confraria do Vinho do Port

The Celebration of Vintage Port held by the Confraria do Vinho do Porto commences with an open tasting where producer Confrades are invited to show their wines.

This magnificent experience culminates in the ceremonial blending of a bottle of each of the Vintage Ports featured in the tasting for the Coperio Mor to make a representative blend of the Vintage Year.

In certain years the Chancelaria of the Confraria do Vinho do Porto may decide to make and declare a Confraria Vintage Port

This blend is the exclusive responsibility of the Coperio Mor, who aims to make a top wine to represent the Vintage Port of the year, which is then submitted to the IVDP for certification as Vintage Port before being bottled by the Confraria.

The Confraria Vintages which have been declared are: 1982, 1983, 1985, 1991, 1994, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2016 and 2017.