What are the TOP Ports you've ever tried?

WINE TALK
1

Include young and old Vintage Ports and please feel free to add Colheitas/Reserve bottlings (white and red) as well.

2

1970 Grahams
1977 Taylor
1994 Dow
1997 Niepoort (375 mL)

3

77 Warre’s off the top of my head. I’ve had several great experiences with Colheitas though.

4

1945 Grahams(in 1981)
1977 Dow’s (in 2005)
1977 Fonseca (in 2005)
I have a 1996 Nacional I have high hopes for but I got outbid on the 1963 Nacional.

5

'63 Noval Nacional about 8 years ago at the winery. Was about this time of the year, a beautiful spring day, with roasted goat. My best memory of Portugal.

6

A few good recent ones…

1945 Sandeman:
Couldn’t split the two Ports, as they were different, but just so lovely to drink. Great descriptions of these too by Jeremy!! BTW, was the only one who got all the (somewhat obscure) options on these two wines…lucky or maybe I was just a bit too happy…
96pts.

1945 Massandra Livadia Red Port:
Very red, sweet and fresh. These wines are always very interesting. Loved this a real lot, wish I had some.
96pts.

1962 Quinta da Noval Nacional:
Very, very young looking and so fresh, with everyone (from memory) guessing wrongly that it was the ’83. Medium bright red/purple with lovely rich, complex fruit sweetness, liquorish, caramel/chocolate and spice and a wonderful long and wide finish. Outstanding.
96pts.

Also a 1967 Quinta da Noval Nacional, and hopefully very soon a '63 Quinta da Noval Nacional as well as some more interesting Massandra wines…

7

45 Sandeman :wink:
70 Taylor
37 Warre’s Colheita

8

1963 Grahams
1977 Taylor

9

1948 Graham
1955 Taylor
1963 Fonseca

10

07 Dow.

11

And also forgot a…

1927 Gould Campbell Vintage Port, which was pretty amazing…

Interesting to see how for many it’s the great old Ports that are great, as they should be…

12

85 grahams
77 taylor
35 taylor

13

'35 Taylor
'70 Taylor
'70 Fonseca
'70 Noval Nacional
'94 Taylor

I think I need to get my hands on one of those great Graham’s, like the '45 or '63.

14

1970 Graham
1977 Taylor
1985 Graham
1880 Ramos Pinto, library wine from their first vintage, tasted in 2000. Tawnied with tons of depth.

15

1955 Smith Woodhouse
1963 Taylor
1963 Nacional

16

1955 Graham, probably in the early 80’s, stands out. Others inclue the 1948 Graham, 1931 Quinta do Noval (both in the arly 80’s), and 1948 Taylor (in 1998). More recently, probably the 1963 Fonseca.

17

Here are my Top 10 Young Vintage Ports in order of vintage, not preference:


1963 Quinta do Noval Nacional Vintage Port
1966 Quinta do Noval Nacional Vintage Port
1967 Quinta do Noval Nacional Vintage Port
1970 Quinta do Noval Nacional Vintage Port
1970 Fonseca Vintage Port
1994 Quinta do Noval Nacional Vintage Port
1994 Taylor Vintage Port
1994 Fonseca Vintage Port
2000 Niepoort Vintage Port
2000 Quinta do Noval Nacional Vintage Port

18

Hi Roy,

Out of curiosity…wheres the '94 Nacional at now??

19

I guess I have a different definition of young from Roy.

Best older Ports:

'45 Taylor
'70 Dow

Best young Ports:

'94 Fonseca
'00 Fonseca

20

Will add to this list.

1970 Taylor… this is a very special bottle that is just hitting adolescence
1945 Taylor… a great port
1927 Cockburn… incredible port thanks to Roy.
BTW, that 1963 Fonseca is no slouch!

Now my next adventure is a 31 Noval with Todd!!!