Vintage Port is the Field-Marshal in the Port-rankings. These wines are only produced in years with overall excellent conditions, on average three times every decade. There are different declaration (the decision to produce a Vintage Port) policies amongst the producers. Thus you are able to find a Noval Vintage Port 1931, but not one from Niepoort or Taylor made in the same year.

Vintage Ports represent the top percentage of a harvest and are bottled unfiltered after ageing only 2 years in a very big wooden vat. The following bottle-ageing process will take a couple of years and can last decades. Like with a great Bordeaux wine one may only be able to fully encounter its potential if the Vintage Port is given enough time in the bottle. A mature Vintage Port will be the focus of the evening, because you will find complexity and depth in these wines that are very hard to find with non-fortified wines.

The quality of a Vintage Port varies by year and brand. There are some outstanding years for Vintage Port, such as 2003, 2000, 1997, 1994, 1985, 1977, 1970 and 1963. If you are interested in other years, please contact me. Many brands have produced some very fine Colheitas in the non-declared years.