Vintage Port

Posted on October 30, 2020 in Education

Vintage Port, the most expensive and prestigious member of the Port family, only accounts for a fraction of total Port production, but Vintage Port is the Douro’s flagship style, attracting attention and speculation the world over.

A Vintage is “declared” in only the best years, when both the quality and quantity of the available fruit align. It may take up to two years after harvest for a vintage declaration to be made, and even when one Port shipper judges the conditions sufficient for Vintage Port, other shippers may not necessarily agree. This scenario is highly unusual, though, and has only occurred a handful of times in history.

Vintage Port is made from the best grapes in the Douro, typically from the Cima Corgo subregion. The grapes are left to achieve full ripeness before they are picked, vinified and then fortified with high-proof grape spirit. Vintage Port spends a short time aging in barrel – only two to three years – and is bottled, unfiltered, when it is still very dense and full of sediment. This is why Vintage Port’s minimum bottle-aging period is considered to be 15 years, and it is often said that no other wine requires as much time in bottle to balance itself. The finest examples are capable of vitality well after 50 years.

Recent critical successes have helped bring about a renewal of interest in the style, and Vintage Port is often considered as an addition to the cellar as much as Bordeaux or Burgundy. Decanting Vintage Port prior to serving is necessary, as the sediment in the bottle becomes crusty over time.