Unveiling Excellence: The 10 Top Vintage Port Wines for Discerning Palates

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

In the heart of the majestic Douro Valley, where time seems to stand still, lies the birthplace of some of the world’s most extraordinary fortified wines. Port wines, renowned for their longevity, unrivaled value, and profound magnificence, have captivated wine enthusiasts for centuries. The legacy of Port spans generations, dating back to 1756 when authorities legally recognized the Douro Valley as the world’s first appellation.

Guide to Douro Valley Wine Region: Read more

Crafted from a blend of grape varieties such as Touriga Nacional, Tempranillo, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca, and Tinta Cão, Port has long been nurtured in the venerable Port lodges of Vila Nova de Gaia, opposite the enchanting city of Oporto. Since 1986, however, Port production has extended to the breathtaking estates or Quintas of the Douro, where winemaking artistry unfolds.

MAIN GRAPES USED TO MAKE VINTAGE PORT WINE

• Touriga Nacional: Read more
• Touriga Franca
• Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo): Read more
• Tinta Barroca: Read more
• Tinta Cão: Read more

Guide to Portuguese Red Wines: Read more

The pinnacle of Port wines rests with the esteemed Vintage Ports, painstakingly crafted using traditional techniques. These wines are born through foot treading in Lagares, a gentle process that extracts color, tannins, and flavors before halting fermentation with the addition of spirit, leaving a delightful residual sweetness.

Aged gracefully in oak, Vintage Ports reign supreme, showcasing immense power, complexity, and tantalizing flavors. These wines are only declared in exceptional vintages, such as the stellar years of 1966, 1970, 1977, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1992, 1994, 2003, 2007, 2011, and 2016. With a remarkable aging potential, the finest Vintage Ports often require a minimum of 20 to 30 years after release to reveal their true splendor.

Yet, the allure of top Port wines lies in their extraordinary quality and understated nature. Largely overlooked by the hype surrounding other fine wines, these remarkable elixirs offer exceptional value. You can often acquire a bottle of excellent Port for less than $100, a fraction of the price of equivalent Bordeaux First Growths. Versatile companions harmonize exquisitely with blue cheeses and indulgent desserts or delight in their exotic flavors on their own.

Join us on a journey to discover the timeless beauty and unmatched allure of Port wines—an invitation to savor a taste of history and experience the captivating symphony of flavors that have enchanted generations.

Douro Valley Wine Tour

Join us on a journey through picturesque Douro Valley and explore its finest wines, rich history, and breathtaking landscapes on our wine tour. Plan your trip now!

Read more

HERE IS OUR PICK OF THE TOP 10 PORT WINES YOU MUST TRY:

1. Taylor’s Vintage Port 1985

Taylor’s is quite an exemplary Port producer – their vintage releases are routinely considered amongst the finest of the Douro Valley, adored by critics and connoisseurs alike. Produced at the famous Quinta de Vargellas, Taylor’s structure, incredible depth, and complexity set it apart from other Vintage Ports in the region. The 1985 is very much in the Taylor’s vintage mold: deeply colored, it offers a rich, expressive nose full of black fruits, spices, and cigar-box. The palate is rich, complex, and utterly beguiling – one for that special occasion.

Taylor’s website: Read more

2. Warre’s Vintage Port 2000

One of the finest producers in the Symington Portfolio of Port houses, Warre consistency makes one of the most concentrated and fruit-rich Vintage Ports in the Douro. It is always full-bodied and perfumed, boasting a rich, black-fruit intensity that lingers long after the final sip. This structure and distinctive character ensure that top vintages will cellar for decades – the 55 is still going strong! The 2000, although still relatively young, is already showing its potential with a rich palate of dark fruits and a lush, velvety smooth texture. This will keep, although being honest, who could bear to cellar such an irresistible Port?

Warre’s website: Read more

3. Quinta Do Noval Nacional Vintage Port 1985

Noval’s former owner, Jose da Silva, first saw the potential of a small plot of ungrafted vines that continue to produce Nacional, the most sought-after of all Ports. Today run by the amiable Christian Seely of the AXA-Millesimes group, Nacional is an outstanding Port and one of the greatest fine wines on earth. Only produced in the best vintages, the 1985 Nacional is a Port of astonishing depth, power, and elegance, with a distinctive earthy, spicy dark plum character. However, for the full potential of Nacional to be seen, the wine must be allowed to age; it becomes a monumental Port after 20-30 years of cellaring, age adding flesh, richness, and yet more complexity.

Quinta Do Noval Nacional website: Read more

4. Graham’s Vintage Port 2003

Another top-class producer, Graham’s reputation has long been anchored by its fantastic vintage port. It is reasonably priced and consistently excellent, and it has proven itself to be one of the top ports in every declared vintage, perhaps the most consistent of all. The 2003, although still very young, is well on its way toward being another great Vintage Port, full of rich black fruits and a lush opulence that conceals a solid tannic backbone. Very enjoyable upon release, these wines will nonetheless age for at least 30/40 years, sometimes longer.

Graham’s website: Read more

5. Fonseca Guimaraens 1998

Fonseca’s Guimaraens Port is undoubtedly one of the Douro region’s best value buys. It is the name given to the consistently very fine “off vintage” Port, made in good but not great years when there isn’t a vintage declaration. Yet, the quality of Guimaraens is often outstanding, which is remarkable when considering the price tag below £35. The 1998 can undoubtedly be bought confidently, with a gorgeous, spicy, rich nose and bags of dark fruit and leather. Or, in other words, vintage quality at a non-vintage price.

Fonseca’s website: Read more

6. Niepoort Colheita Port 1995

Dirk Niepoort, the fifth generation of this Dutch-owned shipper, is obsessed with quality to the benefit of wine lovers everywhere. His Colheita-style Port is always the finest (essentially a tawny Port of a single vintage). It is utterly hedonistic, typically boasting rich toffee flavors, dried fruit, and figs. The 1995 is a case in point – a sweet, rich, and silky smooth texture, with aromas of plum, damson, toffee, and dark chocolate support a full-bodied palate. Utterly irresistible and affordable, at just over $50 a bottle.

Niepoort website: Read more

7. Dow Vintage Port 1975

Dow has long produced one of the Douro’s finest vintage expressions, a brand belonging to the respected Symington Empire. They typically offer weight and dimension that set them apart from other Vintage Ports, in addition to remarkable elegance and poise. Much-lauded vintage releases include the 1994, 1997, and 2000, but we have fallen in love with the delectable 1975. It’s simply magnificent, offering layer upon layer of complex almonds, caramel, and cigar box aromas.

Dow’s website: Read more

8. Quinta de la Rosa Vintage Port 2003

A relative newcomer to Vintage Port, Quinta de la Rosa has quickly established a formidable reputation for its vintage expressions, first made in 1988. They have demonstrated just how successful a more estate-centered approach can be, and Quinta de la Rosa makes a Vintage Port in most years. The 2003 is yet another great wine – powerful and dense, the 2003 shows a balance and poise that underpins that great concentration and force of flavor. Brooding dark fruits, figs, and chocolate all vie for your attention in this wonderful and very affordable addition to the Port family.

Quinta de la Rosa website: Read more

9. Smith Woodhouse Vintage Port 1985

Another member of the Symington group, Smith Woodhouse, is celebrated for its consistently high quality but reasonably priced Vintage Port. Produced in the legendary Madalena Quinta in the Rio Torto Valley, these Ports are wonderful, powerful, spicy, intense, and long-lived. The 1985 is very much a case in point, boasting heady aromas, succulent intensity, and a well-balanced palate. It is highly recommended.

Smith Woodhouse website: Read more

10. Sandeman Vintage Port 2000

Like Graham’s, Sandeman is of Scottish origins and is much-loved by Port lovers worldwide, thanks to the famous brand logo of the Sandeman’ Don.’ Their Vintage Ports are always excellent, but the 2000 deserves extra pundits for its intensity, complexity, and finesse. The nose is explosive, packed full of black-fruit aromas, underpinned by a full-bodied palate and firm tannins. Concentrated, powerful, and refined, the 2000 will cellar for decades—an exceptional Port from an outstanding producer.

Sandeman website: Read more