Which Ports should you drink this winter?

See Richard's top six picks below, plus his detailed vintage guide back to 1960.

When it comes to vintage Port, we’ve never had it so good – an unprecedented run of fine vintages in 2017, 2016 and 2015 were all worthy of an outright declaration, with 2018 and 2019 looking promising too.

But to drink these wines now would be infanticide, so it begs the question: what Port to drink now while these wonderful recent vintages slowly mature?

Fortunately, some of the rather good years in the 2000s and 1990s are now becoming approachable. They divide between so-called ‘classic’ declarations and single-quinta vintage Ports (SQVPs). The main difference is that SQVP is generally ready to drink after 10 years rather than 20, and priced at £25-£45 a bottle, these wines are less than half the price of a bottle from a fully declared vintage.

The most recent single-quinta year that is becoming approachable is 2010. From a large crop, those estates with old vines at their core produced some lovely, balanced, fruit-driven wines that are just being released. With a backbone of fragrant Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca, Cockburn’s Quinta dos Canais looks like a good wine for the medium term.

In complete contrast, 2008 was a low-yielding year with a lot of single-quinta Ports, many yet to be released. In general, the wines are aromatic but still show restraint and are characterised by their freshness and purity of fruit backed by structured tannins. Taylor’s Quinta de Terra Feita and Graham’s Quinta dos Malvedos both look very promising.

A run of three good years in the mid-2000s produced SQVPs, all of which are now fully ready to drink. 2006 and 2005 made big, ripe-flavoured wines. A few shippers, notably Niepoort, thought 2005 was good enough to declare outright. Both vintages made wines that can be enjoyed now and will last into the 2030s and beyond.

By contrast, 2004 was a near-disaster due to untimely rain, but swung to success with a fine harvest that produced balanced, well-structured wines perfect for drinking now. Warre’s Quinta da Cavadinha 2004 is well defined with plum and black cherry fruit supported by firm tannins.

See Richard Mayson’s Port vintage guide here

Raring to go

When it comes to fully declared years, 2011, 2009, 2007, 2003 and 2000 are, on the whole, not yet ready to drink. The opulent 2003s will be ready first with Cockburn’s, Croft and Ramos Pinto just on the cusp.

For Port to drink now, go back a decade to two contrasting years: 1997 and 1994. The latter year proved to be a watershed after some patchy declarations in the 1980s and early 1990s: Croft, Ramos Pinto and Taylor’s performed well in a recent comparative tasting, showing the characteristic eloquence of the 1994 vintage. The 1997s were more demure at the outset and perhaps a little more forward now. Fonseca and Taylor’s already show purity of fruit and have the structure to continue to drink well for the next 20 years or so.

Going back to the 1980s, there is a caveat emptor on some of the 1985s, though Fonseca is faultless and in my opinion the leading wine of the vintage. Dow’s, Graham’s and Warre’s all performed well in 1983, as well as three years earlier in 1980. These wines would be my selection for drinking this Christmas, unless of course you have access to the 1977s and 1970s.

From 1977, Fonseca is a tower of strength with Dow’s and Graham’s 1970 both worthy of being ranked alongside the 20th-century greats.

How to serve

All vintage Port, be it single-quinta or a classic declaration, is treated in the same way, with the minimum of intervention before bottling. All throw a crust (sediment) in bottle as they age and require decanting.

Leave the bottle upright for an hour or two then slowly pour the wine into a decanter against a good light (a candle if you want to be romantic). Nothing needs to be wasted: decant the wine before dinner and the sediment makes a good addition to a casserole or gravy.

Seasonal treat: Mayson’s top bottles of Port to drink now

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