When Vintage Means Vintage

The port houses of Taylor Fladgate, Fonseca and Croft recently declared 2007a vintage year. So why should we care?

Unlike in California, where every year is a vintage year, and in Bordeaux, where every fifth year is “the vintage of the century,” port makers don’t routinely put a vintage on their bottles. Why?

Only when the vines—which cling to the steep banks of northern Portugal’s Douro river—avoid wind, frost, hail, excessive sun, harvest rains and actually produce classic wines do they declare a vintage. It’s not like they don’t make wine in non-vintage years. The juice finds its way into a variety of port styles.

But when the stars align, vintage port can be transcendent. About eight years ago, I had the great opportunity to taste a 1963 Fonseca Port. This is a wine made before I was born, but my tasting notes actually say: “delicious but young. Needs more time.”

No other wine can do that.

The 2007s may not achieve the heights of 1963, 1977 or 1994, but if 2007 marked a special event in your life (marriage, child birth, sex change), pick up a bottle of vintage port to celebrate in style for the 10th, 21st, or even 30th anniversary. The wines will be released for sale in the fall. Prices range from $80 to $200.