Portugal’s Port producers swept into town last week, to declare their 2007 vintage Port, which really is a remarkable vintage. At this young stage it rivals 1977 as the best of the past three decades. Fonseca, Taylor-Fladgate, Smith Woodhouse, Croft, Warre, Graham, Dow, Quinta do Vesuvio, Quinta do Noval and Silval were all present, pouring both the 2007 vintage and one older Port representative of the house style, to illustrate how well the wines age.
Vintage Port isn’t widely appreciated in The United States, or even in the modern world in general, as few have the patience to age it long enough to bring out the nuanced complexity an extra 30 years in the bottle will yield. Most of the 2007s will be drunk during their youth, when they’re full of fruit and power, and perhaps that’s the way most consumers enjoy it — god knows they buy enough 15% alcohol Zinfandel to have developed a palate for it.
Of the 2007s offered, I was most entranced by Taylor’s Vargellas Vinha Velha, a spectacular Port, soft, rich and balanced by bright acidity. At this stage it shows floral notes over blackberry and plum fruit, bittersweet chocolate, and silky tannins. The only problem is, just 200 cases were produced and a bottle will cost you $240. With 10,000 cases produced, the Taylor Fladgate is a better value at $95, showing well-balanced structure, concentrated cassis character with floral nuances, and a bit of fennel. Also notable was the beautifully balanced Warre, the nicely balanced Dow, with its plum, cherry and butterscotch flavors, and the spicy Quinta do Vesuvio. All of these wines promise great longevity.
Of the older contingent, Dow’s 1980 was still remarkable young; Taylor’s ’77 was lovely in that house’s lighter, constrained and more elegant style, while the still youthful ’77 Smith Woodhouse brought forth waves of floral scents over candied blackberry and jammy strawberry. Lastly, the 1985 Fonseca is delivering amazing complexity at 24 years, and should only gain momentum over the next decade.
Keeping in mind that this tasting was organized by the producers to hype the 2007 vintage, I discussed the wines with Darrel Corti. “It’s a lovely vintage,” he said, “but the problem is the price [of these wines — the average being about $100 a bottle]. Why would I buy a 2007, when I can get an older vintage cheaper?” — particularly in the light of the sad fact that some of us won’t outlast the wines.
