I have, for the past three years, been excited about trying the 2007 Vintage Ports. In what could be one last hurrah for the old port buying nations (before the far eastern market diverts their attentions to these fortified wines), this vintage has the potential to be one of the greatest ever. Sure, all port producers say that, but this really could be the once in a lifetime vintage - up there with 1927 or 1945.
I gathered together nine different vintages, all cask samples, and pulled the corks. It was one of those days that I love my job!
2007 Croft Vintage Port
Lovely, fresh cassis with a bit of menthol and freshly cut mint on lamb. Cinnamon and cloves come through the very inviting, fresh and sweet nose. A thick, softness up front on the palate, lots of juicy fresh berries with superbly well integrated alcohol. A stalky flavour comes through, with leather elements and more cloves, but this time clove rock. It is a very tasty, and drinkable, port. 8/10 (potential 9/10)
2007 Niepoort Vintage Port
Very minty - cassis plays a very distant second fiddle to the spearmint aromas, with some aniseed too. Only after a while does bramble and bonfire toffee come out of the glass and up your nostrils. The palate has a dustiness, lots of leather and a lovely spice element. It is very very dry, with tobacco galore. It is lighter bodied than the Croft, but a harder wine at the moment, but it will develop into a gorgeous, elegant older lady but not for many years. 6/10 (9/10)
2007 Delaforce Vintage Port
Very sweet and jammy with white chocolate and some vanilla too. A minty lamb aroma as well that was quite sweet and very pleasant. A big, gutsy palate, spicy, with lots of firm tannin and a big alcohol kick, punching through jammy flavours with a big old cigar dunked in for good measure. A simple wine that delivers its flavours in a very punchy, binary way! 7/10 (8/10)
2007 Quinta do Vale Meao Vintage Port
Light and quite closed on the nose, with cherry aromas and some sharp raspberry. The palate is bold dark and brooding with chocolate, leather and a lot of liquorice. A lot of cinnamon stick and firm tannins come through. There is a kick of alcohol shows a fierceness, and this is like a tomboy that will grow up to be a beauty. 6/10 (9/10)
2007 Churchills Vintage Port
Very vegetal with a chai tea aroma and a lot of coffee. Some really nice berries come off and continue onto the palate that is light, bright and full of juicy bramble, a little leather and some burnt toast bitterness. This is very special and a wine that I would buy lots of given half a chance. 8/10 (9/10)
2007 Taylors Vintage Port
Elegant. A balance of savoury, sweet & spice. Aniseed, pink peppercorns sprinkle a gorgeous prine aroma. This wine just gently meanders over your palate, sometimes giving full on fruit and then sometimes a light floral element. It is so well delivered, even at this young age. It is only on the finish, a blend of leather and sweet tobacco, that spice and tannin grips you, but it is done firmly and gently, so you don't mind at all. A warm, delightful wine. 8/10 (10/10)
2007 Fonseca Vintage Port
So light, with lots of herbs and cocoa. The palate is sweet, soft and pretty, with soft spice, soft tannin and soft alcoho. Pretty much.... soft! 7/10 (8/10)
2007 Warres Vintage Port
A gorgeous sweet and sour aroma with cassis, juniper and honey coating some raspberries. A very drinkable port, velvety tannin, with lovely fruit padding a vegetal backbone. It is wonderfully clean on the spicy finish and for some reason, this sensation reminded me of what a German Riesling does! Very, very good. 8/10 (10/10)
2007 Grahams Vintage Port
A lot of juicy fresh fruit and darker, stickier jammy fruit all mixed in with some dried fruit! Then lighter floral elements come through, with sweet cocoa powder and a cinnamon and pepper element. Dark liquorice, dark chocolate and a hint of fruitcake and marzipan sweetness. Lots of coffee come through with some leather notes and silky tannin. This is an outstanding port, and, although I have bundles of Grahams in my cellar and therefore am a little bias, my wine of the tasting. 8/10 (10/10)
These are great wines, and even the smaller houses are producing wines that are world class. The house styles were all very clearly defined, and it is no surprise that my favourite houses, Grahams and Taylors, came up trumps for me. These are not expensive at the moment, and if you want to pop aside a case of 6 of these for long term cellaring, you can for less than £400. I urge you to go out and do it.
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