Recommendation request

[Andy White]

Hello, new to the site but hopefully a reader can assist. My nephew turns one in a couple of weeks and so I would like to get a gift of port, either a very good bottle or case that will be ripe for drinking when he turns 18, so 2034 (if my maths is good!). Could anybody suggest anything? Alternatively, a port from last year with the same idea that we can drink it on his 18th? Many thanks for any tips/advice/suggestions.

[Glenn E.]

Hi Andy, welcome to FTLOP!



As you may already know, Port from any particular year does not appear in the market until at least 2 years later. In the US it is sometimes closer to 3 years later simply because it takes extra time for it to reach our shores from Portugal. What that means is that the current release of Vintage Port - from the 2015 vintage - is only now starting to make its way across the Atlantic to the US.

Luckily for you, there seems to be a lot of excitement in Portugal about the 2016 vintage. Expectations for a general declaration were quite high for the 2015 vintage, but it didn't happen, which makes a general declaration in 2016 just that much more likely. (The last general declaration was in 2011.) So some time in late 2018 you may start seeing a few 2016 vintages appear in online listings in the US. That's probably what you'll want to wait and buy so that your nephew can have Port from his birth year. If you'd like to have something to give this year on his birthday, may I suggest a gift certificate for the future Port?

[Christian Gollnick]

Hi Andy, as Glen mentioned, you are quite lucky with he birth-year of your nephew... there will be a lot of Port available from the Vintage 2016. I believe that there will be 50+ different 2016 Vintage Ports launched. These announcements happen normally in the late spring... and then in autumn the wines start to show up online and in shops. I don't know exactly where you are located, but as you want to give the Port to your nephew on his 18th rather than his 21st birthday I assume it's the UK... which is great news, because you will have a lot of different offers in the market. Our hero, guru and friend Roy Hersh will most likely spend a few weeks in Portugal in the summer of 2018 to taste all available Vintage Ports and will then publish his thoughts in the FTLOP newsletter - which is a must read if you really want to make a well founded decision about the 2016 Vintage. I hope there will be a lot of buzz around the Port declarations in the spring of next year - and that you decide not only to buy a case of Port for your nephew... but also a few for yourself...

[Andy White]

Thank you both for your replies. I'm clearly not as clued up as you guys - just know what I like! So a case of vintage port from 2016 will be drinkable 18 years on? From the little I remember from my tastings some were meant to be kept, still maturing over the years. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge! Andy

[Al B.]

Andy,

It's a very general rule of thumb that vintage port starts to really hit its stride at the age of 21. At the age of 18 it might still have a little improving still to do but it will be very drinkable.

My suggestion would be to buy a couple of bottles (or a case) of the port you select so your nephew has the chance to drink it twice - once on his 18th birthday and once on his 21st. My grandparents did something similar for me - they opened and we drank a bottle of port at my family 21st birthday dinner and when I said I liked it they gave me a case.

There is something really lovely about being able to drink a port as old as you are.

[Moses Botbol]

I would buy a case as soon as they are on the market. I would then look for the same bottle in following years just to try it without opening the case.

You can't go wrong with buying Taylor or Fonseca as an investment.

[Andy White]

Al, Moses,
thank you both for your replies. His 21st will also work if it means it will have improved further (although in England your 18th is a bigger deal than your 21st - I can fully understand why it may be the reverse over in the States!). I like the idea of him enjoying a glass (or two..) from his birth year, along with the memories it will bring to my brother.
Thanks to all who contributed to my quesion - great site! Much appreciated, cheers, Andy

[Andy Velebil]

Thank you both for your replies. I'm clearly not as clued up as you guys - just know what I like! So a case of vintage port from 2016 will be drinkable 18 years on? From the little I remember from my tastings some were meant to be kept, still maturing over the years. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge! Andy

Yes. Any decent producer's Vintage Port from a good year should easily last 18 years. The top houses will still be considered young at 18 years old, as they are designed to easily make it 40+ years.

As mentioned 2016 is shaping up to be a good year, from all the rumors so far anyways. But we won't know for sure until early next year when samples start coming out and producers start declaring what they are releasing. That said, I am sure you won't have any problems getting some amazingly great VP's for your nephew around this time next year when it is released. I guess the good part is you can use that time to save up a bit of extra cash and get him a full or half case. That way he can try it more times after his 18th birthday....or if he doesn't like Port by then, you'll have something good to drink.

[Roy Hersh]

Considering that there were 76 Ports approved by the IVDP from the 2015 vintage, it is easy to say that there will be at least that many released from the 2016 vintage.

[Paul C. Metman]

Considering that there were 76 Ports approved by the IVDP from the 2015 vintage, it is easy to say that there will be at least that many released from the 2016 vintage.

Hi Roy,
Where can I find a complete list of all these approved VP's of 2015?

[Thomas V]

Considering that there were 76 Ports approved by the IVDP from the 2015 vintage, it is easy to say that there will be at least that many released from the 2016 vintage.

Hi Roy,
Where can I find a complete list of all these approved VP's of 2015?

Take a look there. This has most of them listed.
http://www.fortheloveofport.com/ftlopfo ... =1&t=40216

[Eric Menchen]

Given your location Andy, the Niepoort brand might be worth considering, although the family has been in Portugal for some time now.