For The Love Of Port

On a danish webste (vinavisen.dk) I found a chart showing when to drink your Vintages...
Now, I know this is highly individual depending on a number of factors, including producer, storage and more...
I have -of course- also taken a look at Roy's recommendation here http://www.fortheloveofport.com/faqs/port-faqs#HowLong

What are your feelings/recommendations on this list?
Now, I also read -think it was here on that vintages start to 'shut down' after 6-7years for a period of time only to wake up again more mature - Does this vary from vintage to vintage? or is it again also producer specific?
Is there a time that I should not touch some of my VP's at all?

Your thoughts, please...

Vintage
2007 Drink from 2017 - 2040
2006 Drink from 2013 - 2023
2005 Drink from 2015 - 2040
2004 Drink from 2014 - 2022
2003 Drink from 2013 - 2025
2002 Drink now
2001 Drink now
2000 Drink from 2010 - 2030
1999 Drink from 2010 - 2020
1998 Drink from 2005 - 2015
1997 Drink from 2020 - 2050
1996 Drink from 2005 - 2015
1995 Drink from 2010 - 2040
1994 Drink from 2020 - 2060
1993 Drink now
1992 Drink from 2005 - 2020
1991 Drink from 2005 - 2020
1990 Drink from 2005 - 2010
1987 Drink now until 2010
1985 Drink now until 2040

oh, the list is supposed to be reviewed here in Jan 2011 - still waiting for it...

Cheers,
Claus

Intersting.
2007 Drink from 2017 - 2040 - Can't really argue with this. Seems reasonable.
2006 Drink from 2013 - 2023 - Can't say.
2005 Drink from 2015 - 2040 - I'm surprised by that 2040 number. Right now I plan on drinking my 2005s before then.
2004 Drink from 2014 - 2022 - Can't really argue with this. Seems reasonable. I was wondering if they just had a default of adding ten years to the vintage for a start. A few might go longer than 2022.
2003 Drink from 2013 - 2025 - Only 2025? I've bought anticipating that some will last quite a bit longer.
2002 Drink now
2001 Drink now
2000 Drink from 2010 - 2030 - Again, I see that magic vintage plus 10 start time. 2030. Hmmmm. I think some of the big ones will last longer.
1999 Drink from 2010 - 2020
1998 Drink from 2005 - 2015
1997 Drink from 2020 - 2050 - Interesting that they think this one will outlast the 2000 and 2003s. I would have thought otherwise.
1996 Drink from 2005 - 2015
1995 Drink from 2010 - 2040
1994 Drink from 2020 - 2060 - Some of these are great now; the Taylor and Fonseca might still be good in 2060. I have plenty of others that won't be.
1993 Drink now
1992 Drink from 2005 - 2020
1991 Drink from 2005 - 2020
1990 Drink from 2005 - 2010
1987 Drink now until 2010 - Drink up?! If you can find one of these, it might be good for a few more years.
1985 Drink now until 2040 - I don't know that I would wait until 2040 on a number of (most?) labels.

Generally, I disagree on any end date in a vintage port drinking window. The same reviewer that says a port has a 40 year window will drink a 60 year old vintage and says it's holding up well.

I honestly don't see a whole lot of use in these types of lists. When you're being given 20 or 30 or more years of leeway, well... how helpful is that? Do I drink my 1994's in 2020 or 2060?

There are just so many factors that go into figuring out when to drink your ports that giving a specific window (especially such a huge window) to an entire vintage just seems overly simplistic. To use the 94s as an example, I've had some that would be better drunk immediately as they are already starting to fade, and I've had some that I can't imagine ever fading in my lifetime.

Part of it is also just personal taste. I tend to enjoy drinking VPs on the younger side and often pop bottles that others wouldn't dare touch for another 10 or 20 years. Nothing is more helpful than personal experience, but the next best thing is to get others' personal opinions on whatever the specific bottle is that you want to know about - which is why FTLOP is such a great resource!

It's always best to either taste them for yourself, check the Tasting Note Database here, or feel free to ask the group here what their thoughts are on a particular bottle.

That said, lists like these are just a guideline on an overall assessment for the vintage which takes into account the top and bottom ranked bottles. So take any vintage guide such as this with a grain of salt. For example, a 2003 Fonseca VP will probably way outlive a 2003 Royal Oporto VP yet according to this chart they both should be drunk by the same time frame. So don't get too wrapped up in exact dates for drinking VP's. I think its safe to say many of us here have had Ports that have FAR exceeded any drinking windows that may have been listed years ago.

I don't think I'll be paying too much attention to the chart. I'd expect all of my 03s to last a lot longer than that. The tasting notes posted by everybody on are far more useful I think.

As for the second question, about Ports closing up after 6 or 7 years, I can't add much there but I'd sure like to hear some opinions from people more knowledgeable than me. It's an excellent question and one that probably warrants it's own thread.