From the folks at Chicago Wine Company (where most of my purchases at auction ... when they were the ONLY auction in the USA back in the 1980s and early 1990's took place). Mags of 1970 and 1977 Taylor and Fonseca for considerably less per bottle than these offerings of 750s. Those were the days, but this company can be trusted for great provenance!
Roy
Fantastic Ports from 1970
We are pleased to offer below three of the finest Vintage Ports from 1970. We were able to secure a great parcel of these all in very good condition. Now 38 years old, these wines are all drinking very well right now as evidenced by Robert Parker's recent tasting note for 1970 Fonseca...."as good as vintage port can be".
1970 Fonseca, Vintage Port (750ml)
Robert Parker - 99 Points (Hedonist Gazette)
Wine Spectator - 96 Points
Wine Advocate - 93 Points
$ 179.50 per Bottle (750ml)
Delivery: March 2009
"99 out of 100...Lastly, we had a real elixir, the 1970 Fonseca Vintage Port. I bought a lot of this port when port prices were cheap in the mid to late-seventies, and I’m fortunate enough to have over a case left in my cellar. It is pure essence of Fonseca, filled with spicy notes of incense, licorice, and caramelized red and black fruits, with an intoxicating, extraordinarily ostentatious, but perfectly balanced, pure style. This is as good as vintage port can be, and it has another two decades of life remaining." - Robert Parker, Hedonist Gazette (July 2008)
"96 out of 100...Some people may enjoy this wine's rather fat, rich and powerful fruit now, but I still find it too young for drinking. Deeply colored, with smoky mint, tar and fruit aromas, full-bodied, with concentrated fruit flavors and plenty of tannins." - WS (1989)
"93 out of 100...Fonseca is one of the great port lodges, producing the most exotic and most complex port. If Fonseca lacks the sheer weight and power of a Taylor, Dow or Warre, or the opulent sweetness and intensity of a Graham, it excels in its magnificently complex, intense bouquet of plummy, cedary, spicy fruit and long, broad, expansive flavors. With its lush, seductive character, one might call it the Pomerol of Vintage ports. When it is young, it often loses out in blind tastings to the heavier, weightier, more tannic wines, but I always find myself upgrading my opinion of Fonseca after it has had 7-10 years of age. The 1970, of course, is a powerful Fonseca with an exotic bouquet and lush, creamy, multidimensional flavors." - WA (1989)
1970 Taylor, Vintage Port (750ml)
Wine Spectator - 98 Points
Wine Advocate - 96 Points
$ 175.00 per Bottle (750ml)
Delivery: March 2009
"96 out of 100...This house must certainly be the Latour of Portugal. Their ports are remarkably backward yet still impressive when young. Of all the vintage ports, those of Taylor need the longest time to mature and even when fully mature seem to have an inner strength and firmness that keep them going for decades. Their tawnys are also among the very best, though somewhat expensive. The 1970 fabulous, a broodingly dense-colored, backward port that has all the signs of future greatness, provided one is willing to cellar it until the early 1990s." - WA (1989)
"98 out of 100...Clearly lives up to Taylor's superb reputation. Deep ruby, with intense violet and chocolate aromas, full-bodied, with gorgeous fruit flavors, full but well-integrated tannins and an extremely long finish. Amazing balance and finesse. Still needs time." - WS (1989)
1970 Graham, Vintage Port (750ml)
Robert Parker - 96 Points (Hedonist Gazette)
Wine Spectator - 94 Points
Wine Advocate - 93 Points
$ 155.00 per Bottle (750ml)
Delivery: March 2009
"96 out of 100...Lastly, we finished the evening with an exquisite bottle of 1970 Graham's Vintage Port. It was rich and concentrated with loads of berry fruit, an unctuous texture, balanced freshness, and surprising vigor and youthfulness for 36-year old port." - Robert Parker, Hedonist Gazette (2006)
"94 out of 100...This is an extremely full-bodied, powerful wine, but it still retains a classy balance. Deep ruby, with chocolate and berry aromas, full-bodied, with anise and dried cherry flavors, full, hard tannins and a long finish. Good now but a few more yearsof bottle age would improve it. Best from 1990 through 1993." - WS (1989)
"93 out of 100...Graham is another great port house, producing one of the deepest-colored and sweetest styles of vintage port. Along with Taylor and Fonseca, Graham has probably been the most consistent producer of great port in the post- World War II era. Their tawnys are quite good rather than exceptional, but their vintage ports are truly sublime and sumptuous. The 1970 is a monumental vintage port and one of the greats of the vintage. It begs to be drunk now, although it will last for at least another two decades." - WA (1989)
For more information, please visit our website at http://www.tcwc.com or call us 630-594-2972. Our Senior Wine Consultant, Simon Lambert (simon@tcwc.com), would be pleased to help you with any special requirements you might have.