Do you still own pre-2000 Douro wines?

[Roy Hersh]

I was looking through my Douro wines the other day and found the oldest bottle is a 1989 Ferreirinha Reserva. I have some 1996 bottles and from Crasto some from 1999. One other from Ferreirinha from 1994. Otherwise it is all 2000 and younger. What about you?

[Andy Velebil]

I was lucky enough to stumble across a small stash of some Crasto Douro wines from 1998-1999. Most are still waiting to be shipped due to weather out here, but I can't wait to get my hands on them. I've also got a couple 1992 Mateus Signature Douro's that I got for $5. They're a bit tired but still not a bad inexpensive aged Douro for the house. But between them all it's around a case or so.

[David Pimentel]

This is my first time posting on the site so I must say to start with that this site is Fantastic. Very informative and I like the honesty sown in the writing and suggestions given.

Very little Crasto and some 1999 Quinta do Vale Meao.

Would you think the reason why there wasn't a Portuguese table wine or Vintage port in the WS Top 10 was due to the 2007 reviews having just come out?

[Daniel R.]

Some Quinta do Cotto, Barca Velha and Reserva Especial from the 80s. Plenty from the 90s.

[Frederick Blais]

Not much.... from memory here what I think I have

Barca Velha 95
Ferreirinha reserva 97
Redoma 99
Duas Quinta Reserva 95

[Ronald Wortel]

To my shame it's only one bottle: Quinta do Crasto Vinha Maria Teresea 1998

I had my eye on a case of Quinta do Cotto Grande Escolha 1985 for next to nothing, but couldn't get the deal round before our emigration...

[João Rico]

Some....

Fojo 96
Quinta do Cotto Grande Escolha 82, 85, 87, 90, 94
Ferreirinha Reserva Especial 1997
Ferreirinha Reserva Especial 1962
Ferreirinha Reserva Especial 1984
Niepoort Batuta 99
Niepoort Redoma 96, 97, 99

[Roy Hersh]

David P.,

Welcome aboard and we're glad to have you join us here. Thanks for the kind words about the site and we hope you will become an integral member and willing to share your knowledge with us. We are all looking to learn!

Come back early and often.


To respond to your question, I think that the likelihood is that after having a Portuguese wine in the Top 10 spot in 2008, they probably did not want to repeat producers and they have a very unique way of picking Top 100 wines. Quality is only one factor, but they also include price, region, very important is the amount produced and the amount allocated for import into the USA and various other dynamics. It is not easy for a little known wine producing country to break into the Top 10, no less the Top 100. Maybe we will see the 2007s show up in the 2010 Top 100 List and hopefully one will break into the top 10.

[Roy Hersh]

Joao,

I have not had any Douro wines that pre-date the 1980s, so I'd love to hear if those 1960s bottlings have shown well for you in the recent past? Fascinating, for sure.

Melhores cumprimentos.

[João Rico]

Roy,

I had a lot of pre 1980 Douro wines, specially from Real Companhia Velha, Ferreirinha and Quinta do Côtto.

Real Companhia Velha did the Grandjo and Grandleve Garrafeiras, back to 1950's. Never had one really good.
Ferreirinha, Barca Velha the 64, 65 andd 66. I had some grat bottles of these ones, specially the 65. Great wines.
The Reserva Especial, i had the 60 (first Reserva Especial) that was not great, lots of evolution, the 62, that was better but still old and the 74, that was tired too. They are better from 1980.
The Quinta do Côtto did some experiments in the 60's and 70's with varietal Bastardo and Sousão. I had the 70, 75, 76, 79, 80 from both Sousão and Bastardo. Some were really nice but most of them not so good. The cellaring conditions were something to account for, but i can guess some of them can be good if kept well.
Had the Grandjó 1925 and man that was outstanding wine, really rare, but outstanding. It was the only gandjó i tasted that was really great. The other ones, were pretty dead.


I'll keep the 62 Ferreira for us to taste one day...

Abraço,

JR

[Mahmoud Ali]

The oldest Douro wine I have would be a 1996 Duas Quintas. Others include '97 Crasto, '99 Crasto Reserva, '99 Crasto Touriga National, and '99 Vinhos Sogrape Douro Reserva.

My oldest non-Douro wine would be a 1978 Garrafiera (I don't remember the producer or region since I'm not at home but it has a beautiful colourful label of St George and the dragon). Then there is an '86 Jose de Sousa by JM Foseca, plus some '88, '89 and '90 Dao (very much an experiment since I missed a Dao vertical many years ago and heard that the wines aged well) and a few odd bottles of wines from the early to mid '90s.

Cheers................Mahmoud.

PS: There may be a pre-2000 Mateus Signature in the cellar but I'm not sure. I know I had one or two but can't remember if I drank them both.

[Moses Botbol]

No Douro's, just Dao older than 2000 that is still going strong.

[Pedro Guimaraes]

Almost none...

I have
Barca-Velha 1995
Marques de Soveral Garrafeira 1980 and 1985 (but im not carrying high hopes for these). Anyone tasted these wines?

My oldest bottles are in Dao and Bairrada...

[Andy Velebil]

Almost none...

I have
Barca-Velha 1995
Marques de Soveral Garrafeira 1980 and 1985 (but im not carrying high hopes for these). Anyone tasted these wines?

My oldest bottles are in Dao and Bairrada...

I've had the 1995 Barca Velha earlier this year. From memory, I prefered it to the 1991, which I thought was already past it's prime. The '95 was still youthful and elegant and appeared to have a number of years ahead of it.

[Roy Hersh]

With or without that bottle of 1962 Ferreirinha in hand, I am really looking forward to meeting you. Sorry it did not work out this year ... but we tried. In 2010, we will definitely share bottles together!

I have to say, I am finding this fascinating hearing what everyone has that is older. But 1925 ... wow, what an experience that must have been. Was it a bottle Dirk owned?

[Andy Velebil]

finally got my 1998 Quinta do Crasto Maria Teresa in.

[João Rico]

With or without that bottle of 1962 Ferreirinha in hand, I am really looking forward to meeting you. Sorry it did not work out this year ... but we tried. In 2010, we will definitely share bottles together!

I have to say, I am finding this fascinating hearing what everyone has that is older. But 1925 ... wow, what an experience that must have been. Was it a bottle Dirk owned?

Yes it was. He prepared a 10th of June (Portugal Day) dedicated to Portuguese old wines. All were older than 1980. So we started at 11AM and finished by 7PM with more than 70 bottles opened. Great day that was.
Finished with the handwrited 1927 from Dirk's father.

Abraço,

JR