1980 Warre Vintage Port

[John Sel]

On decanting: bright dark red with some paleness at the rim where there is clear attenuation. Characteristic floral nose which is gentle and persistent, with just a hint of underlying spice and richness. Positive impact on the palate which shows mouthfilling flavour and exquisite balance. This wine is all about finesse, gentle dark fruit flavours supported by good acidity and moderate tannin. At 24 hours (stoppered decanter at 16C): the floral element on the nose has given way to something darker, woodier and spicier. On the palate, a lightish middleweight with lots of mature charm. Altogether a very harmonious wine and an excellent example of the Warre style. There is a softness about the wine which perhaps means that it will never conquer the highest peaks in the VP range, but a beautifully constructed fine wine which is probably drinking at or near its best now. 94. (Also, I love the old style, slilghtly hunched port bottle - so much more alluring than some of the more modern styles that producers are embracing - no names, no pack drill!) Still going strong on day 3 - the nose is fading, but the wine has taken on a very pleasing round, rich character on the palate. Perhaps there is more life left in this than I thought.

[Eric Menchen]

Thanks for the note. I just saw some of this up for auction somewhere and had ignored it. I will reconsider, as we do like the Warres style.

[John Sel]

Good luck with the auction, Eric. It might be worth mentioning that the bottle to which my note relates was the last of the ones bought from a traditional UK merchant back in 1998. I suspect they were stock remaining from the first release of the 1980s, which I seem to recall was not met with great enthusiasm at the time. I subsequently bought some more Warre 1980 from a different, reputable, source. The wine was in impeccable condition, but did not seem like the same wine as my original bottles. It was an altogether more youthful colour and seemed almost in suspended animation, which was odd. The labelling of the later bottles was different. They had a back label, which the originals didn't, as well as a different typeface on the front label. I wrongly thought that the main difference was the reference on the front label of the later bottles to Warre being purveyor to the Queen of Denmark's Household, but I see on looking at the label on the old bottle (with my glasses on!) that the same was true of that. I guess the different style of label simply reflects a more recent shipping date from the cellars in Oporto, since I understand the labels are only applied when the wines are disgorged, as it were. Anyway, I would favour buying wines with the older style label if possible.