For The Love Of Port

I am trying to accumulate a few bottles or a Mag for my wife's 30th. Is anyone aware of anything or would anyone care to sell me something from their private cellar?

Thanks,

Dave

Hi David,

1980 has some very good Ports. One of the best is the Dow, and you might be able to find that in magnums if you're lucky. Or just get 2 bottles!

Finding magnums of older Port can be difficult if you don't have connections. Magnums aren't typically found in retail stores, which makes the search harder because wine-searcher won't find many listings. You might have to start checking auctions and hope for some luck.

Other fine Vintage Ports to look for from 1980 are:

Ferreira
Graham
Gould Campbell
Offley Boa Vista
Smith Woodhouse
Warre
Niepoort

David, check with Wide World of Wines in DC and ask them to source a bottle for you. Their connections are solid w/ Port wine. Schneider's also does a good job with Port there. Arrowine in Arlington also used to have a really solid selection of Ports, but with Ann gone, I don't know if that is true anymore.

This is a good thread for me also, since I was born in the same year. I did grab a Kopke 1980 Colheita already, but it wouldn't hurt to find a good vintage bottle from that year as well. From what I have gathered from other threads discussing when to drink vintage ports, 1980 should be perfectly drinkable at this stage, right?

Does anyone have an absolute favorite VP from that year? I may only buy one bottle of the VP, so I want to make it a good one. (And if anybody has a good local Seattle source for this vintage, that would be appreciated as well)

David
I moved this to the Port Forum since you're seeking some recommendations and this is a good thread about what are some good VP's in 1980. Plus, more people will see it here and hopefully get more help.

I also need to say to the forum. I do hope you chose to stay with us for a while. I promise we're a friendly group that will have you buying lots of Port in short order

Roy Hersh wrote:Other fine Vintage Ports to look for from 1980 are:

Ferreira
Graham
Gould Campbell
Offley Boa Vista
Smith Woodhouse
Warre
Niepoort

David, check with Wide World of Wines in DC and ask them to source a bottle for you. Their connections are solid w/ Port wine. Schneider's also does a good job with Port there. Arrowine in Arlington also used to have a really solid selection of Ports, but with Ann gone, I don't know if that is true anymore.

Roy - what about Taylor and Sandeman?

Actually, 1980 was not awesome, but the wines are solid and drinking well today.

Hi,

Had a Warre's 1980 last month, very nice - Didn't right anything down but from what i can remember - spicy with choclate not huge on Fruit, but a rounded slightly nutty (Port had a brown edge) taste, slightly spirity (aren't a lot of warre's) improved over 2 days as it softened, 88-90 Points

Hope this helps

Dom

dom carter wrote:Hi,

Had a Warre's 1980 last month, very nice - Didn't right anything down but from what i can remember - spicy with choclate not huge on Fruit, but a rounded slightly nutty (Port had a brown edge) taste, slightly spirity (aren't a lot of warre's) improved over 2 days as it softened, 88-90 Points

Hope this helps

Dom

Dom,
Yes it does help, thanks. And if you could just copy this into the Tasting Note Section I'd appreciate it. That way it will be easily searchable and appear in our Tasting Note Database.

@Andy,

Done!

Regards

Dom

Is David going to be just another "one hit wonder" ... come in, ask for and receive help, never to be heard from again?

Nope, he posted his 2nd post today. Woohoo!

Had a few 1980's, the Smith Woodhouse really surprised me a very good VP

cj savino wrote:Had a few 1980's, the Smith Woodhouse really surprised me a very good VP

I thought the 1977, 1983, and 1985 SW were all very good, so I'm not too surprised. None was the wine of the vintage for me (can't really even say what is for 1983 as I've only had a few), but all were very solid.