Vintage Port Wine Gifts

When giving a wine gift, people sometimes overlook the virtues of Vintage port particularly older vintages. Vintage port is definitely in the luxury category and unlike a top class Bordeaux it need not cost the earth. Vintage port is a traditional gift for Christenings and for Christmas – but it could be so much more. Why not send a Vintage Port gift from the recipients year of birth or just a mature port from the 1960’s. These are rare unique gifts that will be appreciated for years to come.

 

Vintage port is only made in exceptional years when the conditions conspire to produce wines of outstanding quality. When this occurs the producers will “declare” the vintage. Traditionally there are about three declared vintages every decade. Within the last decade the vintages from 2000, 2003, 2007 have all produced outstanding port wine which was declared buy the main producers. For christenings 2011 has just been declared as an outstanding vintage and the production quantities are tiny. This means that the wines will stand the test of time and are likely to appreciate in value. If you stick to one of the top brands like Taylor, Fonseca, Graham, Noval this is more likely to retain its value.

 

As a gift for the recipients birthday or a special anniversary, I would recommend sending them a port wine from their birth year or even a special date such as their year of the marriage. This is a unique and thoughtful gift. The great advantage with  Vintage Wine And Port  is that as it is fortified with grape spirit, it will last for a long time and is a safe selection. Of course some years are better than others and if the year falls on a declare year, one of exceptional quality, the recipient is in for a treat. For those years that were not declared some delightful single quintas are made. These tend to be cheaper in price but will normally stand the test of time. It is very rare for the harvest to be so bad that there is very little wine around. 

 

There is a lot of history surrounding vintage port. It originated from Napoleonic war-time when quality Bordeaux was in short supply. Wine was being imported from Portugal and it was found that adding brandy enabled it to withstand the journey to England. Over the centaury’s the trade has grown and although the UK is still the largest market, it is exported world wide. 

 

Apart from it rich history, vintage port is made with great care and skill. The grapes are hand picked and hand selected. The wine is still trodden by foot according to custom. The juice is gathered and fermented. The Addition of grape spirit during the fermentation process kills the yeast and the fermentation is stopped. As all the sugar has not been converted into alcohol, the wine is sweet. It is then matured in barrels for two years before being bottled. Vintage Port is designed to mature further in the bottles and it will only reach its peak after about 10 years. This whole process is laborious and accounts for some of the price. However, understanding the care that has gone into the bottle helps one to appreciate the wine.