Berry Brothers Vintage Ports

Anything to do with Port.
Post Reply
User avatar
Axel P
Taylor Quinta de Vargellas 1987
Posts: 2027
Joined: 08:09 Wed 12 Sep 2007
Location: Langenfeld, near Cologne, Germany
Contact:

Berry Brothers Vintage Ports

Post by Axel P »

As I have kindly got a list from Berries Vintage Ports, please add or comment:

1947 -Fonseca
1955 - Graham
1960 – Rebello Valente
1963 – Taylor Fladgate
1966 – Warre
1970 – Warre
1975 – Gould Campbell
1977 – Quarles Harris
1980 – Warre
1983 – Warre
1985 –Smith Woodhouse
1991 –Smith Woodhouse
1994 –Smith Woodhouse
1997 –Warre
2000 –Smith Woodhouse
2003 –Quinta de La Rosa
2007 - Grahams
2011 – Grahams
Last edited by Axel P on 15:06 Sun 16 Aug 2015, edited 3 times in total.
worldofport.com
o-port-unidade.com
LGTrotter
Dalva Golden White Colheita 1952
Posts: 3707
Joined: 17:45 Fri 19 Oct 2012
Location: Somerset, UK

Re: Berry Brothers Vintage Ports

Post by LGTrotter »

I agree with the sentiment in the port tasting notes that the 1970 is not good. I bought some from Wylie wines a few years back and have been uniformly disappointed. Not up to scratch with the standard Warre, I don't know but speculate it was to do with the handling of the port rather than a problem with the base wine.
User avatar
Axel P
Taylor Quinta de Vargellas 1987
Posts: 2027
Joined: 08:09 Wed 12 Sep 2007
Location: Langenfeld, near Cologne, Germany
Contact:

Re: Berry Brothers Vintage Ports

Post by Axel P »

1955 by Graham

Acutally I do quite like the 1970, which I recently tasted. How often did you have this?
worldofport.com
o-port-unidade.com
LGTrotter
Dalva Golden White Colheita 1952
Posts: 3707
Joined: 17:45 Fri 19 Oct 2012
Location: Somerset, UK

Re: Berry Brothers Vintage Ports

Post by LGTrotter »

Axel P wrote:1955 by Graham

Acutally I do quite like the 1970, which I recently tasted. How often did you have this?
I think three times, perhaps twice, I still have one, maybe two left. I may be judging it harshly due to my adoration of the standard Warre 1970. I'll try and find the notes I have on it.
LGTrotter
Dalva Golden White Colheita 1952
Posts: 3707
Joined: 17:45 Fri 19 Oct 2012
Location: Somerset, UK

Re: Berry Brothers Vintage Ports

Post by LGTrotter »

LGTrotter wrote:
Axel P wrote:Acutally I do quite like the 1970, which I recently tasted. How often did you have this?
I think three times, perhaps twice, I still have one, maybe two left. I may be judging it harshly due to my adoration of the standard Warre 1970. I'll try and find the notes I have on it.
The Port Forum is about to enjoy the sight of me eating my words.

I think I must withdraw my previous remarks. I have found one note from 17.11.09 and it is glowing; 'toothsome', 'moreish' and 'youthful' being some of the words used.
LGTrotter
Dalva Golden White Colheita 1952
Posts: 3707
Joined: 17:45 Fri 19 Oct 2012
Location: Somerset, UK

Re: Berry Brothers Vintage Ports

Post by LGTrotter »

Further to the previous post I have just seen this exchange in 'introductions':
PhilW wrote:
RAYC wrote:pink capsules were used by Berry's in a number of their 1970 bottlings - Fonseca, Cockburn, Graham, and the BBR "Own Selection" (a junior blend of Warre, possibly using young vines). But BBR's bottling of Dow 1970 used red capsules so this wan't universal, and BBR's bottling of 1963 Croft used pink (and then 1966 Croft used blue), so I don't think they took a particularly methodical approach.
[off-topic aside to RAYC]Your comment on the Berry's Own Selection 1970 - "junior" Warre is intriguing - do you have any more info?
User avatar
RAYC
Taylor Quinta de Vargellas 1987
Posts: 2060
Joined: 23:50 Tue 04 May 2010
Location: London

Re: Berry Brothers Vintage Ports

Post by RAYC »

At the time of release, the 2007 was described to me by BBR as a bespoke blend by Peter Symington from Graham vineyards in celebration of his retirement (ie not Graham proper). I have not verified whether that has any truth to it.

EDIT: the spiel from the website
Simon Field, of BBR wrote:It was a great honour for Berry’s when Peter Symington, as part of his retirement celebrations (after a mere 45 years making superlative wines for Graham, Dow, Warre and the rest of them), made a very special vintage port, especially for us, its fruit sourced predominately from vines that also go to make up the Graham blend, in itself on of the top performers of the superlative year that was 2007.
....which, taking into account a bit of creativity from the PR men, suggests to me it is more likely to be Quarles Harris than Graham!! :wink:
Rob C.
JB vintage
Quinta do Noval LBV
Posts: 222
Joined: 09:18 Fri 17 May 2013
Location: Sweden
Contact:

Re: Berry Brothers Vintage Ports

Post by JB vintage »

I can complete the list with that 1947 is Fonseca
JB vintage
Quinta do Noval LBV
Posts: 222
Joined: 09:18 Fri 17 May 2013
Location: Sweden
Contact:

Re: Berry Brothers Vintage Ports

Post by JB vintage »

I can also confirm that I have got the same list of producer for all the vintages you, Axel, mention from 1960 onward. See www.vintageport.se
User avatar
RAYC
Taylor Quinta de Vargellas 1987
Posts: 2060
Joined: 23:50 Tue 04 May 2010
Location: London

Re: Berry Brothers Vintage Ports

Post by RAYC »

Berry Brothers have just released the the 2011 and the spiel is as follows:
[url=http://www.bbr.com/products-20122-2011-berry-bros-and-rudd-vintage-port]Simon Field[/url], of BBR wrote:When we asked Charles Symington, Head Winemaker at Dow, Graham and Warre, to send in samples for our Own Selection from the superb 2011 vintage, he was happy to oblige. After extensive tasting, we concluded the wine made in the style of Graham best captured the essence of this extraordinary year with its precision, purity and power.
Which is spectacularly opaque as to whether the BBR 2011 vintage port actually is a bespoke blend or a re-brand of one of the existing blends.

Looking at the description of the grape composition, however, it is not obvious that it is the same as Graham proper....
[url=http://www.bbr.com/products-20122-2011-berry-bros-and-rudd-vintage-port]Simon Field[/url], of BBR, describing 2011 Berrys' Own Selection VP wrote:The blend is mainly Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz, with a small percentage of Souzão sourced from some of the best vineyards of the Douro Superior.
[url=http://www.bbr.com/products-19367-2011-graham]Simon Field[/url], of BBR, describing 2011 Graham VP wrote:Touriga Nacional makes up 40% of the blend and lends characteristic pot pourri aromas and ripe dark fruit definition. The later ripening Touriga Franca has performed especially well this year, ensuring mid-palate definition and real precision on the finish.
Rob C.
User avatar
jdaw1
Cockburn 1851
Posts: 23613
Joined: 15:03 Thu 21 Jun 2007
Location: London
Contact:

Re: Berry Brothers Vintage Ports

Post by jdaw1 »

[url=http://www.thevintageportsite.com/special.php?go=kb&year=2011&brand=Graham%27s]The Vintage Port Site[/url], re Graham 2011, wrote:the final blend by varietal is 40% Touriga Nacional, 31% Touriga Franca, 23% Vinha Velha (old mixed vineyards), and 6% Sousão.
The Malvedos Blog wrote:there was a higher inclusion of Touriga Franca — 31%, compared to 25% in the previous declared Vintage, the 2007.
User avatar
RAYC
Taylor Quinta de Vargellas 1987
Posts: 2060
Joined: 23:50 Tue 04 May 2010
Location: London

Re: Berry Brothers Vintage Ports

Post by RAYC »

So it would appear not to be the same as the Graham blend then, or (from a very brief look) as any of the other blends they have released under brand.
Rob C.
Andy Velebil
Quinta do Vesuvio 1994
Posts: 3028
Joined: 22:16 Mon 25 Jun 2007
Location: Los Angeles, Ca USA
Contact:

Re: Berry Brothers Vintage Ports

Post by Andy Velebil »

I tried to look at the breakdown for other Symington VP's and most don't list them. :(
User avatar
RAYC
Taylor Quinta de Vargellas 1987
Posts: 2060
Joined: 23:50 Tue 04 May 2010
Location: London

Re: Berry Brothers Vintage Ports

Post by RAYC »

Andy Velebil wrote:I tried to look at the breakdown for other Symington VP's and most don't list them. :(
)

The Vintage Port Site seemed to me to be pretty good for this - i certainly thought there was enough detail to infer that the stated BBR blend did not fit the profile of any of the main brands.

Quarles Harris is the only Symington blend that seems to include Tinta Roriz as a principal component (going by Roy's TN on FTLOP), but i don't think QH otherwise fits the blend profile (from memory - not enough TN)

Blend breakdown from Vintage Port Site:
Cockburn: Touriga Nacional (55%), Touriga Franca (30%) Quinta do Vale Coelho old mixed vines (10%) Sousão (5%)
Dow: Touriga Franca (40%), Touriga Nacional (36%) Sousão (10%) as well as 14% of old mixed plantings.
Roriz: Touriga Nacional (42%) and Touriga Franca (28%) Tinta Francisca (18%) and Sousão (12%)
Vesuvio: Touriga Nacional (40%) Touriga Franca (45%) Tinta Barroca (10%) and Tinta Amarela (5%)
Smith Woodhouse: majority from "Madalena old mixed vineyards" with Touriga Franca as the "other principal contribution"
Warre: very old mixed vines (40%), Touriga Nacional (37%) and Touriga Franca (23%)
Rob C.
Post Reply