Pointless Statistics

[Alex Bridgeman]

Some pointless tasting statistics from my 2023 notes.

In 2023 I tasted (or drank) from 615 different containers of Port or pretend-Port. Some containers were small (5cl) and some were larger — the largest this year was a 600cl imperial of Taylor 1977 drunk at dinner at the Tower of London in June. Most were between these extremes. It's the second largest number of tasting notes I've written in a year, behind last year's 768.

The oldest wine I tasted in 2023 was an 1834 from Krohn (twice!). In total there were 11 wines from the 19th century included in my tasting notes.

The average age of the vintage dated wines tasted was 46 years. By type of Port this broke down to be:
Colheita - 45
Crusted - 19
Garrafeira - 42
LBV - 13
VP/SQVP - 48
White Colheita - 34

- 413 (67%) of the Ports were Ruby (18 ruby or ruby reserve, 23 LBV, 4 crusted, 45 SQVP, 323 VP).
- 163 (27%) of the Ports were Tawny (6 tawny or tawny reserve, 24 10YO, 22 20YO, 5 30YO, 18 40YO, 2 50YO, 2 +80YO, 84 colheita).
- 34 (6%) of the Ports were White (2 white or white reserve, 9 10YO, 1 20YO, 6 30YO, 3 40YO, 4 50YO, 2 +80YO, 7 colheita)
- 3 of the Ports were Garrafeira
- 1 of the Ports was Pink
- 1 of the Ports was not strictly Port (1 Douro Moscatel)

The best wine I tasted was a bottle of Taylor's 1896 Colheita, which I gave 100 points. There were 8 wines I tasted in 2023 which I gave 99 points - there was some amazing drinking last year! I had a couple of poor bottles of Croft (1982 and 1966) last year which didn't seem to be flawed, just not good wines.

107 of the 615 Ports were new to me and were wines I've not tasted before. Of this 107, 50 were Vintage Ports I've not tasted before. The most welcome and satisfying of these was Smith Woodhouse 1963 - a wine I have been looking to taste for nearly 20 years! Thank you to everyone who made it happen.

[winesecretary]

That 1896 Colheita was a miraculous drink.

[Christopher]

Running a bit late on this page this year.

Always enjoy this although it does highlight how rubbish my statistics are on my Port Consumption/Buying.

Generally I would say I am flat but I have been drinking more of my super treasures. Buying older Ports has become a lot more competitive but 60's and 70's have been particularly good value. Not purchase anything from 70 onwards ex half a case of 92 LBV and 77QH. Oldest purchase an 1805 Trafalager Solera sherry.

[Alex Bridgeman]

Time for some more pointless statistics.

On 31 December 2024, my cellar comprised of the following (with 2012 figures in brackets)
Port 86% (91%)
Bordeaux 3% (3%)
South Africa 2% (0.5%)
Italy 1% (less than 0.5%)
Australia 1% (1%)
Portugal 1% (less than 0.5%)
Spain 1% (0.5%)
England 1% (less than 0.5%)
California 1% (less than 0.5%)
Champagne 1% (2%)
and small numbers of bottles from Hungary, Greece, Chile and other French regions. The only real change since the end of last year is the relative order of wines which make up about 1% of the cellar.

Of the Port, 67% (61%) is 21 years of age or older and therefore ready for drinking. 87% (89%) of the Port containers are bottles, 10% (8%) are 50cl or smaller, 3% (3%) are magnums or larger.

The average age of the Port is 40 years and 262 days (compared with 34 years and 185 days when I first did the calculation at the end of 2016). Last year it was 39 years and 292 days, so in the last year my bottles have only aged 11 months – I have discovered the secret of time travel!

61% (68%) of the containers hold Vintage Port, 24% (25%) Single Quinta Vintage Port, 6% (<0.5%) is tawny or Colheita, 4% (6%) LBV, 1% (1%) is crusted, 2% (<0.5%) is white and 2% (0%) is other things (like advent calendars and tasting kits).

The top 5 shippers in my cellar are Vesuvio 12% (15%), Graham 8% (8%), Warre 7% (8%), Fonseca 6%, and Quinta do Noval 6% (less than 5%).

The top 5 vintages are 1994 6% (7%), 2011 6% (0%), 1963 5% (10%), 2000 5% (less than 5%) and 1997 4% (6%). There are 840 (409) different Ports in the cellar waiting to be consumed.

What am I buying these days? I like to tell myself "nothing", but that's not true. I buy bits and pieces from here and there, the odd advent calendar, a couple of cases of the latest released of Vesuvio and Noval to keep verticals going and older stuff that looks interesting. I try to drink more than I buy but failed spectacularly to do so in 2024. So far, I am doing better in 2025 - I am 7 bottles down on the start of the year! Huzzah me!!

[jdaw1]

1963 5% (10%)

That’s drinking!

[Alex Bridgeman]

1963 5% (10%)

That’s drinking!

That’s what the bottles were bought for.

[Alex Bridgeman]

Another couple of pointless statistics. Since I started keeping tabs (and taking notes) on the Ports I have tasted in 2006, my top three most frequently tasted Ports are (drum roll):

In third place - Warre 1970 with 67 tasting notes.

In second place - Graham 1970 with 69 tasting notes.

And in first place with 72 tasting notes is (another drum roll) - Fonseca 1985!


I'm guessing none of the top three will come as a surprise. They're all damn good wines!

[benread]

I'm guessing none of the top three will come as a surprise. They're all damn good wines!

I’m surprised a Vesuvio does not feature!


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