In his book Facts About Port and Madeira, recording a visit to the lodges of Vila Nova de Gaia in 1877 and published in 1880, Henry Vizetelly wrote:At the lodges of Offley, Forrester & Co. we tasted some fine full-bodied but exceedingly mellow vintage wines of the years 1870-75, from the renowned Quinta da Boa Vista. A sample of 1866, regarded as one of the worst years among Port wine vintages, was also shown to us, and proved exceedingly light and refined in flavour, having, moreover, a beautiful bouquet.
This is the earliest Vintage Port TN I have ever read.
"The first duty of Port is to be red" Ernest H. Cockburn