100 point ports

[Portman]

Setting aside the whole critic scoring issue (how do you quantify something that is such a moving target), I'm curious if you have had port bottles that YOU felt were perfect, or will be perfect with bottle age.

Some recent bottles the critics have dubbed as perfect are 94 Taylors and Fonseca, 1997 Noval, and 2003 Taylors. I have a few but they are all resting comfortably and will for many years. I was thinking about the recent post about the "perfect" Dows 2007 and can't say that I have had tried a port that I would personally say is perfect. I suppose the Taylor 1977 came close, and I felt that the 94 Vesuvio would someday come close, but I really havent tried as many as some of you.

I'm particularly interested in ports from 1977 on, as those are cheaper and more available.

Any perfect bottles for you?

[g-man]

, but I really havent tried as many as some of you.

you could always hope on amtrak up to NY.

F 85, F94 and the T94 come to mind as near perfect.

I think the F 66 is the only wine I feel was damn near perfection.

[marc j.]

Off the top of my head, T77 & Niepoort '70 come to mind is being pretty close to perfect. I wouldn't put F77 in that same category although it did garner a 100 point score. Noval '97 is also damn good, but I don't know if I would give it a 100 point score....

[Glenn E.]

The only bottle I have ever rated 100 points was a 1906 Brunheda Colheita. I believe my taste was from the 2nd bottle (of two) that Roy received as a gift from the owner, and that several others here tasted the 1st bottle which didn't show as well. It was as perfect as Port can get for my taste... there was literally nothing wrong with it in any way. Except that there wasn't more of it to drink!

The next closest I have come was the 2007 Quinta do Vale Meao which I rated 95-98 as a cask sample, so I guess that doesn't really count.

After that, I gave the 1937 Warre's Special Reserve Colheita 97 points. I wasn't rating Ports at the time of Roy's 1st Port Gala, but I suspect that the 1947 Noval from that 3-day event would have come in around 95-97. I believe I've also given the 1963 Fonseca 96 points (I haven't had the 1966).

I have given out a fair number of 95s, which seems to be my normal upper limit. If a Port is going to transition from Outstanding to Extraordinary (the traditional definitions for 91-95 and 96-100) then for me it really must be nearly perfect.

[Axel P]

My port, where most of the others have to hide behind is and will stay for quite some time the Noval 63 Nacional as I do strongly believe, that this wine sets the standards.

There are some which are very close and the least I expected this to be is the Constantino 41.

Leaving aside the money you have to spend for this wine, this would be the only one I would rate this way. I do not believe that any of the leading crtiques can really tell you now how a wine will be in 20 or 30 years of time. Its all guesswork mixed with experience. I was and am very close on the 94s and now I do like to listen to the port-trade people who are now admitting that the 94s are comming out of their dumb phase much earlier than expected; very many of them are now preferring the 97s over the 94s which they didnt 5 years ago.

I believe we as the port drinking world should be happy that there are not too many 100 pointers out on the market as their prices normally double in no time. Lets sit back and drink ourselfs through the port world looking out for everyones personal (100 point)-favourite.

Axel

[Alex Bridgeman]

I've only ever rated one port as 100 points and that was the not inexpensive Quinta do Noval Nacional 1963. Nothing else that I have tasted (including the NN63 on other occasions) was awarded the same perfect score. There are a handful of 99 point wines that I have tasted, but probably no more than 2-3 per thousand.

[mosesbotbol]

Never rated a port 100 points, but a few that could be considered are:

1931 Noval
1908 Graham
1948 Taylor
1952 Delaforce Colheita
1970 Niepoort

[Glenn E.]

Never rated a port 100 points, but a few that could be considered are:

1931 Noval
1908 Graham
1948 Taylor
1952 Delaforce Colheita
1970 Niepoort

Really? Delaforce? Or were you thinking of the 1952 Dalva Golden White Colheita?

[JacobH]

Forget the 100-point Port; what are the 100*-point Ports?

[Andy Velebil]

Forget the 100-point Port; what are the 100*-point Ports?

Actually that was for his 2009 Bordeaux scores.....
Parker is really losing his mind. This week he shuts off his wine forum with no notice to all those who've posted for years, then makes it only available if you're a subscriber, he can't form a sentence if he tries (try reading his posts on his own forum. Jdaw1 would have a field day with them ), has no idea about social media, and now this. Come on, he is now scoring things more than 100 points. Ok, well not explicitly but that is what he is implying by his use of an "*" on his 100 point scored wines.

I do have a serious question or more accurately a thought I've been pondering. Parker is getting older, his health is not the best condition anymore (so I've been told by numerous people in the California wine industry), he and Jay Miller have taken a ton of heat from serious wine collectors in recent years, and now he gives out some of his biggest scores ever for another "Vintage of the century". So anyone think this may be his way of going out with a bang?

[mosesbotbol]

Never rated a port 100 points, but a few that could be considered are:

1931 Noval
1908 Graham
1948 Taylor
1952 Delaforce Colheita
1970 Niepoort

Really? Delaforce? Or were you thinking of the 1952 Dalva Golden White Colheita?

Nope, although the Dalva should've made my list too. I guess '52 was a big Colheita vintage!



Delaforce '52 on far left.

[g-man]

is Quaker oats another 100pter?

[Glenn E.]

Never rated a port 100 points, but a few that could be considered are:

1931 Noval
1908 Graham
1948 Taylor
1952 Delaforce Colheita
1970 Niepoort

Really? Delaforce? Or were you thinking of the 1952 Dalva Golden White Colheita?

Nope, although the Dalva should've made my list too. I guess '52 was a big Colheita vintage!



Delaforce '52 on far left.

Hmm... winesearcher shows a couple of hits in the $180 range for 500ml. Does that seem reasonable to you?

[mosesbotbol]

Hmm... winesearcher shows a couple of hits in the $180 range for 500ml. Does that seem reasonable to you?

$130 at NH Liquor Store

[Glenn E.]

Hmm... winesearcher shows a couple of hits in the $180 range for 500ml. Does that seem reasonable to you?

$130 at NH Liquor Store

Will the ship out of state?

[mosesbotbol]

Hmm... winesearcher shows a couple of hits in the $180 range for 500ml. Does that seem reasonable to you?

$130 at NH Liquor Store

Will the ship out of state?

No, nor will they ship out thwie 2007 Noval.