Old Tawny Database

[Axel P]

There is a tendency which started more or less with the Scion, that Port Producers are promoting very old Tawnies. I am trying to summ up all which are currently on the market.

Scion - Taylor Fladgate - Promotion reads it to be from 1855
Niepoort VV Old (in potta bottles) - Niepoort Vinhos - Bottled in the 70s, mix of various very old Tawny Ports
Niepoort VV (bottled 2012) - Niepoort Vinhos - Mother-Vintage 1863 with a good mix of various vintages, 60% from 1863
Passadouro 5 G - Quinta do Passadouro - Tawny passed through 5 Generations, unknown to me from which
Tributa - Quinta do Vallado - Old Port from 1866

tbc...

By the way there will be a tasting of those wines in Porto during the Essencia do vinho together with a Krohn Colheita 1863 and Andresen's 1910. Let me know if anyone will be there with me

Axel

[Alex Bridgeman]

It might be worth also including a list of the old tawnies which are no longer being offered by the producers, but which are still available on the secondary market. I can immediately think of a handful:
Quinta do Loureiro - reputed to be port from the 1871 vintage
Croft Tercentenary - described as being "port of a great age" but I have no details more than that
Dom Pedro bottled by Whitwams - supposed to be from 1853
Millennium Vintage by Whitwams - from the 1880 vintage

It's odd, but I was interested by Scion mostly because it was so unusual, as well as being a really good port. With all these other ports now being released I am less interested that I would have been if these had been released more slowly - a new wine every 5 years or so. With all coming out at pretty much the same time I find that they seem less special to me than they might have done.

[DRT]

With all coming out at pretty much the same time I find that they seem less special to me than they might have done.

#BandwagonPort

[Glenn E.]

Andressen's 1910 and 1900 Colheitas could probably be included in this category.

Krohn is allegedly releasing a trio soon. I believe they are an 1863 tawny, an 1896 white, and an 1896 tawny.

[DRT]

With all coming out at pretty much the same time I find that they seem less special to me than they might have done.

#BandwagonPort

My original post was flippant, but I think there is truth in the sentiment.

Scion is indeed a special wine. Firstly for being obviously old and secondly, and more importantly, for being very, very good Port. The danger we face now is that "old" will be automatically associated with "very, very good". The two attributes not necessarily being directly linked.

"Finding" an old cask will (and indeed has) become the fashionable thing to do. Unfortunately, some of what is found will be very expensive and very mediocre.

Don't pay €2,000+ for the next bottle of "recently discovered" old Colheita you encounter without tasting it. I have tasted 100 yr old wine that I would rather use to wash bugs off my windscreen. Not all old wines are good!

[Axel P]

Wisely said, Derek, I fully agree. Lets see the outcome of the direct line-abreast-tasting to see what is old and good.

Axel

[Axel P]

Yesterday the old Tawny Port Tasting took place in Porto. Absolutely amazing Ports, most of them spectacularly wrapped. Will post TN soon. Since it was a very official tasting the amounts served were little and the rest to be consumed by the Port-VIPs, who were present from the donating companies.

After some weird circumstances I found myself later in this room with sufficient remainings in the bottles more or less alone. An occasion which spoiled my follow on appointments considerably.

Axel