ThePortForum.com

I have been thinking a lot of late about the future of my port drinking habit and doing a bit of a mental round up of more recent vintages. I find I have a bit of a blank about the 2000s and would appreciate the views of the forum. It is a vintage of which I have almost no personal experience and having read the reviews I still don't feel I have a handle on it.

How does it compare with its two nearest declarations, the 1997 and the 2003? I am thinking of drinking windows, overall quality and any obvious stand out wines or failures. The pricing seems broadly similar to the 97 and 03, in this regard are they fairly priced? Were they produced in sufficient quantities to allow me to back fill on older stuff before starting to buy? Is there a vintage from the past which it resembles that might help me understand it better?

Any general rambles or thoughts gladly accepted.

I don't think I have had a bad 2000 and without looking at notes my head is telling me that they are generally bigger and better than 1997 and not as fruit-forward as 2003.

The Fonseca, which I don't think I have had for quite some time, I remember being a beast of a wine - inky black with huge tannins and the structure to last a lifetime.

If I had to sum up the 2000 vintage based purely on my experience, I'd compare it to the 1983 vintage. I've found it to be a perfectly decent vintage which will give enjoyable drinking and with a few stars - Fonseca, Graham, Niepoort, Noval, Ramos Pinto, Taylor, Vesuvio and the Warre LBV.

If you read the press, I may be a bit down on the vintage. This could well be fair comment as I would expect these to be ports that are currently closed and unbalanced, needing another 3-5 years to really start showing everything they have got to offer.

AHB wrote:I'd compare it to the 1983 vintage.

That sounds a bit worse than I thought. I assumed that with the much praised new technologies the quality would be higher. I hear what you are saying about being a bit biased but knowing some of your opinions on port I think I might share your biases. Food for thought. Thanks.