What have you opened this week?

[Eric Menchen]

For the TF 1994 I'm not worried... but how was it (was there a différence between 750ml and 1500ml?)?

And to be different from Glenn (which I often am), I scored both halves of the magnum at 92 points, and the 750 at 96+. TNs to follow.

[Andy Velebil]

1964 Niepoort Garrafeira
1964 Burmester LBV
1964 Fonseca Guimaraens
1964 Graham Malvedos
1964 Ramos Pinto
1964 Taylor Quinta de Vargellas
1964 Butler Nephew
1964 Gonzalez Byass
1964 Quinta do Noval Nacional
NV Quinta de Brunheda Tonel #4 (a VVO from before VVO was a category)
...
1994 Taylor VP (magnum)

Wow! But 1964 didn't seem like a good year (for the Nacional too). How the Ports were. Were they still in good shape?
For the TF 1994 I'm not worried... but how was it (was there a différence between 750ml and 1500ml?)?

Louisss,

Regarding the 1964’s. My top was the Malvedos at 88 points. As this was about as best of a lineup as one could have of the available ports from the year. They are still pleasant and educational but have passed their peak many years ago. More time in the cellar will not be kind to them.

I am very grateful to Glenn for opening so many as it really gave a good and educational insight into how a given vintage is holding up.

[LOUISSS J]

Thanks for all.

[Eric Ifune]

Andresen 40 yo.

[Mike J. W.]

S. Leonardo 10 y.o.white. It would put some 20 y.o. whites to shame.

[Eric Menchen]

Andresen 20 Year Old White
Very nice with great QPR as I recall.

[Glenn E.]

As this was about as best of a lineup as one could have of the available ports from the year.

For some context which Andy already knows because I explained it at the tasting, there are only 8 known VPs from 1964 according to Port Vintages by Julian D. A. Wiseman. I was able to find all but the Dow Bomfim, for which only a very small quantity was bottled and it all went to Denmark. Roy even reached out to SFE to see if they had any library stock, but alas to no avail.

Julian lists a 9th in his book, Offley Boa Vista, but could only find a single reference to it anywhere so he suspects that reference was a typo. Was that reference actually a 1962 bottled in 1964? Or perhaps just a typo for a 1963 OBV? We'll never know.

It was also interesting to note that the Gonzalez Byass and the Butler Nephew were in identical bottles whitewashed with a relatively unique font, and used identical corks. I also have a 3rd (empty) bottle at home with a Butler Nephew capsule wrap but a Vasconcellos label. (Which was amusingly applied upside down.) BN and Vasconcellos makes sense as they were the same company at the time (and very likely the same Port), but GB was confusing. The BN and GB did not taste the same, so we believe them to be different Ports despite the identical bottles and corks. Some research revealed that GB owned BN at the time, so probably just used the BN bottling line for both Ports.

Lastly, I was also recently made aware of the existence of a 1964 Pocas Vintage Port, but was not able to acquire one for this tasting despite visiting them in Vila Nova de Gaia in May.

2024-08-01 15.55.43.jpg (271.7 KiB) Viewed 2966 times

[Mike J. W.]

Smith Woodhouse 20 y.o. Tawny.

[Lucas S]

2013 Pacheca LBV - good, smooth, reasonably complex

edit: next day it wasn't as good, seemed more thin and spirity, drink this one same day.

[Andy Velebil]

Taylor’s 20 yr tawny port. Bottled in 2024. Has anyone had this recently? Thoughts?

[Al B.]

Inspired by Glenn’s 60th anniversary tasting, I opened a bottle of Ramos Pinto 1964 at the weekend. The general view was that it was drinkable but not great. Also opened at the weekend were a bottle of Ferreira 1854 and a half bottle of the Niepoort/van Zeller 1853 Dom Pedro colheita bottled in 2001. Plus a very nice bottle of Graham 1948 last night.

If only every week was such good drinking!

[Moses Botbol]

Inspired by Glenn’s 60th anniversary tasting, I opened a bottle of Ramos Pinto 1964 at the weekend. The general view was that it was drinkable but not great. Also opened at the weekend were a bottle of Ferreira 1854 and a half bottle of the Niepoort/van Zeller 1853 Dom Pedro colheita bottled in 2001. Plus a very nice bottle of Graham 1948 last night.

If only every week was such good drinking!

For just you? Good weekend indeed.

[Glenn E.]

Inspired by Glenn’s 60th anniversary tasting, I opened a bottle of Ramos Pinto 1964 at the weekend. The general view was that it was drinkable but not great.

The 90 that I gave the Ramos Pinto sits on the border between "will I accept another glass if offered?" and "will I seek out another glass when my glass is empty?" Ultimately in this case the answer to the latter question probably should have been no, so 90 might have been a point too high. 89 is probably more accurate.

I thought it was good but not great. Sounds like I enjoyed it slightly more than you did, but we're in general agreement.

And for me, the RP was the 3rd best of the vintage, which tells you all you need to know about VP from 1964. Though to be fair, the Graham was quite nice (I gave it a probably generous 93), and the Guimaraens wasn't far behind. I would happily drink those every day.

[Eric Menchen]

I thought it was good but not great. Sounds like I enjoyed it slightly more than you did, but we're in general agreement.
And for me, the RP was the 3rd best of the vintage ...

I'll post a tasting note soon, but I very much liked the 1964 RP, as a tawny Port. Sure, if you asked, "How is this as a VP?" I would not have scored it well. But if you ask, "How much do you enjoy drinking this?" that gives a different answer.

[A.S. Demka]

As this was about as best of a lineup as one could have of the available ports from the year.

For some context which Andy already knows because I explained it at the tasting, there are only 8 known VPs from 1964 according to Port Vintages by Julian D. A. Wiseman. I was able to find all but the Dow Bomfim, for which only a very small quantity was bottled and it all went to Denmark. Roy even reached out to SFE to see if they had any library stock, but alas to no avail.

Julian lists a 9th in his book, Offley Boa Vista, but could only find a single reference to it anywhere so he suspects that reference was a typo. Was that reference actually a 1962 bottled in 1964? Or perhaps just a typo for a 1963 OBV? We'll never know.

It was also interesting to note that the Gonzalez Byass and the Butler Nephew were in identical bottles whitewashed with a relatively unique font, and used identical corks. I also have a 3rd (empty) bottle at home with a Butler Nephew capsule wrap but a Vasconcellos label. (Which was amusingly applied upside down.) BN and Vasconcellos makes sense as they were the same company at the time (and very likely the same Port), but GB was confusing. The BN and GB did not taste the same, so we believe them to be different Ports despite the identical bottles and corks. Some research revealed that GB owned BN at the time, so probably just used the BN bottling line for both Ports.

Lastly, I was also recently made aware of the existence of a 1964 Pocas Vintage Port, but was not able to acquire one for this tasting despite visiting them in Vila Nova de Gaia in May.

2024-08-01 15.55.43.jpg

There is a Pocas Junior 1964 vintage for sale at Sylvies end of August auction) They are located in Belgium. If you want to, I could make a bid on your behalf, Glenn. https://www.sylvies.be/nl/veiling/238/l ... d=0&rn=795
Kind regards, Alle de Muinck Keizer

[Glenn E.]

There is a Pocas Junior 1964 vintage for sale at Sylvies end of August auction) They are located in Belgium. If you want to, I could make a bid on your behalf, Glenn. https://www.sylvies.be/nl/veiling/238/l ... d=0&rn=795
Kind regards, Alle de Muinck Keizer

Thank you, Alle, but there is no need. Since I have now opened my horizontal I don't really need to gather more bottles, and the Ports were not good enough to warrant trying to put together a second horizontal.

[Frederick Blais]

Dalva 1995 Colheita, bottled 2017. Beautiful spicy and lemony character, I need to find more!

[Al B.]

Warre 1982 LBV, bottled 1986 - the second from a late release (half) case that’s been in my cellar since 2012.

It’s absolutely fabulous. Chock full of juicy cranberry and redcurrant yet with the baking spices of a mature Port. Just in its peak drinking window IMO.

[Frederick Blais]

Warre 1982 LBV, bottled 1986 - the second from a late release (half) case that’s been in my cellar since 2012.

It’s absolutely fabulous. Chock full of juicy cranberry and redcurrant yet with the baking spices of a mature Port. Just in its peak drinking window IMO.

Great to read this!

[Mike J. W.]

Warre 1982 LBV, bottled 1986 - the second from a late release (half) case that’s been in my cellar since 2012.

It’s absolutely fabulous. Chock full of juicy cranberry and redcurrant yet with the baking spices of a mature Port. Just in its peak drinking window IMO.

Warre LBV's are very nice. They're up there with Crasto, Ramos Pinto and Andresen LBV's (Pocas are also very nice).