For The Love Of Port

This should be interesting. A poll would be fun ... but I'd like to hear why, more than just looking for votes on this.

2003. Because of the Noval.

The '03 Noval was the first really young Port that I liked, and it sort of got me hooked. They've aged too much for me now, so I have to let them continue to age for 20 or so years and then start testing to see if they're old enough yet.

Roy Hersh wrote:This should be interesting. A poll would be fun ... but I'd like to hear why, more than just looking for votes on this.

2003 is my favorite. Lots of highlights - Fonseca, Noval, Vesuvio... and many great wines from smaller producers like Portal and Niepoort. I do have some favorites from 2000, just not as many. The style of the 2003's are particularly appealing to me - big, ripe forward wines with solid acidity and very ripe tannins. Also, the 2003 vintage was tasted pre-release on my first trip to Portugal, so that vintage will always be special to me.
-Dave-

Is everyone on vacation this week or what?

This is something I thought nearly everyone would have an opinion on (except maybe Moses ).

Don't be shy

have not partaken in anything newer than a 1997 yet....so I have no opinion! a 2000 or two will be popped this year I suppose..

The one question I love to ask...I have to go with 2000

While I love 2003 VP's with their big bold deep fruit the one thing I am concerned about for their longevity is the lower acidity from such an overripe year. While 2000 was a touch cooler allowing more acidity to develop and making some better balances wines. I would say that the 2003's sometimes show better now (discounting that many 2000's are now shutting down) but I feel the 2000's will eventually make longer lived and better Ports in the long haul.

2000, my first "real" port experience. I was blessed by Niepoort at a very drinkable phase and it got me hooked. I cannot put into words the experience it was magnificent, provoking, I wondered how I had missed the experience for so long. Reviewing my notes I have tasted more 2000's than 2003's and it edges it for me (despite the fact that I love a young port from time to time, for instance QdV 2005 was lovely a year or so ago).

I just checked and my cellar is almost even, 2 more bottles of 2000 to enjoy in my fifties.

My first thought when I read the question was "I don't know, I haven't tasted enough of either to really have an opinion." Then I looked at my tasting notes database and was surprised to see that I've drunk nearly 40 different bottles from 2000 and over 50 from 2003, so I guess I should be able to make a decision.

But I can't! It's like saying which do I prefer, my son or my daughter. They're both lovely when they have their moments and they can both get sullen and sulky as they get a bit older.

The average score I've given to the 2000 ports I've tried works out to be 88.9; the average score for 2003 ports works out to be 90.8 so you could say that on the basis of the scores I have a preference for 2003.

Ask me the same question in 30 years and I might have changed my mind for all the reasons that Andy has given