For The Love Of Port

Most of my onsite storage is devoted to wine and I have limited long term storage for port. I currently have the following in off site storage and need to get some out of storage from amongst the following. In a sense they all need keeping for considerably longer, but now I'm collecting my pension I don't want to wait forever and I don't really want to sell them and buy earlier vintages. Any suggestions as to which would make good drinking now would be greatly appreciated. I had in mind particularly the 94s and the single quintas.

1994 Graham's 12
1994 Warre's 12
1997 Dow's 12
2000 Cockburn's 6
2000 Dow's 12
2000 Fonseca 6
2003 Fonseca 12
2003 Quinta Dos Canaias, Cockburn 6
2003 Smith Woodhouse 12
2006 Quinta do Vesuvio 6

If you are determined to start drinking these now, I try either of the Cockburn:

Warre & Graham '94 need a few more years IMO, if not longer - sorry. Maybe the '97 Dow could be drinking well?

I was guessing about that 1997 Dow, maybe the 1994 Warres, and yes, the 2003 Quinta dos Canais I thought would be worth trying.

Totally agree about the Cockburn's, and the '94 Warre's should also be enjoyable. Those would be my first two choices


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I would start with both Cockburn's, then the 2006 Vesuvio. Then the 1997 Dow's and 2003 Smith Woodhouse. Then the 2000's.

I'd save the rest of them, the 1994's and remaining 2003's, for last.

I don't disagree with any of the suggestions above but in my view you should at least try the ones for which you have a dozen. With a dozen bottles you have the luxury of forming your own opinion of how the the Graham and Warre's are faring at exactly 20 years, the Fonseca and Smith Woodhouse at about a decade, and the Dow in between.

Mahmoud.

Thanks for all the advice. There seems to be quite a degree of consensus to start on the Cockburns and then the Dow 97 and possibly the Vesuvio. I will hang on to the 94s for another decade. Now all I need to do is work out how long I will keep.
I guess that this is one of the drawbacks of off site storage as it is not practical to try a bottle from each of the 12 bottle cases as Mahmoud suggested; absolutely the right thing to do but not feasible.

Michael Ferrier wrote:...
I guess that this is one of the drawbacks of off site storage as it is not practical to try a bottle from each of the 12 bottle cases as Mahmoud suggested; absolutely the right thing to do but not feasible.

All of them can generally be found in the UK for not too much money. I'd suggest buying a single bottle of some of them, that way you can try it, see what it's like, without having to remove one from your current cases in storage.

Andy Velebil wrote:

Michael Ferrier wrote:...
I guess that this is one of the drawbacks of off site storage as it is not practical to try a bottle from each of the 12 bottle cases as Mahmoud suggested; absolutely the right thing to do but not feasible.

All of them can generally be found in the UK for not too much money. I'd suggest buying a single bottle of some of them, that way you can try it, see what it's like, without having to remove one from your current cases in storage.

An excellent suggestion Andy.

You are always welcome to join us at one of the tastings we organise in London from time to time - or provide us with an excuse for an extra get together.

Al B. wrote:You are always welcome to join us at one of the tastings we organise in London from time to time - or provide us with an excuse for an extra get together.

Al
Thanks
Michael