For The Love Of Port

It wasn't a "generally declared" year yet there are some decent SQVP's that were released. What are your thoughts on this vintage. Should it have been declared? Or not?

Does the fact that Taylor made its best port of the 80's in 1987 say enough?

But I'm quit happy that it wasn't declared. This gives us as portlovers the opportunity to enjoy these very good ports at bargain prices.

Ronald nailed it. Especially about the Vargellas, "my secret" affair for many years which is no longer as easy to find at bargain prices as it once was.

Yup, the '87 Vargellas is a sleeper and I too have noticed that it is not easily found - although the other day I happened in to a wine shop that had quite a few bottles (at a good price) and I ended up purchasing all that they had.

Marc

I have just acquired a few bottles of Graham's Quinta dos Malvedos 1987 and it is one of the nicest ports I have tried in a while. Looks, smells and tastes like a wine at least 10 years younger than it is. I am just wondering how long i can resist the others!

I have also really enjoyed a couple of other 1987 SQVP's so in my limited experience, I find it difficult to understand why it was not declared, but am happy to be able to acquire such good port at such reasonable prices!

I did have only Niepoort and Offley from 87 and both really well made. Niepoort did nailed the VP, Colheita and Garrafeira is looking very promising! So it must have been a good year at least for a few so they can be able to realize that.

It wasn't a "generally declared" year yet there are some decent SQVP's that were released. What are your thoughts on this vintage. Should it have been declared? Or not?

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that it was a declarable year, but falling only two years after a sound general declaration, it had no serious prospect of being thus anointed.

It is interesting to note what the Symington's site says:

This year in retrospect could and should have been declared as a Vintage.

- a pretty candid admission that they passed on a heavyweight..

Given that SQ's tend to made in larger quantity, and therefore have less selection, the quality from this vintage is really very high.

While I'm not sure that any year from that decade made it into the top 10% of all vintages, it could be argued that '87 had the best potential for doing so.

Tom

Yes I do have to agree with everyone, IMO 1987 should have been a general declaration. I understand why, coming on the heels of 80, 83, and 85. I wasnt' buying or drinking wine then, heck I was still in school, so I don't know what the economic climate was at that time and if that also played a role.

I've had some amazingly good Ports from this year, and with a handful of exceptions, have had far more high quality consistancy than with any other year in the 80's. The best part is many of these can be found far cheaper than their fully declared counterparts.