190 Port anD the Douro
really showing their age (Martinez, Quinta do Noval). The best wines still retain layer
upon layer of rich, ripe fruit backed up by a powerful tannic streak that stands them in
good stead for years to come. Nearly every shipper produced an impressive vintage Port in
1963 and this consistency is reflected in today’s auction prices, which are around a third
more than the 1966s, some of which are equally fine. The superstars of the vintage are
Croft, Fonseca and Quinta do Noval Nacional. The 1963 Nacional (last tasted in 2010)
is still dense, powerful and focused, bitter sweet with perfect balance. It is a wine that will
go on and on and on and counts among the most wonderful wines that I have ever tasted.
Cockburn, Delaforce, Dow, Graham, Taylor and Warre all produced superb wines.
Pick of the Vintage: Croft; Fonseca; Quinta do Noval, Nacional.
1962 **
Catastrophic winter floods, followed by long summer drought. Some wines tasting burnt.
Not generally declared but some good second-string wines and a rich, lasting Quinta do
Noval Nacional.
1961 **
I take a particular interest in this vintage because it is my own birth year. Some successful
wines (Graham’s Malvedos, Fonseca Guimaraens, Wiese & Krohn and Noval’s 1961 so-
called ‘Crusted’ (bottled in 1964), generally drinking well although not for long-term
keeping. Taylor’s Quinta de Vargellas is suffering from excess volatile acidity. Drink soon.
1960 *** gentle wines that are now over their peak
After a severe, wet winter, June and July were warm. By the end of July the vines were
advanced and Ronald Symington wrote ‘should the weather be favourable for the next six to
seven weeks till the beginning of vintage, the quality will probably be excellent’. Late August
and early September were hot and much-needed rain came just before the harvest, which
began for most on the 19th,^ although some picked as early as the 8th. The weather at the
start of harvest was fine but then became dull, rainy and cool. Described at the time with
‘good colour, flavoury, slightly green’, 1960 was widely declared and well received by the
trade. The wines seemed to peak in the late 1970s or early 1980s, some suffered from excess
volatile acidity but the best wines are now soft, sweet and open. Mostly mid-weight and
lacking in backbone, the best wines of the vintage are still soft, sweet and open. Cockburn,
Dow and Graham showing particularly well. Drink soon.
Pick of the Vintage: Cockburn.
1958 * / **
A good summer followed by rain during picking. A handful of shippers declared although
the wines were never very powerful and are now declining. Sandeman was showing its age
when I last tasted it in 2011. Noval Nacional is still drinking well. Otherwise, drink up.