vintage Port 1911957
Irregular weather with a very wet June. Apart from a few isolated examples, not generally
declared. Wines generally rather one dimensional. A soft, sweet colheita from Cálem, a fine
though fully mature Fonseca Guimaraens and an unusually impressive vintage Port from
Royal Oporto are almost all that remain.
1955 ***** outstanding, concentrated wines for the long term
An early heatwave in April/May was followed by wet weather which necessitated regular
spraying. Following hot weather in July and August, John Symington wrote ‘grapes looking
wonderful and fairly sweet considering there is still about four weeks to go before the vintage.
A little rain ... should make for ideal conditions’. After a week of heat at the beginning of
September the rain arrived on cue prior to vintage, which began at the end of the month.
Apart from a little rain in early October, the harvest took place in perfect conditions.
Reading through Ronald Symington’s notes from the time, it was clear that he thought
a fine vintage was on the cards. So it has proved; the best 1955s are still complete wines
retaining wonderful balance and masses of concentrated fruit. It was a small declaration
and the 1955s are now quite hard to find but anyone with bottles remaining need be
in no hurry to drink up. With so much of the vintage bottled in the UK, even the Port
shippers lack stock. Croft is stupendous, showing just how good this house used to be
when it was on form. Taylor is gentle, without the backbone that tends to characterise this
vintage but very elegant and showing lovely purity. Dow, Graham, Niepoort, Sandeman
and Warre are also very impressive.
Pick of the Vintage: Dow; Croft; Graham; Quinta do Noval, Nacional; Niepoort;
Sandeman.
1954 **?
Tiny vintage, now a rarity. I have only ever tasted one 1954 (a very fragrant, elegant wine
from Sandeman) but the vintage had a good reputation at the time. Most shippers opted for
1955 but there were a number of successful second-string wines.
1950 ** on the whole, soft and early maturing
After a challenging growing season, conditions were apparently ideal during the harvest
and a number of shippers declared despite the difficult market conditions. Sandeman was
still scented and fresh with more to give when I tasted it with George Sandeman in 2011.
Cockburn (tasted 2012) is still deep and looking very good. Quinta do Crasto is still very
fresh and vigorous and Graham’s Malvedos continued to display good fruit and acidity
into the 1990s. Dow, Ferreira and Cálem (last tasted in 1999) are looking hollow and pale.
Drink soon.