| Vintage Port is the best Port wine made, and is only | | | | few days. |
| made in the greatest of years. Many decades it will | | | | When you first open and pout a small taste, look at |
| only be produced by the best Port Houses perhaps 3 | | | | the color. This gives you an idea of concentration and |
| times. Traditionally it's not even ready to drink for 20 | | | | in general the thicker and more opaque the better. |
| or more years from when it's bottled! Because of | | | | Also smell the wine. The smell will change over the |
| this, it's enormous longevity,it is a great wine to put | | | | next few days and although it may be unbalanced or |
| away for birth years and other special years like | | | | even excessively strong, you want to find |
| anniversaries. For example, my son was born in 2000, | | | | characteristics you like. Those should be enhanced |
| a stellar year for Port. I am storing a few bottles to | | | | over time. Similarly the taste should contain |
| enjoy with him when he is 21 years old and beyond. | | | | characteristics you enjoy. The intensity of the wine |
| If it's not ready to drink for 20 years, how can you | | | | may be nearly painful the first day, but should |
| tell how good it is? Tasting something that is not | | | | subside in intensity and become more representative |
| ready is very tough. It's like judging a cake from the | | | | of what it will taste like once it's ready. |
| cake batter! | | | | Keep going back and retesting over the next few |
| You can read what the critics say. Wine critics have | | | | days. Remember it's an infant now, but you should |
| a long track record and history of rating immature | | | | be able to spot great characteristics you like. |
| wines and they are pretty good, or you can taste it | | | | Basically, you go by your gut. It's usually right. And |
| yourself. | | | | more often than not the critics will be roughly in line |
| To taste yourself, it is best to spend 3 or more days | | | | with you. And above all, when you drink a bottle |
| slowly experiencing a bottle. It will change over those | | | | when it's ready on 20 or 30 years, you can say you |
| three plus days and become more approachable and | | | | tried it when it was young and liked it so you bought. |
| similar to what it will taste like in a few decades. For | | | | And it'll be much better tasting, a more complete and |
| example, I'm trying some recently released 2007s | | | | smooth wine, then. And if you liked it young you |
| and am slowly sipping them over the course of a | | | | should love it now. |