PORTUGAL

The declaration of the 2017 Port vintage was an oddity. Not just because Port declarations—when producers agree together to acknowledge the excellence of a special year—are rare in themselves, but because it followed straight after the second declaration of the decade in 2016.

As uncommon as it is, the producers were right. These two years are worthy successors to the magnificent 2011 vintage, the last year a vintage declaration was made. The merits of the two years will be debated by vintage-Port lovers over the many decades that these wines continue to mature and are drunk. But for now, let’s consider the 2017 vintage.

The 2017 Ports have structure, depth and the right amount of concentration that will allow them to age for decades.

Last July, I tasted nearly 70 Ports from this vintage at a blind tasting in Oporto organized by Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto (IVDP), the official body that approves all the Ports that are released to consumers. While formally reviewing this number of young Ports over two days is a tough challenge, in fact it is also a pleasure because the wines are generally excellent. This year’s tasting was no exception.

The 2017 Ports have structure, depth and the right amount of concentration that will allow them to age for decades. While the tannins are rich and very much up front, the black fruits have the density and ripeness to measure up to this structure. These are all qualities that are the real requisite of a true vintage Port.

Bento Amaral, the director of technical