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Bid on this 2-bottle lot of 1997 Sandeman Late Bottled Vintage Port. Sandeman started in 1790 with George Sandeman, a Scott who set up a wine merchant business in London specializing in Port and Sherry. Today the Sandeman portfolio includes Port, Sherry, and Madeira. Robert Parker for the Wine Advocate had this to say about the historic producer: "Sandeman is one of the biggest and most conspicuous of the port houses, with extensive interests in the sherry business as well. They advertise significantly and their products are well-represented in virtually every American marketplace. The quality is quite good given the quantity of wine produced."

Bid on this 3-bottle lot of 1977 Fonseca Vintage Port (100JS, 100WS, 95JG). James Suckling: "I found a bottle of 1977 Fonseca in my cellar - probably my last. It was absolutely gorgeous. I gave this fortified wine a perfect score in its youth and I think it has finally evolved into its perfection as a mature vintage Port... This is in total balance now with such harmony. What amazing aromas of berry and flowers. Full and sweet, the tannins are complete dissolved. The fruit is perfect. This goes on for minutes. " (06/2016)

Bid on this 3-bottle lot of 1985 Cockburn Vintage Port (90WS). Wine Spectator: "Shows an abundance of thick, rich fruit and plenty of backbone. Very inky, dense color, with a rich, floral nose of berries and cherries. Full-bodied, medium sweet, with massive anise and cherry flavors and extremely well integrated tannins and acidity. (Web Only-1989)"

Bid on this magnum of 1983 Graham's Vintage Port (1.5L) (96WS, 94DC, 92RP). Wine Spectator: "Dark color, with intense aromas of blackberry, licorice and hints of flowers. Full-bodied, lightly sweet, with superrefined tannins. Long and caressing. Very youthful. Will improve for a long time. This is really excellent. Always has been. Just starting to come around. " (02/2008)

Bid on this 3-bottle lot of 1977 Dow's "Silver Jubilee" Vintage Port (97JS, 93RP, 92WS). James Suckling: "This is really glorious and refined, offering a polished and creamy texture. Complex aromas and flavors with cream, dried fruit and nuts. Medium body. Very beautiful. A refined and glorious 1977 now. Real deal." (01/2017)

Bid on this bottle of 1977 Warre's Vintage Port (98DC, 94JS, 93WS, 92RP). Decanter: "There is such cleanliness to the flavours and such freshness in the aromas that it’s hard to recognise this as being 50-year-old Port. The wafts of rose petals and star anise are enticing, while the integrated components are seamless and there’s significant power driving though an unusually long, unwavering palate line. With 1977 revered as one of the great Port vintages, this definitely lives up to its esteemed reputation. (DS)" (04/2024)

Smith Woodhouse’s 2015 Late Bottled Vintage Port was matured in wood for four years. Bottled in 2019, without any fining or filtering, it was then aged in bottle for a further six years in the Smith Woodhouse lodge in Vila Nova de Gaia, prior to release. This prolonged ageing, first in wood and then in bottle is key to the development of the rich and spice-forward aromas and flavors that give this Port a style and complexity akin to that of Vintage Port. Most LBV Ports produced today are matured exclusively in wood, filtered before bottling and placed on the market without any bottle-ageing. Smith Woodhouse’s traditional method of maturation, combining both wood and bottle-ageing, distinguishes it from most other LBV Ports currently available.

My favourite sub-category of tawny as this combines the freshness of youth with complexity of age: lovely reddish-tawny hue with a toffee and dried citrus character on the nose and palate, now smooth and silky with creamy texture (the concentration of age), the sweet fruit (that is the hallmark of Graham’s) offset by a streak of fresh acidity on the finish. A seamless melange of glorious flavours. (RM)

Bid on this 3-bottle tasting lot; including 1-bottle of Warre's "Otima" 10 Year Old Tawny Port (500ml) (91W&S, 91WS) and 2-bottles of 1997 Warre's Vintage Port (94WS, 90VN). Of the 1997 Warre's Vintage Port, Wine Spectator writes: "Dark in profile, with warm buckwheat, singed juniper and espresso notes leading off, backed by warm black currant and fig compote flavors. Has heft, but the brambly undertow is easily absorbed through the finish. Approachable, but there's no rush at all. (JM)" (02/2017)

Bid on this 2-bottle lot of 1995 Taylor "Quinta de Vargellas" Vintage Port (94VN, 92WS, 91JG). Vinous: "Saturated ruby. Brooding blueberry, cassis, licorice and mineral nose complicated by a whiff of smoked meat; easy to pick out as Taylor in a blind grouping. Very concentrated, palate-saturating black cherry and black raspberry flavor. Thick and round but vibrant and delineated. Impressive extract. Explosive finishing fruit goes on and on. A very powerful port, but much more accessible early than a classic vintage Taylor. (ST)" (03/1998)

Bid on this 3-bottle lot of 1994 Dow's Vintage Port (99DC, 97WS, 96RP). Decanter: "This was my pick of the vintage when it was first declared in 1996, and nearly 30 years later I feel fully justified in recommending it again. Retaining its deep colour, opening up to reveal ripe, exotic aromas of gum cistus, eucalypt and mint, so very expressive of the Douro. Ripe, quite powerful and still tight-knit with lovely rich, minty fruit, broad yet firm, tannins rising to a fresh, gripping, opulent finish (especially for Dow in its customary drier style). Now glorious to drink – it should last a lifetime. (RM)" (10/2023)

Bid on this 6-bottle lot of 1977 Graham's Vintage Port (93RP, 91WS). Wine Advocate: "Graham is another great port house, producing one of the deepest-colored and sweetest styles of vintage port. Along with Taylor and Fonseca, Graham has probably been the most consistent producer of great port in the post- World War II era. Their tawnys are quite good rather than exceptional, but their vintage ports are truly sublime and sumptuous. (RP)" (12/1988)

A luscious, super-moreish tawny, with notes of sweet orange peel, mellow Madeira honey cake, almond/marzipan and salted caramel. Silky, honeyed mouthfeel, with praline to the finish. Satisfying and very complete, this 10-year-old is naughty but nice, polished and toothsome: a great execution of the house style (20cl bottle tasted). (SA)

Lovely deep red-tinged mahogany colour. Beautifully lifted and aromatic on the nose, just a touch of singed crocante with dried fruit, roasted chestnuts and toasted almonds. Wonderfully lithe, creamy-textured fruit on the palate, with greengage freshness plus the sweetness of an Elvas plum (160g/l residual sugar). Mesmerisingly persistent sugar and spice (and all things nice) on the finish. (RM)

Shimmering with quiet energy, this is a scintillating Port with bright amber fruit flavors of apricot. Light in body and lasting in complexity, it captures the welcoming scent of a Port lodge in Gaia, an antique scent of old wine in old wood, of humidity enriching the fruit, revealing a creamy note of caramel-coated peaches in the middle, then turning drier, more austere in the end. A lovely 20-year-old, at the cusp of freshness and maturity.

Bid on this bottle of 1977 Fonseca Vintage Port (100JS, 100WS, 95JG). James Suckling: "I found a bottle of 1977 Fonseca in my cellar - probably my last. It was absolutely gorgeous. I gave this fortified wine a perfect score in its youth and I think it has finally evolved into its perfection as a mature vintage Port... This is in total balance now with such harmony. What amazing aromas of berry and flowers. Full and sweet, the tannins are complete dissolved. The fruit is perfect. This goes on for minutes. " (06/2016)

Bid on this 3-bottle lot of 1985 Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port (93JG, 93WS, 91VN). Wine Spectator: "Beautiful aromas of flowers and fresh plum, with hints of stems. Full-bodied and medium-sweet, with gorgeous silky tannins and a long, long finish. This is just starting to come around and offers wonderful flavors. Long life ahead, but ready to try. (JS)" (02/2008)

Bid on this 3-bottle lot of 1985 Fonseca Vintage Port (93RP, 93WS, 91DC). Wine Advocate: "The 1985 Fonseca is still youthful in appearance with hardly any ageing on the rim. The nose offers kirsch, sloes and Christmas cake. With time, there are subtle notes of dried fig and dates beginning to emerge and add to the complexity. The palate is medium-bodied and beautifully balanced on the supple, rounded entry. It is not quite as complex as the aromatics, with dates and dried fig, the finish mellow and refined. It is very elegant for a Fonseca, weighty but supremely well focused. This is a fabulous Fonseca that is ready to drink now, but will age for another 30 or 40 years. (NM)" (02/2013)

Bid on this 5-bottle lot of 1985 Graham's Vintage Port (97DC, 96RP, 96WS, 94JS). Decanter: "Probably the best wine from a good, ripe though rather variable vintage: still deep at the centre with a thin tawny rim; lovely ripe plummy aromas, open but still brooding with more to reveal; ripe and fleshy on the palate with glorious plum and cherry fruit backed by firm ripe tannins leading to a powerful finish. Ready to drink now and will keep and develop in bottle for another thirty years at least! (RM)" (09/2021)

Sweet fruit aromas and a touch minty and herbal. Well extracted and concentrated fleshy fruit palate, freshly baked jam tarts, gentle tannins, and smoothly textured. *2025 Decanter World Wine Awards*

Caramel bouquet embellished by a touch of wood spice. Then toffee, fudge and caramel on the palate, with ripe, red-berried fruit coming through on the finish – altogether pleasant and rich.

A bouquet of dried blueberry and cranberry with a nutty complexity. Incredible purity and depth on the palate, offering generous notes of milk chocolate, cherry liqueur and dried berries, supported by a solid grip for longevity. Richly satisfying, with a finish that lingers endlessly. (SW)

A ripe, forward and flattering style, with boysenberry and blackberry pâte de fruit notes melding with black licorice through the succulent, open finish. (JM)

This has rich, exuberant fruit, with fresh blackberries and plenty of vibrant dark fruit, complemented by a stony, dry schist character. Full bodied, with firm, dry tannins that add definition and balance to the multidimensional fruit. This is exceptional, a joy to taste in its exuberance and racy intensity, but with the substance and structure for a long life ahead. (JGA)

Attractive dried fruit like dried persimmons and peach skins with lots of toffee and spices. It’s sweet but crunchy with dried orange and orange liquor character, with hints of saffron and turmeric. Long, spicy and floral finish. Drink or hold.

Vintage Port doesn't seem like the right wine in the middle of the summer but I had an Amarone producer for dinner the other night in Tuscany and he had never drunk a wine from his birth year. He was lucky enough to have been born in 1977 - a great Port year! I found a bottle of 1977 Fonseca in my cellar - probably my last. It was absolutely gorgeous. I gave this fortified wine a perfect score in its youth and I think it has finally evolved into its perfection as a mature vintage Port. Here is the tasting note. 1977 Fonseca Vintage Port: This is in total balance now with such harmony. What amazing aromas of berry and flowers. Full and sweet, the tannins are complete dissolved. The fruit is perfect. This goes on for minutes. Drink now. But it will go forever.

93+ points "The NV 10 Years Old White Port bottled in 2023 has a peachy nose intermixed with some nutty and spirity hints. It has concentration and power, with a classical style and was aged in an oxidative way that gives it plenty of nutty notes and with the extract from the contact with the skins. This is a fairly recent wine, because they didn't have enough stock of white Port. They wanted to show that white Port could be a serious wine, not something to make a fresh drink, with structure, complexity and age. It has 20% alcohol and 111 grams of sugar. 3,000 bottles produced." (LG)

Bid on this 2-bottle tasting lot; including 1-bottle of 1994 Graham's Vintage Port (95RP, 95VN, 95WS, 93DC) and 1-bottle of 2000 Cockburn's Vintage Port (95RP, 92VN, 92WE). Of the 1994 Graham's Vintage Port, Vinous writes: "The 1994 Graham’s Vintage Port, which incidentally carries quite noticeable sediment, as there is no fining or filtration, is beginning to show a little bricking on the rim. The bouquet is very harmonious and welcoming, featuring aromas of mulberry, roasted chestnut, pressed rose petals, autumn leaves and a hint of liquorice. The nose is not powerful; rather, it displays a brooding intensity. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannin and lightly spiced with clove, pain d’épices and again, a scintilla of liquorice. Though it obviously has another 20 or 30 years in the tank, this mellow Graham’s is drinking beautifully now. (NM)" (12/2018)

Bid on this 2-magnum lot of 1985 Graham's Vintage Port (1.5L) (97DC, 96RP, 96WS, 94JS). Decanter: Probably the best wine from a good, ripe though rather variable vintage: still deep at the centre with a thin tawny rim; lovely ripe plummy aromas, open but still brooding with more to reveal; ripe and fleshy on the palate with glorious plum and cherry fruit backed by firm ripe tannins leading to a powerful finish. Ready to drink now and will keep and develop in bottle for another thirty years at least! (RM) (09/2021)

Bid on this 2-bottle lot of 1963 Taylor Vintage Port (97WS, 96VN, 95JG, 95RP). Wine Spectator: "A big wine with superb balance, a shining example of this exuberantly fruity vintage. Deep ruby, with violets and coffee on the nose, full-bodied, with dried cherry flavors and plenty of tannin, balanced and long on the finish." (01/1989)

Bid on this 2-bottle lot of 1977 Graham's Vintage Port (93RP, 91WS). Wine Advocate: "Graham is another great port house, producing one of the deepest-colored and sweetest styles of vintage port. Along with Taylor and Fonseca, Graham has probably been the most consistent producer of great port in the post- World War II era. Their tawnys are quite good rather than exceptional, but their vintage ports are truly sublime and sumptuous. (RP)" (12/1988)

Tons of red berries and dried fruits, dates, raisins and prunes along with fresh savoury notes leading to a long lingering finish. *Silver Medal - 2024 Decanter World Wine Awards*

Potentially one of the most compelling wines of the vintage, this inky black/purple-colored 2000 exhibits notes of scorched earth, melted asphalt, blackberry liqueur, and a pungent, penetrating intensity that reverberates in the mouth as well as the head. Full-bodied, massive, and concentrated, with a 45-second finish, this thrilling effort should drink well between 2010-2035. (RP)

96 Points and Gold Medal 2021 Decanter World wine awards: " Mature red fruits and toasted almonds with lovely broad creamy flavours. This has depth and subtlety leading to a fresh, exotic, spicy finish. Polished and harmonious."

Though the final blend comprises 25- to 40-year-old wines, with its reddish-orange topaz hue, freshness and fruit intensity, this is a relatively youthful-seeming 30-year-old. Caramelised oranges, dried apricot and fig take centre stage, with hints of café crème and toasted hazelnuts. Slinky, its gentle barley-sugar sweetness is cut with elegant acidity, making for a clean, controlled finish; 120g/L residual sugar. (SA)

The 2000 Fonseca continues to exude finesse and focus on the nose, with pure blackberry, juniper berries, licorice and a touch of sloes, perhaps as Adrian Bridge remarked, just beginning to close after ten years in bottle. The palate is underpinned by very fine tannins, a sensual, svelte texture with wonderful acidity. The harmony and symmetry is alluring, the finish precise and demonstrating the persistency to suggest a long future ahead. (NM)

Quinta do Infantado has been a leader in estate-bottled Ports since 1979. Until that time, all exported Ports had to be shipped in bulk to Vila Nova de Gaia, 60 miles west of the Douro Valley, where they were bottled and shipped. This practice effectively prevented small private producers from exporting their wines, since the cost of running an operation in another town was prohibitive for these vineyard owners. In 1986 the laws were changed. The Quinta is based in Pinhão, specifically in the subdistrict of Gontelho where the best Port vineyards may be found. The estate has been owned by the Roseira family since the end of the 19th century and is now managed by brother and sister, João Roseira. Their basic Ports are outstanding examples of elegance and richness.

Very dry in style, with a grippy alder spine carrying bitter plum, black currant and juniper notes. Shows some wild herb and violet notes as well, gaining intensity and grip through the finish. Tightly focused and very distinctive. (JM, Web-2018)

Bid on this 3-bottle lot of Taylor Fladgate 20 Year Old Tawny Port (95JS, 94W&S, 93RP, 93WS, 91VN). James Suckling: "The aromas to this beautiful tawny port are saturated with burnt orange peel, caramel, candied fruit and hints of honey-coated nuts. Full-bodied, very fruity and dense with intense nut and mahogany flavors. Hints of sultanas, chocolate and coffee. Extremely creamy, long and flavorful. Delicious all the way. Better served slightly chilled. " (06/2019)

Quinta do Infantado has been a leader in estate-bottled Ports since 1979. Until that time, all exported Ports had to be shipped in bulk to Vila Nova de Gaia, 60 miles west of the Douro Valley, where they were bottled and shipped. This practice effectively prevented small private producers from exporting their wines, since the cost of running an operation in another town was prohibitive for these vineyard owners. In 1986 the laws were changed. The Quinta is based in Pinhão, specifically in the subdistrict of Gontelho where the best Port vineyards may be found. The estate has been owned by the Roseira family since the end of the 19th century and is now managed by brother and sister, João Roseira. Their basic Ports are outstanding examples of elegance and richness. This Ruby is dark, rich and plummy with excellent balance of fruit, acid and tannins without an overwhelming sugary or jammy flavor.

The 1975 vintage is not a legendary one for Nacional, but the wine is still full of charm and the complexity of full maturity. The complex and ethereal nose offers up scents of cherries, cigar smoke, heather, coffee, sous bois, clove-like spices and a touch of ginger honey in the upper register. On the palate the wine is fullish, complex and intensely flavored, with lovely filigree, moderate depth, melting tannins and lovely length and grip on the finish. This is a touch low in acidity by the very high standards of Nacional, but this is a very, very pleasant drink. Drink between 2012-2035.

Taylor's 1992 Vintage Port is unquestionably the greatest young port I have ever tasted. It represents the essence of what vintage port can achieve. The color is an opaque black/purple, and the nose offers up fabulously intense aromas of minerals, cassis, blackberries, licorice, and spices, as well as extraordinary purity and penetration. Yet this is still an unformed and infantile wine. If Chateau Latour made a late-harvest Cabernet Sauvignon, I suspect it might smell like this. In the mouth, the wine is out of this world, displaying layer upon layer of concentrated black fruits backed by well-integrated tannin and structure. This is a massive, magnificently rich, full-bodied port that will be far more flattering in its youth than were such Taylors as the 1983, 1977, or 1970. It possesses awesome fruit, marvelous intensity, and lavish opulence, all brilliantly well-delineated by the wine's formidable structure. This monumental 30-50 year port is a must purchase for port aficionados! (RP)

Taylor's 1992 Vintage Port is unquestionably the greatest young port I have ever tasted. It represents the essence of what vintage port can achieve. The color is an opaque black/purple, and the nose offers up fabulously intense aromas of minerals, cassis, blackberries, licorice, and spices, as well as extraordinary purity and penetration. Yet this is still an unformed and infantile wine. If Chateau Latour made a late-harvest Cabernet Sauvignon, I suspect it might smell like this. In the mouth, the wine is out of this world, displaying layer upon layer of concentrated black fruits backed by well-integrated tannin and structure. This is a massive, magnificently rich, full-bodied port that will be far more flattering in its youth than were such Taylors as the 1983, 1977, or 1970. It possesses awesome fruit, marvelous intensity, and lavish opulence, all brilliantly well-delineated by the wine's formidable structure. This monumental 30-50 year port is a must purchase for port aficionados.! Also noteworthy is the fact that the 1992 Taylor commemorates the 300th anniversary of this firm, as evidenced by the special bottle Taylor used for this port. (RP)

Bid on this 6-bottle lot of 1992 Quinta do Infantado Vintage Port (95RP, 90WS). Wine Advocate: "There were only 1, 000 cases produced of the 1992 Vintage Port, and they are not likely to languish on retailers' shelves. A saturated, black/purple color is followed by a huge, ripe, pure nose of jammy blackberry and cassis fruit that is vaguely reminiscent of such great 1990 Hermitages as Chapoutier's Le Pavillon, Jaboulet's La Chapelle, or Chave's red label Cuvee Cathelin. Awesome concentration, massive body, an unctuous texture oozing with fruit, glycerin, and extract, and a blockbuster finish all suggest this will be a monumental port. (RP)" (02/1995)

Amazingly, the importer still has tiny stocks of such legendary ports as the 1970, 1963, and 1962 Nacionals. In most vintages the production of Quinta do Noval Nacional is no more than 250-275 cases. The 1970,1963,1962 and 1994 are candidates to achieve perfect scores. Remarkably, the 1962 Nacional exhibited an even more opaque color than the 1970, as well as exquisite richness and concentration. Massive (but not in the Taylor style), this phenomenally concentrated, complex, still youthful vintage port is a tour de force in winemaking, and one of the greatest, can you believe this, young vintage ports I have ever tasted. This wine needs another 5-10 years to reach full maturity as neither the color nor aromatics reveal much development. It could easily have one-hundred years of longevity. (RP)

Founded in 1842, Niepoort has a long history in Portugal’s Port trade. Its 2013 Colheita belongs to a category of tawny Port drawn from a single harvest and aged in wood for at least seven years. Here, 2013 identifies the harvest year rather than the year of bottling.

Interesting counterpoint between dense fruitiness and lifted herbal nuance. Unctuous concentration with juicy blackberry, bramble and black cherry. There is, however, a refreshing undercurrent of bergamot and wet stone adding gliding freshness. Earl Grey and dried rose petals play in the background for added elegance and depth. Beautifully presented, mineral tannins. (IS)

The 2021 Late Bottled Vintage Port comes from a fresher year with very good balance and freshness. They didn't produce a vintage in 2021, perhaps the wines didn't have the length required, so let's say the best grapes from 2021 went to this wine and others like 2021. Just poured in the glass, it is showy, spicy, minty and very expressive and open. The palate is soft and tender, with sweetness but with very good freshness, just without the weight and clout you expect from a vintage. But it's delicious and should deliver pleasure young and with time in bottle. (LG)