2024 was a brilliant vintage for port wine, and many of the major Port wine houses have “declared” in April (as is done in the Port wine district) that they will make a vintage port 2024. This is long-awaited news for port wine lovers.
Vintage port is only declared in years that the producers consider exceptional, and “general declarations” – which means that most of the major houses release a Vintage – are relatively rare. The most recent year was 2017.
2024 offered a warm summer and a relatively cool autumn, resulting in a classic vintage port. But, of course, we see vintage port from years other than those that are “general declarations”. Some years, only a few houses declare a vintage, or none at all. Fonseca, for example, declares a “classic vintage port” only in exceptional years. In some other years, the house chooses to release a Fonseca Guimaraens Vintage Port, which is made in a style that makes it available earlier than a classic vintage and at about half the price.
The decision to declare a vintage is made in the spring of the second year after the harvest. A port that is to be vintage is usually bottled after two years and, according to the rules, no later than three. Another rule says that you should wait a long time before opening a vintage port. But the fact is that already when young, it offers an irresistible fruity sensation.
Read more: theportugalnews
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