If the 1960s had raised the bar in terms of quality Port production, the 1970 vintage turned out to be truly outstanding, says Axel Probst.
The Douro Valley was connected to the electrical grid as late as 1963, and even seven years later, many everyday items found in Western Europe were uncommon here. The flat-bottomed boats known as rabelos still sailed down the river to Vila Nova de Gaia to unload 550-liter casks of Port, and were towed upstream again by oxen. At the time, very few houses had central heating.
During the 1970 harvest, the Douro Valley looked back on the best decade of quality Port production in its 300 years of history. The 1960s produced two major vintages and two very good ones, elevating Vintage Port to its former status as one of the world’s best wines. The 1963 and 1966 vintages are among the best in the 20th century, while 1960 and 1967 are also above average, if not quite as exceptional as 1963 and 1966.
The first few months of 1970 were rainy, but the weather dried out from March to May and remained ideal until the harvest in late September. During the harvest, temperatures reached 95°F (35°C), but it turned cooler from the last week of September onward. The cooler nights in particular greatly helped healthy fermentation. The winemakers noted plenty of fruit and color in the lagares during fermentation. The overall quantity was above average, and the quality was fantastic. But because the Portuguese were still fighting colonial wars in Angola, Guinea-Bissau, and Mozambique, a shortage of pickers meant that some high-quality grapes could not be harvested. James Symington was convinced from the outset that this would be a Vintage Port year, since “the wines had an exceptional color and plenty of body.” Jorge Rosas from Ramos Pinto called 1970 “a dream year for Port growers and houses. It was an enormous production, and the quality was fantastic.” Unable to harvest everything in 1970, Rosas and João Nicolau de Almeida started looking for more accessible spots in the Douro Valley. This resulted in the purchase of Quinta de Ervamoira.
Related
In addition to its fantastic quality, 1970 saw the production of some of the largest quantities of Vintage Port. For whatever reason, Port producers are often reluctant to reveal their production numbers, especially when it comes to Vintage Port. Running to more than 200,000 bottles, Taylor’s 1970 Vintage Port seems to be one of the highest volumes of a Vintage Port ever bottled—and of astonishing quality. Furthermore, this was the last time that Taylor’s simultaneously bottled a Vintage Port and a Quinta de Vargellas Vintage Port from the same year. Because a dam was to be built shortly after the harvest, Vargellas lost the lowest rows of vines. To honor these very special vines, one cask was produced, yielding around 600 bottles. This makes it the scarcest and, after the Noval Nacional, the most expensive Port from this vintage.
In the 1970s, producers continued to buy vineyards to be in full control of production, rather than buying grapes or Port from farmers. The Symingtons acquired the Graham’s brand in 1970 and became owners of its flagship Quinta dos Malvedos. Although not many purchases were made this year, it led to a change of thinking at many houses.
The years that followed were much more challenging for Port producers. 1975 was declared only because a new Vintage Port year was very much favored by everyone after the revolution in Portugal in 1974, since the year did not really merit a declaration (most ’75s are way past their prime). In 1977, some producers bottled and later declared great Vintage Ports, but the average quality is lower than in 1970. The 1980s became the most challenging decade for Port production. 1980, 1982/1983 (a split declaration), and 1985 were widely bottled as Vintage Port, but with serious problems of volatile acidity and cork quality, leading to contaminations of almost-complete bottling runs. The next high point for Vintage Port was not until 1994.
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Last and least, 1970 was the last widely declared year that could be bottled outside Portugal. In the past, English merchants, in particular, received casks of 550 liters rather than bottled Port. Bottles, labels, and capsules therefore varied, even though the Port was more or less the same—but not exactly, because bottling techniques and times were controlled by the merchants. Many of the bottles in the UK were bottled three or even four years after the harvest, and many old winemakers insist that this could greatly benefit the wine.
Tasting
I evaluated all the 1970 Vintage Ports, but due to the high number of declarations, I have focused here on the houses that are drinking very well now. Most of the wines from the leading shippers will remain on their high drinking plateau for at least another 30 years, if not longer.
1970 Avery
The Avery family was famous for blending casks of different wines upon arrival in Bristol to create a unique Avery Vintage Port. For its 1970 Vintage Port, the recipe included one pipe of Sandeman, one pipe of Fonseca, and 12 gallons of Taylor’s. This should not be confused with the Sandeman, Fonseca, or Taylor’s Vintage Ports bottled by Avery. Transparent medium-red color, with a noticeably lighter rim. Expansive tobacco and herbal notes on the nose, spicy and fresh. Complex, fresh palate, with perfectly supportive acidity, fresh tobacco, and honey notes. Long, complex finish. | 97
1970 BBR (Warre’s)
London-based merchant and shipper Berry Brothers & Rudd used to pick one producer each vintage for their own blend. In 1970, it selected Warre’s, and it was fascinating to compare this with the regular Warre’s. Fresh, dark-red color, with intense reflections. Incredibly balanced, complex nose, with fresh herbal notes (coriander), malt, and honey. Creamy, powerful palate, with malt and fresh coffee. Medium-long finish. | 93
1970 Burmester
Fully transparent medium-red color, with orange reflections. Fresh but well-developed bouquet, with toffee, honey, and a very appealing herbal note. A herbal touch on the elegantly balanced palate, too, along with chocolate and toffee. Medium length. | 89
1970 Cálem
You may not have Cálem on your radar as a great producer of Vintage Ports, but at least until 1970, its bottlings still show outstandingly well. Both Cálem Vintage Ports are very dark and vivid in the third flight of a rather legendary Port tasting in London; a barely transparent dark-red color, with brilliant reflections. Fresh, structured nose with fresh chocolate and initial toffee notes. Dense, complex palate, with chocolate, toffee, and coffee, plus very good supporting acidity. Long finish. | 95
1970 Cálem Quinta da Foz
As with the Offley and Offley Boa Vista, I am not sure whether this is a different blend or if the label was altered for marketing reasons with the same Port inside. Dense, dark-red color, with brilliant reflections (just like the other Cálem). Fresh, floral nose, with dense chocolate and toffee notes. Complex and intense on the palate, with coffee and toffee and noticeable acidity. Long finish. I think the difference lies more in the bottle than in the wine. | 94
1970 Cockburn’s
Dark-orange color, with relatively few reflections, and a noticeably watery rim. Tobacco and milk chocolate on the broad, herbal nose but also a floral freshness; completely balanced. A fresh but creamy palate, with very good texture and very good supporting acidity. Chocolate, herbs, and tobacco. Powerful balance, with a long, coffee- and tobacco-accented finish. | 92
1970 Croft
Another brilliant couple: Croft and the Croft Quinta da Roêda from the same year. Bright and fully transparent dark red. Intense raspberry fruit on the nose, with coffee, chocolate, and spicy notes. Creamy palate with medium intensity and well-supported acidity. Chocolate, coffee, and a slight hint of spice. Long finish. | 94
1970 Croft Quinta da Roêda
The only vintage in Croft’s history when the house bottled both Ports in the same year. Fresh, dark-red color, with a minimal watery rim. Tobacco, herbs, and white pepper on the nose. Complex, balanced palate, with tobacco, chocolate, and cherry, and noticeable but well-integrated acidity. Long, complex finish. | 95
1970 Delaforce
Medium-intensity reflections in a transparent, medium-red color. Balanced, herbal, toffee nose, with fresh chocolate. Also elegant and balanced on the palate: milk chocolate, tobacco, and herbs. Medium-length finish. Quite developed already, but it still has another decade left in it. | 90
1970 Dow’s
Intensely bright, dark-red color, with orange reflections. Balanced bouquet, with plenty of punch: white pepper, orange, and malt notes, along with milk chocolate and a mix of herbs. Perfect balance on the palate, with chocolate, malt, and herbal notes, silky tannins, and perfectly supportive acidity. Long finish. Little difference between the standard bottle and the magnum. | 98
1970 Ferreira
Transparent, medium-red color, with a noticeable watery rim. Malty nose, with honey and a hint of herbs. Delicate acidity on the palate, alongside honey and milk chocolate. Medium length on the finish. | 92
1970 Fonseca
This may be the 1970 Vintage Port that took longest to show its full potential. Fully transparent, fresh, red color, with intense red reflections. Powerful, expressive bouquet, with fine chocolate, a hint of mint, and balanced red-berry notes. Similar intensity on the palate, with white pepper, initial malt notes, chocolate, and noticeable acidity. Incredibly long, complex finish. Perhaps the best bottle of this that I have ever had. | 99
1970 Gould Campbell
Tasted directly alongside the 1970 Gould Campbell Late Bottled Vintage Port, which also was surprisingly drinkable (90). Medium-red color, with medium-intensity reflections and a noticeable rim. Ripe red-berry fruit, coffee, and fresh herbs in the bouquet. Malt, honey, and tea notes on the palate, very good supporting acidity, and a barely noticeable tannin structure. Coffee and honey. Medium-long finish. | 92
1970 Graham’s
Compact dark-red color, with a minimal watery rim and medium-intensity reflections. Expressive, fresh bouquet, with complex structure and intensity on the nose. Coffee, malt, orange peel, and a hint of tea. Great notes of white pepper on the palate, with coffee, malt, and honey. A Port with a huge intensity and complexity. | 97
1970 Kopke
Like Cálem, Kopke used to bottle high-quality Vintage Ports in the past and is now back on track again. Intense, fresh, red-berry fruit, with supporting spice and vanilla notes on the nose. Complex structure on the palate, intensely fruity, with chocolate and toffee. Medium-length finish, with elegant medicinal notes. | 94
1970 Niepoort
This fantastic Port exists in two different bottles: the regular, straight bottle and the dumpy bottle that the Portuguese call pota. Fresh, dark-red color. Powerful floral notes, tobacco, minimal sweetness, chocolate and spicy notes. Similarly intense and powerful on the palate. Chocolate, tobacco, floral notes, white pepper, ripe fruit. Long, fantastically fresh and complex finish. Very good from both bottles—I guess the storage conditions have more effect than the bottle shape. | 98
1970 Quinta do Noval
Transparent dark-red color. Classic Vintage Port nose, with rich malt, honey, and coffee notes, alongside fresh tobacco leaves. Balanced, powerful nose, but with finesse. Very structured, powerful palate, with coffee, chocolate, and mixed herbs. Long, compact, fresh finish, with perfectly supportive acidity. | 94
1970 Quinta do Noval Nacional
Following the top vintages of 1963, 1966, and 1967, the 1970 Noval Nacional is also the star of this vintage. Breathtaking from a perfect bottle: fresh, completely clean, fully transparent, dark-red color, without any watery rim. Extremely intense, balanced, and complex bouquet, without being overly concentrated. Malt, coffee, cherry, and mint on the nose. Breathtakingly complex palate, with red-berry fruit, tobacco, and spice notes. Astonishingly long, complex, multilayered finish. | 100
1970 Offley
Brilliant reflections in the transparent dark-red color. Amazingly lively nose, with fresh tobacco and herbal notes. Fresh, mature Vintage Port palate, with balanced chocolate and toffee notes, and a hint of herbs in the background. Medium-length finish. | 93
1970 Quarles Harris
Medium-red color, with a noticeable rim. Fresh floral and herbal nose, complex red-berry fruit and initial toffee notes. Structured, perfectly acid-supported palate, with toffee, honey, malt, and coffee notes. Medium-length, fresh, and balanced finish. | 94
1970 Ramos Pinto
Medium-red, fully transparent color. An elegant, very well-structured nose, with fresh herbs and malt, and floral notes in the background. Balanced palate, with herbs, tobacco, malt, and honey. Very well-structured, long finish. | 94
1970 Sandeman
Fully transparent medium-red color. Fresh herbal nose, with malt and honey. Perfectly balanced. Fine acidity and perfectly supportive tannins on the balanced and elegant palate. Medium-long finish. Fairly far advanced, so good to drink up over the next decade. | 92
1970 Smith Woodhouse
Medium-intensity reflections in a dark-red color. Balanced, expressive nose, with both fresh and very ripe fruit, coffee, and malt. Fresh, powerful palate, with white pepper and chocolate, malt and coffee. Incredibly lively for a “baby brand.” Long, fresh finish. | 94
1970 Taylor’s Vargellas
It is very rare to taste the 1970 Vargellas and 1970 Taylor’s Vintage directly alongside each other. With a fully transparent dark-red color, this is much lighter than the regular Taylor’s blend. Almost Burgundian on the nose, with broader herbal fruit, fresh malt notes, and honey. Surprisingly powerful on the palate, with perfectly supportive acidity. Fresh chocolate and finesse; malt and honey. Long, finesse-rich finish. | 98
1970 Taylor’s
Opaque, dark-red color, with medium-intensity reflections. Complex, structured nose, with almost-fresh red-berry fruit in the secondary-aroma range. Complex chocolate on the palate, white pepper, perfectly supportive acidity, malt and coffee. Herbal touch. Long, complex finish. Needs a few more years to develop its full finesse. Will be the bigger of the two Taylor’s wines in a short while. | 97+
1970 Warre’s
Complex, opaque, dark-red color, with medium-intensity reflections. Incredibly young bouquet, with floral and slightly sweet notes of strawberry, raspberry, and chocolate. Complex and powerful, with additional coffee, tobacco, and chocolate. Youthful and fresh on the palate, with red-berry fruit and the first notes of malt, herbs, and honey. Silky tannins in the background, along with raspberry, coffee, chocolate, and mineral notes. Long, complex, powerful finish. | 96
