WARRE'S Vintage Port 1977 Bottle

Description

The 1977 Warre’s Vintage Port is a superb expression that embodies richness and concentration, showcasing its evolution into a truly remarkable wine. With a fragrant nose of cassis and prunes, it offers a fleshy texture loaded with ripe berry flavors and mellow tannins, culminating in a lush, fruity finish. Rated 98 points by Decanter, it impresses with its cleanliness and freshness, enhanced by enticing aromas of rose petals and star anise, while providing a long, powerful palate. James Suckling awarded it 94 points for its delightful dried fruit and Christmas cake character, making it a pleasure to drink now. Jancis Robinson noted its brooding, smoky nose and 18+ points, indicating it’s still developing complexity. With a score of 92 points from The Wine Advocate, this vintage reflects Warre's unique mineral-scented character, promising continued enjoyment and aging potential.

*****

1977 Warres Vintage Port is rich and highly concentrated, it has evolved into to open into a superb Port. Fragrant cassis and prunes nose, fleshy texture, loaded with ripe berry flavours, mellow tannins and a lush fruity finish. Powerful, yet impressively balanced. The 1977s have reached the middle stage of what will prove to be a long and distinguished life. Hugely enjoyable now and it will only get better.

DECANTER 98 points
Tasted by: David Sly
(at Yalumba 175th Anniversary Tasting, 17 Apr 2024)
Drinking Window: 2024 - 2040
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.

JAMES SUCKLING 94 points
Beautiful now. Shows lots of dried fruits and Christmas cake character on the nose and palate. Medium sweet. Full-bodied with loads of flavor and an intensely flavorful finish. Perfect to drink.

JANCIS ROBINSON 18+ points
Mid tawny-brick. Brooding, smoky, spicy nose – almost like it’s in a backward phase – with layers of savoury depth emerging. Not full bodied, but full flavoured. Lots of intensity, but again, I don’t think this is giving everything yet. Still a fair weight of tannins as well. It’s at a muscular, somewhat unforgiving stage right now, but I think this will go somewhere interesting. I won’t be broaching my magnum anytime soon! (TJ)

THE WINE ADVOCATE (Robert Parker) 92 Points
This house makes rather restrained yet rich, flavourful vintage port. Their vintage ports seem slow to develop, and have a unique mineral-scented character that gives them their own complexity and style. The 1977 is quite powerful, very deep and intense, particularly for Warre.