Decanting
Vintage Port forms a natural deposit in the bottle and should be decanted. Stand the bottle upright a few hours before decanting to allow the sediment to fall to the bottom of the bottle.
Select Year
1977
Storage
Continues to improve for decades after bottling. The bottle should be kept lain down in a cool place, ideally at a temperature below 16ºC.
Serving temperature
Serve at 16ºC to 18ºC. Vintage Port is best drunk one to two days after opening.
Pairing suggestions
Walnuts, blue veined and other richly flavoured cheeses are excellent accompaniments to Vintage Port; so too are dried fruits such as apricots or figs.
Select Year
About the Wine
The winter of 1976/7 was one of the wettest on record, with over 60 centimetres of rain falling between October and March, and after three years of drought this rain was very welcome. The harvest started on 28th September in extremely hot conditions; yields in the valley were generally on the high side.
For Taylor’s not only was the 1977 an incredible vintage, it was also a landmark year for Quinta de Vargellas as electricity arrived at the property for the first time.
Tasting Notes
Great plum red, vibrant. Fresh nose, clean fruit with delicate floral notes. A wine with great complexity of fruit – berry and spice, dense, luscious and concentrated, yet with a soft, delicate finish which belies the inner strength.
Robert Parker, Buying Guide, 2nd Edition