Ultimate 2023 (Classic) Vintage Port wine Guide
The 2023 Vintage Port Declarations: A Year of Elegance and Promise
The world of wine is one of constant change, with each vintage offering a unique snapshot of the climate and conditions in which the grapes were grown. Among the most anticipated wines each year are Vintage Ports, renowned for their complexity, richness, and ability to age gracefully over decades. The 2022 vintage, despite the challenging conditions faced by winemakers in the Douro Valley, proved to be a remarkable year, producing powerful and concentrated wines. But 2023? A different story altogether—and one that deserves attention.
What is Vintage Port?
Vintage Port is one of the most prestigious and age-worthy wines produced in the Douro Valley of Portugal. Unlike other styles of Port, which are often blends of multiple vintages, Vintage Port is made from grapes harvested in a single year. It is only declared in years when the quality of the grapes is deemed exceptional. After being aged for two years in casks, the wine is bottled and then continues to mature over many years, or even decades, developing complexity and depth as it ages.
The 2022 Vintage Port: A Year of Power and Concentration
The 2022 growing season in the Douro Valley was marked by extreme weather conditions: a dry winter and spring, followed by an exceptionally hot and arid summer. Yields were extremely low, but the grapes that survived were small and intensely concentrated. These thick-skinned berries produced deeply colored, tannic wines with excellent structure and aging potential. It was a vintage that required precision and bold decisions from winemakers—many of whom were rewarded with truly remarkable wines.
The 2023 Vintage Port Year: A Return to Balance and Elegance
After the intensity of 2022, the 2023 growing season brought a welcome return to more balanced conditions. A wetter winter helped replenish water reserves, while spring and early summer provided moderate, steady weather ideal for vine development. A short but sharp heatwave in July tested growers' patience, but cooler nights and a long ripening period ultimately delivered grapes with excellent phenolic maturity.
The harvest was later than recent years, particularly at higher altitudes, allowing for optimal ripeness and preserving natural acidity. The resulting wines are elegant, expressive, and poised—less massive than 2022, but potentially longer-lived thanks to their balance and finesse.
Highlights of the 2023 Vintage:
Lifted aromatics: violet, bergamot, wild berries
Silky tannins and vibrant acidity
Classical structure and elegance
Drinkable earlier, but with long-term aging potential
For many producers, 2023 is not a blockbuster year, but a beautiful, restrained one that rewards careful observation and craftsmanship in the vineyard and winery.
Full List of 2023 Declared Vintage Ports
The 2023 declarations showcase a wide array of expressions—from flagship Vintage Ports to exceptional Single Quinta bottlings. Below is a list of some of the 2023 Vintage Ports currently declared and available:
2023 W & J Graham's Vintage Port – €84
2023 Dow’s Vintage Port – €111
2023 Quinta do Noval Vintage Port – €71
2023 Quinta do Noval Nacional Vintage Port – €894
2023 Quinta do Vesuvio Single Quinta Vintage Port – €116
2023 Dow’s Quinta do Bomfim Single Quinta Vintage Port – €35
2023 Kopke Quinta São Luiz Vintage Port – €79
2023 Warre’s Otima Colheita Tawny Port – €106 (note: technically not a Vintage Port, but a Tawny)
2023 Quinta do Pégo Vintage Port – €53
2023 Taylor’s Sentinels Vintage Port – €33
Additional Classic Declarations:
2023 Graham's "The Stone Terraces" Vintage Port
2023 Graham's Quinta do Tua Vinhas Velhas Vintage Port
2023 Dow's Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira Vintage Port
2023 Burmester Quinta do Arnozelo Vintage Port
2023 Fonseca Guimaraens Vintage Port
2023 Taylor’s Quinta de Vargellas Vintage Port
2023 Sandeman Quinta do Seixo Vintage Port
2023 Porto Ferreira Quinta do Porto Vintage Port
2023 Offley Vintage Port
2023 Niepoort Vintage Port
2023 Capela do Vesuvio Vintage Port
2023 Churchill’s Quinta da Gricha Vintage Port
2023 Vasques de Carvalho Vintage Port
2023 Quinta do Passadouro Vintage Port
As new declarations are made public, this list will be updated on prtwine.com. We also expect small producers and boutique port houses to release limited editions in the coming months.
Follow the Journey
We will be reviewing many of these 2023 Vintage Ports over the coming months—tasting, comparing, and ranking them. If you're passionate about Port and want to stay up-to-date with our tasting notes, cellar recommendations, and interviews with winemakers, join our weekly newsletter.
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