Great Vintage Port Tasting
Vintage 1966
This vintage was of exceptional quality. Very sweet wines and rich in tannins, some of them sublime, with large aging capacity. Almost all shippers declare. According to Broadbent 20 shippers declared and according to Port Wine Institute 19. Broadbent gave this vintage ***** out of 5*, Suckling 93 points out of 100.
The Wine Society 18% had a Great Tasting 21 September 2006 of the vintage 1966 of 22 Houses. We were 15 participants. The tasting was semi-blind i.e. we know which houses participate but not what we had in the glass.
Tasting notes. Note that the points are for the actual bottle tasted. Read about how we set point on the page "How to understand our points valuations"
Sort on: Name Sten's rank Jörgen's rank Stefan's rank Group's rank
| House | Barros | Vintage | 1966 |
| Colour | Yellow mature colour. |
| Bouquet | Pharmacy and lovely plum and chocolate in the nose. |
| Taste | Quite full-bodied. Mature and at its peak. Plum in flavour. A very complex port with an attractive finish. |
| SAI point | 15.75 | JB point | 17.00 | SS point | 15.50 | Group point | 16.00 |
| SAI rank | 14 | JB rank | 5 | SS rank | 13 | Group rank | 17 |
| Comment | SAI, JB and SS had a split ranking |
| House | Burmester | Vintage | 1966 |
| Colour | Yellow mature colour. Rather dark. |
| Bouquet | Complex nose of toffee and burned sugar. |
| Taste | Medium body. Mature. Toffee in flavour but a bit alcoholic and unbalanced with a nice finish |
| SAI point | 15.00 | JB point | 15.50 | SS point | 14.50 | Group point | 15.87 |
| SAI rank | 19 | JB rank | 17 | SS rank | 22 | Group rank | 18 |
| Comment | SAI and JB had a split ranking |
| House | Croft | Vintage | 1966 |
| Colour | Dark with yellow mature colour. |
| Bouquet | Mint, violet, toffee and much more in the nose. Wonderful and complex bouquet |
| Taste | Full-bodied. Mature and at its peak. Elegant and balanced. A perfect port today with a marvellous finish. Port can not be much better. Thanks’ heaven! |
| SAI point | 19.00 | JB point | 17.00 | SS point | 19.00 | Group point | 17.67 |
| SAI rank | 1 | JB rank | 5 | SS rank | 1 | Group rank | 1 |
| Comment | JB had a split ranking |
| House | Dow | Vintage | 1966 |
| Colour | Yellow mature colour. |
| Bouquet | Burned and not so clean in the nose. |
| Taste | Medium body. Mature and quite good despite the nose. Balanced. Burned sugar in flavour and in finish. Not as attractive as expected. |
| SAI point | 14.00 | JB point | 15.50 | SS point | 15.50 | Group point | 15.23 |
| SAI rank | 22 | JB rank | 17 | SS rank | 13 | Group rank | 21 |
| Comment | Not up to Dow’s ordinary standard. JB and SS had a split ranking |
| House | Feist | Vintage | 1966 |
| Colour | Tawny in colour. |
| Bouquet | Mature complex nose mostly crème caramel and ginger |
| Taste | Medium body. Fully mature. A bit alcoholic and an old, not quite balanced finish. |
| SAI point | 15.00 | JB point | 16.00 | SS point | 15.00 | Group point | 14.83 |
| SAI rank | 19 | JB rank | 14 | SS rank | 20 | Group rank | 22 |
| Comment | The bouquet was the best in this port SAI, JB and SS had a split ranking |
| House | Ferreira | Vintage | 1966 |
| Colour | Yellow mature in colour. |
| Bouquet | Chocolate and plum aromas with some ether. Maybe a bit old nose. |
| Taste | Medium body. Very mature. A bit alcoholic but quite ok in balanced and a good finish. |
| SAI point | 15.50 | JB point | 16.00 | SS point | 15.50 | Group point | 15.60 |
| SAI rank | 16 | JB rank | 14 | SS rank | 13 | Group rank | 20 |
| Comment | SAI, JB and SS had a split ranking |
| House | Fonseca | Vintage | 1966 |
| Colour | Dark with yellow mature colour. |
| Bouquet | Violet, crème caramel, toffee and much more in the nose. |
| Taste | Full-bodied. Mature but with still soft tannins. Will develop more but is delicious now. Elegant and complex with violets in flavour. Long, attractive and never ending finish. Wonderful port |
| SAI point | 18.25 | JB point | 17.50 | SS point | 18.50 | Group point | 17.43 |
| SAI rank | 3 | JB rank | 2 | SS rank | 2 | Group rank | 3 |
| Comment | JB and SS had a split ranking |
| House | Gould Campbell | Vintage | 1966 |
| Colour | Still dark in colour with a yellow mature rim |
| Bouquet | Complex bouquet of burned sugar, crème caramel and old grocery shop |
| Taste | Full bodied. Mature and peaking but will develop more with some soft tannin. Complex, balanced and lovely finish. Quite extraordinary |
| SAI point | 15.75 | JB point | 17.00 | SS point | 15.50 | Group point | 16.23 |
| SAI rank | 14 | JB rank | 5 | SS rank | 13 | Group rank | 12 |
| Comment | SAI, JB and SS had a split ranking |
| House | Graham | Vintage | 1966 |
| Colour | Mature yellow in colour |
| Bouquet | Crème caramel, toffee, old grocery shop and much more in the nose. Wonderful bouquet |
| Taste | Full-bodied. Mature and at its peak but still soft tannin and will be better. Lovely flavour. Elegant and balanced port with a complex and never ending finish. What a Port! |
| SAI point | 18.00 | JB point | 15.50 | SS point | 18.00 | Group point | 16.17 |
| SAI rank | 4 | JB rank | 17 | SS rank | 4 | Group rank | 13 |
| Comment | JB and SS had a split ranking Group ranking was also spilt |
| House | Kopke | Vintage | 1966 |
| Colour | Mature yellow in colour |
| Bouquet | Old pharmacy and ether in the nose |
| Taste | Medium body. A bit alcoholic and pharmacy in flavour. Some complexity. Easy to drink and balanced port. Mature and a bit more. Nice finish |
| SAI point | 15.25 | JB point | 15.50 | SS point | 16.00 | Group point | 15.73 |
| SAI rank | 17 | JB rank | 17 | SS rank | 9 | Group rank | 19 |
| Comment | JB and SS had a split ranking |
| House | Niepoort | Vintage | 1966 |
| Colour | Mature yellow colour. |
| Bouquet | Coffee, tea and old grocery shop in bouquet |
| Taste | Full- bodied. Mature and at its peak. Complex and elegant Dry with a balanced and fantastic finish. A really great port. |
| SAI point | 17.90 | JB point | 18.00 | SS point | 16.00 | Group point | 17.57 |
| SAI rank | 5 | JB rank | 1 | SS rank | 9 | Group rank | 2 |
| Comment | SAI and SS had a split ranking |
| House | Offley Boa Vista | Vintage | 1966 |
| Colour | Beautiful mature yellow colour. |
| Bouquet | Crème caramel and old grocery shop in the nose. |
| Taste | Full bodied. Sweet. Mature and at its peak. Balanced and complex long finish. Quite elegant. |
| SAI point | 16.40 | JB point | 16.00 | SS point | 16.50 | Group point | 16.07 |
| SAI rank | 11 | JB rank | 14 | SS rank | 7 | Group rank | 16 |
| Comment | JB and SS had a split ranking |
| House | Quarles Harris | Vintage | 1966 |
| Colour | Mature yellow colour. |
| Bouquet | Crème caramel and complex burned sugar. |
| Taste | Medium body. Mature. Complex and balanced with a good finish. Quite good and at its peak. |
| SAI point | 16.40 | JB point | 16.50 | SS point | 16.50 | Group point | 16.40 |
| SAI rank | 11 | JB rank | 9 | SS rank | 7 | Group rank | 10 |
| Comment | SAI, JB and SS had a split ranking |
| House | Quinta do Bomfim, Dow | Vintage | 1966 |
| Colour | Yellow beautiful mature colour. |
| Bouquet | Complex pharmacy, hospital and old grocery shop. |
| Taste | Full-bodied. Mature and at its peak. Elegant with complexity and a very long and wonderful dry finish. |
| SAI point | 17.40 | JB point | 16.50 | SS point | 17.50 | Group point | 17.33 |
| SAI rank | 7 | JB rank | 9 | SS rank | 6 | Group rank | 4 |
| Comment | JB had a split ranking |
| House | Quinta do Noval | Vintage | 1966 |
| Colour | Quite dark blue with a yellow rim. |
| Bouquet | Mint and menthol in the nose but also coffee, tea and cacao. Very elegant and complex. |
| Taste | Full-bodied. Sweet. Complex and balanced with a very generous and attractive finish. Just wonderful. |
| SAI point | 17.90 | JB point | 16.50 | SS point | 18.50 | Group point | 16.47 |
| SAI rank | 5 | JB rank | 9 | SS rank | 2 | Group rank | 9 |
| Comment | SAI, JB and SS had a split ranking |
| House | Quinta do Noval Nacional | Vintage | 1966 |
| Colour | Quite dark blue with a yellow rim. |
| Bouquet | Ginger bread and cinnamon in the nose. Quite complex. |
| Taste | Full-bodied. Quite mature but long way left. Complex and balanced. Lovely long finish. Very elegant indeed. |
| SAI point | 17.00 | JB point | 17.50 | SS point | 15.50 | Group point | 17.10 |
| SAI rank | 8 | JB rank | 2 | SS rank | 13 | Group rank | 5 |
| Comment | JB and SS had a split ranking |
| House | Ramos Pinto | Vintage | 1966 |
| Colour | Quite dark but with a yellow colour. |
| Bouquet | Burned sugar and cinnamon in the nose. |
| Taste | Medium body. Mature at its peak and maybe a little more. Alcoholic in flavour. Quite nice finish but we hoped it would be much better. |
| SAI point | 15.00 | JB point | 16.50 | SS point | 15.00 | Group point | 16.17 |
| SAI rank | 19 | JB rank | 9 | SS rank | 20 | Group rank | 13 |
| Comment | SAI, JB and SS had a split ranking Group ranking was also spilt |
| House | Rebello Valente, Robertson | Vintage | 1966 |
| Colour | Yellow mature colour. |
| Bouquet | Attractive ether, pharmacy and old hospital in the nose |
| Taste | Medium body. Mature and at its peak. Develops in the glass. Attractive port with a complex, balanced and wonderful and long finish |
| SAI point | 15.90 | JB point | 15.50 | SS point | 15.50 | Group point | 16.10 |
| SAI rank | 13 | JB rank | 17 | SS rank | 13 | Group rank | 15 |
| Comment | JB and SS had a split ranking |
| House | Sandeman | Vintage | 1966 |
| Colour | Yellow mature in colour |
| Bouquet | Elegant bouquet of toffee, figs and Christmas raisin |
| Taste | Full-bodied. Mature but still with soft tannin and will be better. Elegant and complex port with flavour of figs and toffee. Wonderful and long finish. Very attractive |
| SAI point | 16.75 | JB point | 16.50 | SS point | 16.00 | Group point | 16.37 |
| SAI rank | 9 | JB rank | 9 | SS rank | 9 | Group rank | 11 |
| Comment | SAI, JB and SS had a split ranking |
| House | Smith Woodhouse | Vintage | 1966 |
| Colour | Dark but with a yellow mature colour |
| Bouquet | Cacao and burned sugar in the nose |
| Taste | Quite full-bodied. Mature and on top. Not as complex as expected. Burned sugar in flavour and a nice quite long finish. |
| SAI point | 15.25 | JB point | 17.50 | SS point | 15.50 | Group point | 16.80 |
| SAI rank | 17 | JB rank | 2 | SS rank | 13 | Group rank | 7 |
| Comment | SAI, JB and SS had a split ranking |
| House | Taylor | Vintage | 1966 |
| Colour | Dark with yellow mature colour. |
| Bouquet | Coffee, cacao, chocolate and crème caramel in the nose. |
| Taste | Quite full-bodied. Mature and nearly peaking but with still soft tannin and will develop more. Complex and attractive port with a long and nearly never ending finish. We just love this port. |
| SAI point | 18.50 | JB point | 15.50 | SS point | 18.00 | Group point | 16.90 |
| SAI rank | 2 | JB rank | 17 | SS rank | 4 | Group rank | 6 |
| Comment | JB and SS had a split ranking |
| House | Warre | Vintage | 1966 |
| Colour | Mature yellow colour. |
| Bouquet | Lovely violet, cacao, coffee, tea and ginger in the nose |
| Taste | Medium body. Sweet and elegant port. Complex. Lovely and long finish. |
| SAI point | 16.75 | JB point | 17.00 | SS point | 16.00 | Group point | 16.63 |
| SAI rank | 9 | JB rank | 5 | SS rank | 9 | Group rank | 8 |
| Comment | SAI, JB and SS had a split ranking |