Barão de Vilar
Barão de Vilar
The van Zeller family sold Quinta do Noval to AXA Millésimes in 1993. A few years later Fernando and Álvaro van Zeller started the Port House under the family title Barao de Vilar in 1996. The family has deep roots in the port wine business as they can trace their origin back to 12th century in Flandern and migrated to Portugal in the 16th century. Their great-great grandfather was Luis Vasconcellos Porto who got Quinta do Noval in shape and their father Fernando Luis van Zeller managed Quinta do Noval 1963-1982. Álvaro van Zeller, now wine maker at Barão de Vilar also started his career at Quinta do Noval. The young Fernando van Zeller became an independent port wine shipper in 1998 and was involved in the restoring of Osborne 1967. As eldest male heir he inherited the title Barão de Vilar, which was first given to their ancestor Cristiano Nicolau Kopke in 1836.
| Barao de Vilar Vintages: | 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 |
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| Feuerheerd Vintages: | 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 |
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| Maynard Vintages: | 1989, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020 |
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| Maynard Organic Vintages: | 2015, 2016, 2017 |
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| Palmer Vintages: | 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020 |
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| Statement Vintages: | 1999 |
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Vintage Port tasting notes:
| House | Barao de Vilar | Vintage | 1996 |
| Colour | Still dark blue in colour. | Number of tastings | 4 |
| Bouquet | Dark cherry, violet, apricot and dark berry in the nose. | Score range | 15.25 - 16.50 |
| Taste | Medium body. Quite immature with some soft tannin. Balanced and quite complex. Easy to drink and like. An elegant port with violet and dark cherry in taste and a very attractive and long finish. Will probably even be better. | Average score | 15.88 |
| Last tasted | 15th April 2015 | Point this date | 16.50 |
| Comment | At the Danish Port Wine Club est. 1981 tasting in Copenhagen, Denmark.
1 bottle has been corked.
| Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Barao de Vilar | Vintage | 1997 |
| Colour | Still very dark blue almost black in colour. | Number of tastings | 5 |
| Bouquet | Dark berry, dark cherry, mulberry and much more in the nose. | Score range | 15.25 - 16.40 |
| Taste | Medium body. Immature and still lots of soft tannins. Mulberry in flavour. Complex port with a long and attractive finish. Will be interesting to follow. | Average score | 15.51 |
| Last tasted | 23rd October 2013 | Point this date | 16.40 |
| Comment | At the Danish Port Wine Club est. 1981 tasting in Copenhagen, Denmark.
| Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Barao de Vilar | Vintage | 1999 |
| Colour | Still very dark with a yellow rim. | Number of tastings | 3 |
| Bouquet | Not particularly developed nose. Coffee mostly and old grocery shop. Rather tasteful. | Score range | 14.50 - 15.00 |
| Taste | Medium body. Still some immature and soft tannin. Fruit in flavour. Quite good but not a long runner. | Average score | |
| Last tasted | 1st November 2010 | Point this date | 14.50 |
| Comment | At the Port Wine Festival in Copenhagen, Denmark.
| Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Barao de Vilar | Vintage | 2000 |
| Colour | Dark blue in colour. | Number of tastings | 3 |
| Bouquet | Fruity and berry nose not particular develop yet. | Score range | 14.50 - 15.00 |
| Taste | Medium body. Immature and much tannin. Hard to swallow but on the light side with a nice finish. | Average score | |
| Last tasted | 7th November 2005 | Point this date | 15.00 |
| Comment | At the Port Wine Festival in Copenhagen, Denmark.
| Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Barao de Vilar | Vintage | 2002 |
| Colour | Still quite dark but I yellow mature in colour. | Number of tastings | 1 |
| Bouquet | Cherry, candy and milk chocolate in the nose. | Score range | 15.75 - 15.75 |
| Taste | Medium body. A quite modern port in style but with lovely and attractive, round tannins and will probably ne netter. Balanced and tasty with a quite long and attractive finish- | Average score | |
| Last tasted | 26th June 2021 | Point this date | 15.75 |
| Comment | Tasted at home with the family.
| Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Barao de Vilar | Vintage | 2003 |
| Colour | Black in colour. | Number of tastings | 1 |
| Bouquet | Just fruit and juice in the nose. | | |
| Taste | Quite full-bodied. Immature lots of tannin. Hard to swallow and appreciate. Promising and quite interesting finish. | | |
| Last tasted | 7th November 2005 | Rating this date | Very good |
| Comment | At the Port Wine Festival in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Port so young we evaluate only as : Good – Very good- Impressive – Very Impressive | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Barao de Vilar | Vintage | 2007 |
| Colour | Still quite dark ruby but with a yellow mature edge in colour. | Number of tastings | 1 |
| Bouquet | Toffee, cacao, chocolate, candy and butterscotch in the nose. | Score range | 16.00 - 16.00 |
| Taste | Lovely body. Quite mature but still with lovely tannins and will improve. Balanced and elegant with a quite complex and rather imposing finish. Will be nice to follow. | Average score | |
| Last tasted | 23rd December 2022 | Point this date | 16.00 |
| Comment | Tasted at home with the family.
| Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Barao de Vilar | Vintage | 2016 |
| Colour | Dark ruby in colour. | Number of tastings | 1 |
| Bouquet | Mulberry, blackberry, blueberry, dark cherry and elder in the nose. | | |
| Taste | Medium body. Very tannic but balanced and interesting. Very tasty with mulberry, blackberry, dark cherry and elder in taste and with a nice, very tannic finish. | | |
| Last tasted | 18th June 2018 | Rating this date | Very Impressive |
| Comment | At Barao de Vilar’s lodge in Gaia, Portugal.
Port so young we evaluate only as : Good – Very good- Impressive – Very Impressive | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Barao de Vilar | Vintage | 2017 |
| Colour | Dark ruby in colour | Number of tastings | 1 |
| Bouquet | Dark berry, mulberry, blackberry and mint in the nose. | | |
| Taste | Medium body and a lot of soft tannins with a quite long finish. | | |
| Last tasted | 26th November 2021 | Rating this date | Very Good |
| Comment | Tasted at the Port Wine Festival in Leverkusen, Germany.
Port so young we evaluate only as : Good – Very good- Impressive – Very Impressive | Tasters | JB |
| House | Barao de Vilar | Vintage | 2018 |
| Colour | Dark ruby in colour | Number of tastings | 1 |
| Bouquet | Dark berry, mulberry, blackberry and fruit with a fresh nose. | | |
| Taste | Medium body, quite a lot of soft tannins. | | |
| Last tasted | 26th November 2021 | Rating this date | Very Good |
| Comment | Tasted at the Port Wine Festival in Leverkusen, Germany.
Port so young we evaluate only as : Good – Very good- Impressive – Very Impressive | Tasters | JB |
| House | Barao de Vilar | Vintage | 2019 |
| Colour | Dark ruby in colour | Number of tastings | 1 |
| Bouquet | Dark berry, mulberry, blackberry and mint in the nose. | | |
| Taste | Medium body, Quite a lot of soft tannins, mint. | | |
| Last tasted | 26th November 2021 | Rating this date | Very Good |
| Comment | Tasted at the Port Wine Festival in Leverkusen, Germany.
Port so young we evaluate only as : Good – Very good- Impressive – Very Impressive | Tasters | JB |
Old Colheita/Tawny tasting notes:
| House | Barao de Vilar | Colheita | 1934 |
| Colour | Dark tawny with a wonderful olive green edge. | Number of tastings | 1 |
| Bouquet | A full arsenal of aromas such as burned sugar, roasted nuts roasted coffee beans and some cacao in the nose. | Bottled | 2018 |
| Taste | Almost full-bodied. Mature and peaking. Roasted nuts, coffee beans in tasted and also some cacao and burned sugar. Balanced and very complex and elegant with a wonderful and very long finish which never seem to end. What a port! | Score range | |
| Last tasted | 18th June 2018 | Point this date | 17.75 |
| Comment | At the Barao de Vilar’s lodge in Vila Nova de Gaia.
| Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Barao de Vilar | Colheita | 1950 |
| Colour | Tawny with a wonderful lime green edge. | Number of tastings | 1 |
| Bouquet | Roasted nuts, burned sugar, walnuts and hazelnuts in the nose. | Bottled | 2018 |
| Taste | Medium body. Mature and peaking. Balanced and very elegant with taste of roasted nut, walnuts and hazelnuts. Easy to drink and to love with a long, very attractive and quite dry finish | Score range | |
| Last tasted | 18th June 2018 | Point this date | 17.40 |
| Comment | At the Barao de Vilar’s lodge in Vila Nova de Gaia.
| Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Barao de Vilar | Colheita | 1962 |
| Colour | Beautiful bright tawny in colour. | Number of tastings | 1 |
| Bouquet | Dried fruit, bitter almond nuts and much more in the nose. | Bottled | 2018 |
| Taste | Medium bodied. Mature and peaking. Balanced and very tasty with bitter almond, dried fruit and nuts. The finish is very elegant and lovely. | Score range | |
| Last tasted | 18th June 2018 | Point this date | 17.00 |
| Comment | At the Barao de Vilar’s lodge in Vila Nova de Gaia.
| Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Barao de Vilar | Colheita | 1963 |
| Colour | Dark beautiful tawny in colour. | Number of tastings | 1 |
| Bouquet | Lovely bouquet of oak, nuts and dried fruit in the nose. | Bottled | 2018 |
| Taste | Almost full-bodied. Mature and peaking but very massive port indeed. However, balanced and very elegant. Sweet with nuts and dried fruit in taste and a lovely finish. Very easy to drink and love! | Score range | |
| Last tasted | 18th June 2018 | Point this date | 16.75 |
| Comment | At the Barao de Vilar’s lodge in Vila Nova de Gaia.
| Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |