Not all years produce harvests of sufficient quality to be declared as Vintage, and not all of the makers declare the same years as Vintages.
The list below tries to cover most of the 'noted' Vintage years.
A widely declared year. Difficult to find, and probably well past it by now.
If you are lucky enough to have any in your cellar, either drink it and enjoy, or save it for another 50 years when it will be a collectors item (if it isn't already).
Declared and shipped by almost everyone. I'm doubtful that you can still find it.
Widely declared, and you can still buy it from the better merchants, though it's incredibly expensive.
A small harvest which produced excellent wines.
A widely declared year of averagely good wines, with excellent wines from Fonseca, Niepoort and Quinta do Noval
Only a few declared this as a Vintage, but those that did produced exceptional wines, notably Quinta do Noval's Nacional.
A split declaration with 1935.
Fonseca, Quinta do Noval, and Warre declared this year.
Unusually Dow and Sandeman declared both this AND the 1935 Vintage, which is a rare event.
A split declaration with 1934.
Cockburn, Ferreira, Graham, and Taylor declared.
A rare event but Dow and Sandeman also declared the previous 1934 Vintage.
An excellent year that almost everyone declared. The wines are very long lived and still drinking beautifully, if they are perhaps now past their best.
A split year with 1948.
Cockburn, Dow, Quinta do Noval, Sandeman, and Warre declared.
A split year with 1947.
Fonseca, Graham, Taylor declared.
A Vintage almost universally decalred by all the houses, and which is still widely available from the better merchants.
Notable for their quality are Fonseca, Graham, Niepoort, Sandeman and Quinta do Noval's Nacional, though these houses command on average twice the price of the other houses that declared.
A very good Vintage widely declared by most of the houses. It was completely and uterly overshadowed by the 1963 declaration, and has largely been forgotten.
As a result they command a far lower price than the 1963 which in my opinion makes them a bargain.
'THE' classic vintage since the war, almost all of the houses declared.
The 1963 has been drinking well for quite some years, and is a an absolutely superb wine. A big full mouthful, spicy with a remarkable concentration of flavours.
It will still cellar for another decade.
Buy some now whilst the price is still almost justifiable.
This was another exceptional year, widely declared but perhaps slightly overshadowed by the legendary 1963 Vintage.
The '66 Vintage has gained considerable body and general 'oomph' over the past few years, and is now drinking exceptionally well.
Fonseca, Dow, and Quinta do Noval Nacional are wines worth looking out for.
A very good, if not exceptional year. A sweet, ripe, balanced Port, which is drinking very well at the moment. Almost every house declared.
Even the less well known houses, such as Calem, Martinez, and Delaforce are extremely good and excellent value for money.
This Vintage has the ageing potential of the 1963, if not quite the ultimate quality and style.
If you have a serious Port Cellar you MUST have the 1970 in it somewhere.
The 1975 Vintage although quite good does not have the quality of a true Vintage. The wines are fairly light and don't have much staying power.
Ready for drinking now the majority of makers who declared should have re-considered their decision but Dow, Fonseca, Graham and Quinta do Noval need not apologies for their offerings.
The 1977 Vintage was extremely good, with almost every one of the houses declaring.
The wines, now mature, are showing a marvellous flavour of fruit and sweetness, but with a good helping of really intense spice and herbs.
One to buy now and lay down for a few more years.
A generally good Vintage, which originally was dismissed as only average. The wines are only now coming in to their own and devloping a superb, if somewhat drier than usual style.
Drinking now, they will last for quite a few more years or even decades yet.
I personally like the drier style, and would rate the 1980 as incredibly good, and more importantly exceptional value for money.
A split declaration with 1983.
The 1982 Vintage is a lighter style, and perhaps not as good as originally thought.
In hindisght perhaps it should not have been declared as a Vintage.
A slpit declaration with 1982
The 1983 compared to the 1982 has significantly more staying power, and whilst perhaps not quite as fragrant as the 1982 has definetly the better all round flavour with ripe clean fruit on the palate.
Declared by every major house.
The 1985 Vintage is surely going to be one of the classics. The quality is exceptionally good with a really juicy fullness of fruit that will last and last.
Although starting to drink now , this Vintage really needs a few more years, if not decades, to reach it's full potential.
If you can afford to buy a case or two of Fonseca, Graham, Niepoort or Quinta do Noval they will provide a decent inheritance to pass down to future generations.
Yet again a split declaration. The 1991 was a small harvest, which will need at least a decade before they are ready.
Graham, and Rozes declared, whilst Fonseca and Niepoort declared both the 1991 AND 1992 Vintage.
A split declaration with the 1991 Vintage, with Burmester and Taylor declaring, whilst Fonseca and Niepoort unusually declared both this and the previous 1991 Vintage.
The 1992 wines were perhaps lusher and richer than the 1991 declaration, but either Vintage is extremely good and will require around 15 to 25 years to reach maturity.
Big ripe, intense juicy wines with lots of fruit. They are far far better than the 1991/2 Vintages but command an exceptional premium for some unknown reason.
The 1994 is an exceptionally good, if not classic year, and must be included in your cellar.