1977 smith woodhouse port

Smith Woodhouse is a 200 year old family-run winery in the Rio Torto Valley of Portugal. They have a 42-acre vineyard from which they produce some of the world’s finest Ports. I’ve been fortunate to sample their 1977 vintage on two occasions, first with my friend Jeff and most recently with Elaine who was kind enough to share her bottle after our enjoyable dinner at NOPA.

In 1997, in a 20th anniversary blind tasting, the Wine Specatator awarded the ’77 Smith Woodhouse 99 points and declared it to be the finest of the 1977 releases. It has garnered additional accolades, as has the vintage overall.

I’m not a port expert, but I can say with confidence that it is delicious. It has extremely intense flavors and a long, spectacular finish. This port made me a port fan, and if you are interested in tracking some down I recommend the auction services at the wine commune.

Bonus link: a great port resource: http://www.thevintageportsite.com/