Taylor's porto vintage 1977 (magnum, CBO de 1.5 l)

Taylor’s Vintage Port 1977 — Magnum OWC

This Taylor’s Vintage Port 1977, offered here in magnum 1.5 L in original wooden case, belongs among the great monuments of classical vintage port. From a legendary vintage in the Douro Valley, it expresses all the depth, power and longevity of the Taylor’s style: candied black fruits, cassis, blackberry, plum, black cherry, fig, raisin, violet, sweet spices, chocolate, liquorice, tobacco, coffee, walnut and a very long spicy finish.

Taylor’s is one of the most prestigious historic Port houses, renowned for firm, structured, intensely aromatic vintage ports built for very long ageing. The 1977 vintage is one of the great post-war classics, combining fruit richness, tannic power, freshness and exceptional capacity for evolution. The magnum format further enhances slow development, relative freshness and the collector dimension of this rare bottle.

Terroir: the Douro, schist, heat and great Port grapes

Vintage port is born in the Douro Valley, a region of steep terraces, schist soils and a marked continental climate. The vines ripen under intense summer heat, while drawing from poor, stony soils that naturally limit yields. This combination gives grapes concentrated in colour, tannin, sugar and aromatic intensity.

Taylor’s traditionally draws on the great Douro varieties such as Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca and Tinto Cão, depending on the lots and estates. In the 1977, the terroir and house style translate into a powerful, deep and long-lived wine, combining black fruits, spice, floral notes, chocolate, liquorice, structuring tannins and persistent freshness.

Tasting notes

Appearance: deep garnet evolving towards brick ruby and mahogany, with fine density for its age. In magnum, the colour may retain more depth and brilliance than in a standard bottle, while showing the noble signs of evolution of a mature great vintage port.

Nose: deep, complex and beautifully evolved, with candied cassis, blackberry, black plum, black cherry, fig, raisin, dark chocolate, liquorice, sweet spices and dried violet. With aeration, nuances of tobacco, coffee, walnut, brown caramel, orange peel, cocoa, fine leather, black tea, soft mint and dried fruits may appear.

Palate: broad, suave, dense and still structured, with richness of candied fruit supported by remarkable freshness. Flavours of cassis, blackberry, plum, fig, chocolate, coffee, liquorice, walnut and spice unfold with depth, carried by tannins that are melted yet still present. The finish is very long, warm, spicy and persistent, with an impression of controlled power and great complexity.

Expression of the 1977 vintage

The 1977 vintage is one of the great classical years for vintage port, renowned for its power, tannic structure, freshness and exceptional longevity. At Taylor’s, this year gives a particularly intense wine, long closed in youth, but capable of developing majestic complexity over time: black fruits, spices, chocolate, tobacco, coffee, walnut and balsamic notes.

Today, this Taylor’s Vintage Port 1977 in magnum OWC is entering a phase of great maturity, while still able to retain remarkable reserve if storage has been perfect. It deserves careful opening, attentive service and cautious decanting to separate the sediment. With aeration, it can reveal the full depth of a great old port: candied fruits, spice, cocoa, tobacco, walnut, fine leather, black tea and mentholated freshness.