Port: A sensational vintage

“I’m a cynic when it comes to wine hype,” but 2011’s ports are “so sensational” they deserve any hype they get, said Elin McCoy in Bloomberg.com. In Portugal’s Douro Valley, producers of this fortified wine declare a vintage only a few times a decade, when the yield shows great potential for aging. The 2011s already taste like future classics, “with a balance and minerality that will last 50 years.”

Taylor’s Vargellas Vinha Velha ($225). This “incredibly complex” port is my favorite. “The finish reminds me of chocolate-covered figs.”

Graham’s ($90). Only the top 9 percent of this producer’s grapes made it into the 2011. The result tastes of cocoa and black cherries, with aromas of spice and tobacco.

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Niepoort ($85). This standout—from a producer that also makes an organic port—offers an “earthy iron tang and long finish.”