Sliding Through Life With 1963 Port

Posted by Tom Wark on Feb 20, 2013

50.

It is not the most significant number, but it does carry some real significance. It will carry more for me over the next few months than it normally would.

In the realm of life and death, 50 has always seemed to me to be that point where one has scaled the ladder and is now descending down the slide of life. Though I’ve always preferred slides over swings,I don’t like the sound of that, but I think it’s nearly right.

On the other hand, it’s comforting to note that where wine is concerned, 50 years of life with more to come is only attained only by the most monumental of wines. From the 1963 vintage it was Port that qualifies as monumental. The Port vintage of 1963 is considered among the very best of the 20th century and is among the few vintages from that century to have proven its monumentality by living to 50 and looking good in the process. The great, but younger, vintages have yet to prove they have the where-with-all to be called monumental.

So, I take solace in matching my birth to the great Ports of 1963. It’s something. But the really cool thing about Port from my birth year is that one can obtain a bottle of this elixir for around $400 per bottle. That Fonseca you are looking at here can be had in a number of outlets for this relatively low price. On the other hand, try to buy a DRC or Petrus from that year and you’ll end up dropping thousands of dollars. And when you pop the cork, you’ll disappointed. The 1963 vintage in both Bordeaux and Burgundy was considered terrible to awful.

So, I guess this means I lucked out. Not only is there a wine from my birth year that is monumental and still drinking wonderfully with years to go, but it’s relatively inexpensive too.