Symington Family Estates and the Fladgate Partnership, the world's two biggest producers of vintage port, have taken dramatically different positions on their respective 2009 vintages.

Adrian Bridge, chief executive of the Fladgate Partnership, which owns Taylor's, Croft and Fonseca, said the business has "seldom seen four outstanding vintages come along in a decade".

"Like the great landmark vintages of the early 20th century, the 2009s are built for longevity," he added.

In sharp contrast, Paul Symington of Symington Family Estates, the company behind Graham's, Warre's, Dow's and others, said 2009 was too disappointing to declare.

"We had high alcohol levels and unripe tannins, so for our properties we believe that it is not right to declare 2009," he told decanter.com.

Only Warre's will release a 2009 vintage port, the profits from which will go towards Help for Heroes.

Earlier this month, Dutch brand Niepoort told The Drinks Business that it will release an organic 2008 vintage port, named Bioma, in the UK next month.