1966 Croft
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Tasting notes
Tasted blind. Mid brick. Nutty, biscuity nose with black pepper, dried blue fruit, cinnamon and dark chocolate. Ripe, round and mouth-filling, with a fabulous depth of Christmas cake, dried red cherry and fig, and an exceptionally long, integrated chocolate and fig finish. What a delight. (TJ)
Critic scores
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Robert Parker
Tim Jackson MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
The 1966 Croft Vintage Port comes from an under-rated general declaration marked by a late harvest thanks to a previously rain-sodden winter (the grapes picked from 26 September.) A slightly deeper colour compared to the 1963, the palate showing good cohesion and ripeness with tobacco, mulberry and a touch of balsam that perhaps lacks the delineation of a truly great vintage, the palate is lovely balanced and harmonic, fresh with surfeit joie-de-vivre . Hints of wild strawberry, lemongrass and fig towards the finish. Like the ’55 patience is required after uncorking to allow this Port to enter its stride. Tasted in the Factory House in Porto for "Taylor's - The Story of a Classic Port House" book.
Croft never seems to get much publicity since the wines, while always very good, sometimes even excellent, never quite reach the superb level of the top houses in Oporto. However, Croft seems to do surprisingly well, often rivaling the top ports, in the less glamorous vintages such as 1975 and 1966. The 1966 is a sleeper: complex, rich, very aromatic, with long, deep flavors.