The Douro Wine Shippers and Growers Association - Vintage Port Reserve 1952 VIEILLLIEN FÛT Bottled 1991

The Douro Wine Shippers and Growers Association - Vintage Port Reserve 1952 VIEILLLIEN FÛT

1.Introduction and background
This port wine is an exceptional and historic rarity. The Douro Wine Shippers and GrowersAssociation was an important co-operative based in Oporto that bought, shipped and marketed wines from numerous producers in the Douro Valley. It represented the classic model of the "shipper", which dominated the port wine trade for centuries. This is an exclusive reserve bottling of the co-operative. The 1952 is considered a very good, classic port vintage, which is now a sought-after collector's item.

2. Sensory evaluation (based on typical profiles of 1952 vintage ports)

• Colour: Deep mahogany to amber, with a delicate olive rim - a sign of extreme maturity.

• Nose: Intense and complex. Aromas of ripe plums, preserved cherries, figs and dates dominate. Underneath are notes of nuts (walnut), caramel, old leather goods, fine tobacco and a subtle mineral spice.

• Palate:Amazingly lively for its age, with a wonderful balance between sweet, cooked fruit flavours (prune, blackcurrant jam) and a lively, acid-driven structure. The tannins are fully integrated and silky. The texture is viscous and honey-like, but never overpowering.

• Finish:Extremely long-lasting, with an aftertaste of dried fruit, nuts and a pleasant bitterness on the finish that provides balance.

3. Production and ageing

• Vintage:1952 - A declared vintage year

• Speciality "Reserve": The addition "Reserve" indicates a particularly qualitatively selected cuvée from the cooperative.

• Ageing: The wine has spent most of its life in the bottle (over 70 years). This "reductive" ageing process with minimal exposure to oxygen is responsible for the development of the complex tertiary aromas (nuts, leather, tobacco). The condition of the original corks and storage are of absolutely critical importance.

4. Condition, storage and importance

• Provenance: The value and sensory state of this wine depends entirely on its storage history. Ideal conditions (dark, constant 12-14°C, high humidity, stored at rest) are essential for such ageing.

• Fill level:A high fill level (especially "top shoulder" or higher) is extremely positive for a bottle of this era and an important indicator of value.

• Cork: The original cork is very fragile. Professional decanting, including sieving of any cork breakage and depot heel, is essential.

• Significance: This bottle is a piece of port wine history. It represents a trading structure that has largely disappeared today (the large shippers' associations) and an outstanding vintage. It is a "contemporary witness" in liquid form.

5. Market value and potential

• The market value is difficult to estimate in a standardised way due to its rarity and precise specification. Comparable vintage ports from renowned individual houses from the 1952 vintage can realise between 300 and 800 euros or more, depending on their condition and provenance.

• The special designation "VIEILLLIEN FÛT" and the provenance from the co-operative make them particularly interesting for collectors of curiosities and rarities, while the 1952 vintage is generally highly regarded by Port lovers.

• The wine is at the peak of its drinking window. Further storage primarily serves to preserve its current state; no further major developments are to be expected. It should be enjoyed within a few hours of opening and decanting.

6.Conclusion
The Douro Wine Shippers and Growers Association Vintage Port Reserve 1952 VIEILLLIEN FÛTis an outstanding, historic rarity. It offers connoisseurs the rare opportunity to savour a perfectly matured, classic Vintage Port from a great vintage, which also embodies a specific chapter in the history of port wine. Its enjoyment stands and falls with the previous storage. With impeccable provenance, it promises an unforgettable sensory experience of complex elegance and timeless beauty.