Vintage Starboard is intended to be aged in the bottle for some years, at least 5 and perhaps more than 20, before being drunk. Maturation in the bottle as opposed to barrel results in wines which better retain the fruit flavours from the grapes.
Only the best wines from the best years are selected to be handled as a vintage port. There should be lots of intense fruit and spice and enough grape tannin to allow for years of bottle aging.
The current offering, 1996 is the best yet, with a delicious black cherry quality.