2011 Taylor (Fladgate) Porto Vintage
Community Tasting Note
Ombibulous wrote:
Wednesday, October 22, 2014 - Can this wine really last 40 years after bottling? (See the drinking window above, the average of 28 users' drinking windows.) I've aged and drunk vintage port before, but not nearly that long, although I've never aged a Taylor Fladgate. What's the drinking window for a half bottle of this? It should mature a little more quickly, no? What do you think would likely be the peak year or years for drinking this vintage? Please comment with your thoughts. Thanks!
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1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue (7,702 views)
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Comment posted by la turque:
10/22/2014 5:54:00 PM - Thanks for asking. The drinking windows really depend on your preferences. If you like the ports aged to the point of nuttiness and very complex fruit and secondary aromas, then you would wait 30 to 40 years past the vintage. My Taylors from the 70s are long gone. I'm enjoying my 1992s and 1994s, but many would suggest that's way too premature. For me they're perfect. Given the fortification, I don't think it makes a ton of difference whether you open the 375 or the 750 at 20 years. Older, yes.
Comment posted by MC2 Wines:
10/22/2014 6:26:00 PM - Absolutely can go 40 years. Funnily enough, feels like it can take that much time to really taste much of a difference. We had some Taylor from the 60's earlier this year and it was drinking wonderfully. But of course is all to taste and have seen notes where people are drinking this (or more often the Dow) quite young.
Comment posted by Ombibulous:
10/22/2014 6:50:00 PM - Thank you both. Your comments are very helpful indeed. I have this and other older bottles of port lying down for when my nieces and nephew turn 21 (or earlier or later, depending on when they're disposed to drink port). The bottles should be ready just in time!
Comment posted by Grinner:
10/23/2014 10:29:00 AM - I agree with the others on "preference". I'd add to that a question of "how many bottles"? With 3 (750ml) bottles, I'd try at 10 and 20 yrs old, letting those tastings provoke the timing of the third. If I had more I'd taste every 5 yrs AFTER 10. Another key to your question is the 1/2 bottle issue. I'd take off ~33% (but not 50%) off the time and try at 7 and 14yrs. One bottle? 15 is my wild pitch for a 375ml!
Comment posted by Ombibulous:
10/23/2014 11:33:00 AM - Thank you Grinner. Your advice is quite helpful. I have one bottle of this wine, so far. The wine seller has, I think, one other half bottle of it. It is expensive so I may or may not buy it. I have other half bottles from 1997 (Dow), 2000 (Croft), 2003 (Croft), 2003 (Dow), and 2009 (Fonseca). I am hoping that these will be sufficient so that three will "hit" at about the right time for gifting to my nieces and nephew, who are, if I recall correctly, about 8 years (older niece), 4 years (nephew), and 6 months old (new niece). I suspect, however, that after five or ten years I may be unable to resist drinking one or two of them! Any additional advice you may have on these other bottles is welcome.
Comment posted by Grinner:
10/23/2014 5:21:00 PM - Oh man! Saving a little treasure for some little treasures... Assuming 21 is the gifting age, I keep the youngest wines for them. The two older wines would make it, but slightly risky from the 1/2's. I'd find an occasion to do the '97 in 2017, and something similar for the 2000 in 2020.