2009 Taylor (Fladgate) Porto Vintage

Community Tasting Notes (43) Avg Score: 94.8 points

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  4/25/2024 - forceberry wrote: 93 Points

  Made with the best fruit sourced from the Quinta de Vargellas, Quinta de Terra Feita and Quinta do Junco estates. First vinified by foot-treading, then followed by additional extraction by robotic plungers. Fortified with 77% aguardente, aged in large oak vats for 1½ to 2 years, then bottled unfined and unfiltered. 20% alcohol, 99 g/l residual sugar and 4,7 g/l acidity.
  
  Very dark, slightly translucent and subtly evolved black cherry color with a faint pomegranate hue. At first the nose feels somewhat vague and understated with a somewhat rubbery note, then slowly opens up to reveal characterful, dark-toned aromas of blackberries and other dark berries, some black cherries, a little bit of elderberry juice, light bilberry tones, a hint of dried figs, a floral touch of violets and a whiff of cacao nibs. The wine feels juicy, sweet and quite ripe on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of juicy blackberries and overripe bilberries, some sweet plummy tones, a little bit of elderberry juice, light floral notes of violets, a hint of licorice and a touch of wizened black cherries. The overall feel is medium-to-moderately high in acidity, but the structure relies more on the quite grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is ripe, juicy and moderately grippy with a long, sweet aftertaste of blackberry jam and overripe bilberries, some floral notes of violets, a little bit of licorice, light elderberry juice tones, dried-fruit hints of wizened black cherries and dried figs and a touch of cacao nibs.
  
  A firm, intense and still very youthful Vintage Port. The overall feel is quite noticeably ripe and perhaps a bit sweeter, more fruit-driven than I expected from a Taylor's VP. However, the overall feel is still pretty balanced and there is enough tannic backbone to keep things from coming across as too soft. Tasting this next to the 2003 Taylor's VP, this wine was more to my liking - the wine not only packed more structure, but the overall feel was still relatively vibrant and youthful compared to the much more softer and somewhat more pruney 2003. I feel this is still going to be on an upward trajectory for quite some time. While I doubt this is going to be a particularly memorable Taylor's VP in the long run, I can still see this wine aging and improving gracefully for years - most likely even decades - more. Feels a bit pricey for its quality at 135€, though.

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  2/11/2024 - empire80 Likes this wine: 93 Points

  Dense and chewy but so much sweet black cherry fruit. This is drinking very well already, but no doubt it will be better in a decade or two. Improves after a long decant and also overnight.

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  5/1/2023 - drwine2001 wrote:

  Visit to Taylor’s (Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal): Young, raw, alcoholic nose. Very elegant and less sweet than the 2003 with more red fruit. More supple at this point, but more spirity as well with a shorter finish. Very good potential in 10+ years.

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  4/7/2023 - Labrador Likes this wine: 94 Points

  This Port has definitely matured - in the very best sense.
  It was a beauty on the nose, on the palate and had a long, lovely finish. It had that wonderful hint of sweetness that was in perfect balance with the richness of this Port.
  It tied a wonderful 2007 Spottswoode for WOTN.

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  10/16/2022 - Gruffalius Likes this wine: 94 Points

  Already showing well despite its youth. Really singing on day 3. Lots of spice.

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