2003 Taylor (Fladgate) Porto Vintage

Community Tasting Notes (135) Avg Score: 94.1 points

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  4/25/2024 - forceberry wrote: 92 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. 20,5% alcohol, 93 g/l residual sugar and 4,7 g/l acidity.
  
  Deep, slightly evolved blood-red color with a light brick-red rim. The nose feels dark-toned and a bit restrained with aromas of blackberry jam, some aguardente notes, a little bit of ripe black cherry, light raisiny nuances, a hint of dried dates, a touch of earthy spices and a fragrant whiff of dried flowers. The wine feels sweet, rich and somewhat voluptuous on the palate with a full body and very juicy flavors of blackberry jam, some bilberry tones, light dried-fruit notes of raisins and dried figs, a little bit of overripe black cherry, hints of tobacco and earthy spices and a touch of aguardente. The overall feel is getting quite resolved and a bit soft with the medium acidity and ample yet very ripe and quite gentle tannins that slowly pile up on the gums. The finish is rich, long and somewhat grippy with a bold, sweet aftertaste of bilberries, some raisiny tones, a little bit of wizened figs, light blackberry jam notes, a hint of earthy spice and a touch of overripe black cherry.
  
  A quite big, lush and unctuous Vintage Port that might've been mighty impressive in its youth, but has started to turn a bit flabby with age. The wine shows impressive richness of fruit and intensity of flavors, but the hot vintage really does show: the structure feels a bit inadequate in relation to the rich, sunny fruit that has started to develop into the direction of dried fruits. Although there is still room for additional evolution, I feel there won't be much development in a qualitative sense - the wine will only develop tertiary complexity as it ages, but it won't necessarily get any better from here. Drink or keep. Feels somewhat pricey for the quality at 158€.

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  4/14/2024 - Vino Me wrote: 96 Points

  I brought a half bottle of this to Las Vegas to celebrate my nephew's 21st birthday. Decanted an hour before drinking at a restaurant. Parker's review of this wine was glowing saying the 2003 could stand "shoulder to shoulder" with the finest ever produced by Fladgate. Heavily sedimented. Blackish red color. Supple tannins and rather smooth. Notes of prunes, figs, molasses and sweet black fruits. Good concentration. No heat on the long soft finish. Fantastic Port. Drinking well now. 96 points.

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  3/30/2024 - dcwino wrote: 96 Points

  Expressive nose displaying concentrated red and black fruit, chocolate deep cherry, blackberry liqueur, dry fig, licorice, cinnamon, clove, leather and earth. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of slightly dry red and black fruit, rich but harmonious, bright acidity, coarse mineral, fine tannins and a long ripe black fruit driven finish with a hint of clove at the end. Although youthful, it is starting to show a hint of maturity. Once again, Port and Sauternes represent great values. It sill needs another a couple of decades to reach the peak.

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  2/16/2024 - DrELW Likes this wine: 90 Points

  Very varietal in taste and body, but not close to being one of my favorite vintage ports. The midpalate leaves something to be desired, and the finish has some bitterness. Sorry, a good wine; but nothing exceptional.

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  12/26/2023 - Martin Amis wrote: 95 Points

  Fantastic wine. Deep, dark, chocolaty. So good. Still structured, some acidity, so could compliment the greasy, salty Christmas chicken and gravy I served. Man!

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