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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 94.9 pts. and median of 95 pts. in 66 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by empire80 on 2/11/2024 & rated 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. (957 views) | | | Tasted by drwine2001 on 5/1/2023: 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. (2722 views) | | | Tasted by Labrador on 4/7/2023 & rated 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. (2135 views) | | | Tasted by Gruffalius on 10/16/2022 & rated 94 points: Already showing well despite its youth. Really singing on day 3. Lots of spice. (2717 views) | | | Tasted by Labrador on 6/3/2022 & rated 90 points: This is an lovely Port that is drinking well in its very youthful stage.
The only issue with this bottle (375ml) was the huge amount of sediment that it had.
The next bottle will be decanted through an unbleached coffee filter. (3055 views) | | | Tasted by trumpet60201 on 5/6/2022 & rated 97 points: From a 375 - truly remarkable wine. This was a bit disjointed on day 1 (brandy not fully integrated), but after a night on the counter with the cork out (not decanted, but in bottle), this sang on day 2. Tannins at this point are very fine and not unpleasant or overpowering. The finish is just endless and delicious. This should be remarkable in another 5-10 years and it should last for a very very long time after that. (2775 views) | | | Tasted by ChristopherB on 11/18/2021: Not a formal note due to circumstances. Tasted at Taylor’s in Lisbon over about 15 minutes. All pours (1985, 1994, 2003, 2007, 2009) from Coravin stored bottles without knowing since when they’ve been open. As mentioned on occasion, my success with Coravin has been spotty. All tasted without anything to rinse palate (bread, water or otherwise). So these tasting notes may be way off from a properly decanted wine that has had the right amount of air.
Black with a touch of ruby reflections with purple hints. “Oh my!” nose of dark fruit and violets. On the palate, fresh dark fruit medley with violets and drying chocolate tannin on the final. Back to it; very fresh and currently open at this point if you like young vintages. What it doesn’t have in complexity compared to the 2003 and 1994, it replaces with dark fruit medley/violet/chocolate exuberance. Undoubtedly has upward potential, but enjoyable today. 93 or so.
If I had to rank the 5 vintages in this tasting, by personal preference, not necessarily intrinsic qualities, it would look like this:
2003=2009>1994>2007>1985 (2914 views) | | | Tasted by 99tollap on 2/3/2021 & rated 93 points: I'm pretty inexperienced with port, but this was certainly superb. Smooth and rich, loads of blueberry and chocolate, excellent integration of oak and alcohol. Immense depth of flavour, balance and length. Very delicious indeed. I just never really get blown away by port, and struggle to really see the value in these expensive vintage ports. Perhaps I just never tried one at its peak (this is definitely too young). (4161 views) | | | Tasted by Herdaro on 12/25/2020 & rated 97 points: First half bottle from a mixed Fonseca and Taylor’s 6 pack from the Wine Society. Pure cassis nose, tar, violets. Dense and unctuous on the palate, essence of Fisherman’s Friend. The best young port I’ve had which is lovely to drink now and no doubt over the next several decades. Seems to me to pip the Fonseca but will be interesting to chart progress. (3252 views) | | | Tasted by Labrador on 8/7/2020 & rated 90 points: A very nice port (375ml) that we enjoyed after dinner with chocolate cheese cake
It was not bad but it was not as good as the previous bottle. It is very early in its evolution, and, perhaps it is going through a change or even shutting down.
That said, everything is still present, and it should be stunning in the years to come - something I am looking forward to. (3622 views) | | | Tasted by Motz on 5/13/2020 & rated 97 points: I do not recall a vintage Port that features blue berries, notably boysenberry and blueberry, along with purple berries, especially Marionberry, at similar levels. It handles something like the finest quality blue and purple berry liqueurs made on earth...but better...much better.
Superb ripeness and impeccable balance of fruit, oak, and unobtrusive alcohol. The complex layers of fruit, dark chocolate ganache, earth, and mineral substance also stand out. On the palate, right at the point where one might expect the wine to reach its peak substance, it doubles down, revealing several additional, need I add stunningly flavorful layers! As such, quite the mind-bender! How does such a ripe Port hold its alcohol in check!? Who knows!?
Overall, the wine imparted the impression of a shimmering-purple-satin-clad classy lady...who has mastered boudoir voodoo (for lack of a better expression)...and is proud of it.
It seemed this bottle could have gone another two decades before beginning to tire. No reason not to experience this ridiculously approachable offering now, after giving it a chance to breathe. (4775 views) | | | Tasted by Labrador on 2/28/2020 & rated 93 points: Wow!
This was a stunning port, even at this early stage in its life.
This was in 375ml so we PNP. As it took on air, it got better and better.
As it was the end of the evening, there are no formal notes - just a very pleasant remembrance of a rich, balanced, beautiful port. (3642 views) | | | Tasted by SLB83 on 11/14/2019 & rated 95 points: Absolutely lovely. This is great stuff. Not very different from my previous note.
Very closed, but still enjoyable on day one, after a double decant.
It really started to shine on day 3. I left it in the bottle with a normal cork (i.e. not a vacuum cork). The tannins really toned down. TN is on day 3.
Even though this is 10 years old, it is still opaque, only ever so slightly displaying a dark red rim on the edge, the rest is purple.
The nose gives a whiff of violets, deep sweet red fruit and some wood.
On the palate still tight, but displaying a lot of beauty. Again red fruit and not overly sweet. Usually in VPs, the alcohol can be quite over powering, especially when young. Here, that isn’t the case. Also medicinal notes (typical in a young VP), plenty of sweet plums and some earthy flavours too.
I enjoyed a 2003 at 8 years old and I remember the tightness and the nose of pencil shavings. Much more closed. The 2009 is much more enjoyable at young age, but I think they both have excellent ageing potential. (3359 views) | | | Tasted by SLB83 on 9/5/2019 & rated 94 points: Excellent vintage port. One of my first “young” vintage ports. Very tasty with very strong Stilton and equally lovely with dark chocolate (80%).
We have this a few hours in the decanter and then back in the bottle. Drank over 3 days.
I have 11 left and might pop another one with Christmas. (3582 views) | | | Tasted by Paul S on 6/1/2019 & rated 94 points: Tasting at Taylor-Fladgate (Taylor-Fladgate, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal): An outstanding young port. It was a bit tight on the day, but the quality really shone through. The nose, for example, was very attractive, but a little reserved, with quietly alluring notes of wood and violets, fresh scents of sweet black currants and wild berries, a touch of violets at the sides. It was really elegant on the palate, with a beautiful balance and a transparency that really surprised me in such a young port, with round, glowing flavours of dried muscat grapes, prunes and black cherries fanning out into a burst of warm wood spice at the finish. Gentle insistent there, with a superb length. This was very finely built indeed - with silky tannins and beautifully fresh acidity making it seem almost effortless. A wine that was at once gentle and strong, with a wonderfully elegant feel to go along with a beating heart of quiet intensity. Surprisingly easy to drink at such a young age, but there is still a ton of material tightly wound-up in its core. I can see it unfolding absolutely beautifully through the decades. Bravo. 94+ (1982 views) | | | Tasted by NostraBacchus on 3/23/2019 & rated 96 points: Deep dark fruit of blackberries, black currant/cassis and black cherries, also notes of tobacco, cedar wood, some graphite, also some violets and licorice. Full-bodied and dense, with medium acidity and still medium-high tannin. Long and complex finish. This is still young but showing so much promise and is super accessible for young Vintage Port... lovely. (4515 views) | | | Tasted by KJD45$ on 11/18/2018 & rated 95 points: Nose is deep currant, herbs, blackberry, alcohol fume...
Tongue sweet blackberry pie, chocolate covered cherry, chocolate tannin finish that lasts and lasts...
Boy is this delicious.....dessert in a glass... (4146 views) | | | Tasted by KJD45$ on 8/26/2018 & rated 93 points: Delicious as usual....fine example of why I enjoy port from time to time. (3924 views) | | | Tasted by Bebum on 8/23/2018 & rated 97 points: Opaque. Inebriating, complex nose. Full body, very dense flavor, silky, very hot mouthfeel, average length. Flavor not as complex as I expected, olives, plums. (3573 views) | | | Tasted by chatters on 9/25/2017: Mort du Canard (Dave's place, Banksia): from half bottle. Exceedingly spicy and alcoholic with black plums, vanilla, cream, walnuts, sweet spice quite perfumed as well. On the palate it's juicy and spicy with plummy fruit backed by herbaceous notes. Tannins are bold and grippy A bit vinfanticide for me. (5720 views) | | | Tasted by Waedi on 10/19/2016 & rated 96 points: From small bottle. Consumed over more than two weeks (stored vacuumed in fridge). Last glas was still outstanding fresh and in perfect shape. I was very surprised since you everywhere read that an open port should be consumed rather quickly. This has a very bright future ahead with a very long life. (6603 views) | | | Tasted by Vini Ciclismo on 10/2/2016 & rated 96 points: Port Tasting at the cellars while on holiday in Porto; 10/2/2016-10/3/2016 (Porto): Cellar door. Pure ripe delicious flavours. Ultra smooth, not huge structure, black berry fruits, super refined tannins, fine acidity, drinks beautifully. (6550 views) | | | Tasted by Agent67 on 1/8/2016 & rated 95 points: Opened, Decanted, shared, sipped, tried to wait but it was so grippingly good that the group had their way with it probably before it reached its peak opening. going to have to hide the rest for the next 10 years. (7703 views) | | | Tasted by sweetstuff on 12/10/2014 & rated 97 points: 2/12/2014; Gerardi's Little Store, Dayton, OH; $33.33/750 ml; bottled 2011. Kobrand/Heidelberg. 20.5 pabv. CA 0079, LT09B; 0 84692 000630. Opened about 48 hours in advance for the Cobb Christmas Crash. Tipp Ciity. OH.
Removed from the storage unit and cork cleanly pulled with the Durand; no purple on the sides. Decanted 10 am into a glass pitcher. At 700 ml poured there are some tiny crusts,
and gently transferred into a decanter with stopper.
Optical: Purple with a lightening cherry edge [about 1 mm]; darker color not quite as dense in the Pitiless (Impitoyable). Thick sheeting suggests high extract.
Violets tailing into cherry, second sniff: add cardamom and thyme (cassis). Blackcurrant, five spices, moving into both herbs and dark fruits/berries of headscratching complexity and scintillancy. Again scents of century-old baked brick minerality, as sometimes is encountered in recently torn-down fireplaces. At 2 hours, the nose has moved into pan-roasted China tea over the violet and green lime peel scents.
At first great heat, which experience tells will mellow in a day or two. Fruits are almost impossible to dissect at this stage, but on the finish there's a hint of sappy apple juice with a hint of sweetness. The typical balance of a Taylor vintage port, moving from dryness to some sweetness now. The anthocyanins and tannins are almost completely fruit-coated now; will need time to relax a bit. The heat is down a bit at 2 hours and after a bit of swirling disappears. Ripe tannis are starting to show.
At 48 hours, just before leaving for Cobb's: Lots of integration of above, with great harmony. Cherry-mint and verbena, with medium tannins starting to integrate; at this point a bit sweeter than the average young Taylor VP. but with its typical draw-you-in finish. Will be served with Stilton and Santa fruit stickers.
Probably just too much at this stage for the uneducated palate; however, after 6 days in refrigerator beginning a lovely process of integration--usual cherry, violets, and fennel; anise, sweet-rising sap, and fine-grained intaglio-like tannins, and fine dry finish. Leave it alone from now until 2024. Then until who knows when? I'll not outive these bottles.
Incidentally, took a taste of this on January 2, 2015, at 23 days: one can see that the meaty pepper and tannin skeleton of the Taylor VPs are the kettle in which these great old VPs are slowly simmered. (10116 views) | | | Tasted by fcxj on 9/30/2014 & rated 92 points: At Taylor Fladgate (6484 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous and WineAlign and For The Love of Port and i-WineReview.com and JancisRobinson.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Taylor (Fladgate) Producer Website
Taylor's vintage ports are renowned for their massive structure, concentration of flavour and distinctively masculine style. Taylor's Port is also renowned for being amongst the longest lived of all ports.
Robert Parker: "This house must certainly be the Latour of Portugal. Their ports are remarkably backward yet still impressive when young. Of all the vintage ports, those of Taylor need the longest time to mature and even when fully mature seem to have an inner strength and firmness that keep them going for decades."Port BlendOver a hundred varieties of grapes (castas) are sanctioned for port production, although only five (Tinta Barroca, Tinto Cão, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), Touriga Francesa, and Touriga Nacional) are widely cultivated and used.
- Mayson (1999), Port and the Douro, p. 93
Portugal ViniPortugal (Associação Interprofissional para a Promoção dos Vinhos Portugueses/Portuguese Wine Trade Association)Douro Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e PortoPorto For The Love of Port is an essential site on the wines of Porto and Madeira. Co-subscribers can automatically integrate their reviews here as well. Also, read more about the HistoryOfPort. |
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