Three Exceptional 2011 Vintage Ports

Tasted Tuesday, June 25, 2024 by Motz with 252 views

Introduction

I should have held all three bottles, for two decades, but scientific curiosity won out.

Flight 1 (3 Notes)

  • 2011 Fonseca Porto Vintage 96 Points

    Portugal, Douro, Porto

    Tasted over several days, alongside the same vintage Graham The Stone Terraces and Dow. This features knee-weakening perfume, in complex layers. Bracing and generous, with more than a little charm. Imposing back, high quality finish of exceptional length.

    Next to the other wines, the finish showed an ever-so-slight, high-pitched twanginess. This minor...indeed, very minor, detraction might have only been perceptible alongside those wines. Overall, the total quality merits a 96 point score.

    Ridiculously young and time might, likely will, reveal a more complete offering. Likely to evolve and hold beyond 2040. Improvement likely. 96-97.

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  • 2011 Graham Porto Vintage The Stone Terraces 97 Points

    Portugal, Douro, Porto

    Tasted over several days, alongside the same vintage Fonseca and Dow.

    This offered the mostly elegant bouquet of the three. It featured flower garden, berries, dried stone fruit and figs, dates, herbs, and profound black earth minerality. Incredible concentration, substance, and balance. The lightest of the three, in terms gliding across the palate. It showed and gripping back and finish that knows no quit.

    Compared to the other stellar offerings, this showed the most alcohol, particularly on the nose. Might it have been in a phase? Absolutely! Will it continue to evolve? Certainly.

    A head turner, on any day, next to any wine, dry, off-dry, sweet, or fortified. Likely to peak after 2040. Improvement possible, if not likely. 97-98.

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  • 2011 Dow Porto Vintage 98 Points

    Portugal, Douro, Porto

    Tasted over several days, alongside the same vintage Fonseca and Graham The Stone Terraces.

    Striking perfume, at once floral, fruity, herbaceous, savory, and mineral driven. In a word: composed. In another: complete. More of the same on the palate. A massive, gripping, and balanced offering, without edges. In a yet another word: seamless. Bracing, bold, and evocative, at all phases, in every way. Among the best wines, of any style, that I have crossed paths with, ever.

    The acid and tannic structure might keep this evolving through 2050, perhaps beyond. Astounding given its youth. Improvement all but certain. 98-99...100?

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Closing

Singular experience.

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