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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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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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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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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From 750 mL bottle, decanted two hours before serving. Served at 18 degrees Celsius together with a tart strawberry cake.
Initial nose after opening bottle:
Wow, this is a potent wine. Lots of alcohol, fruit, some notes of dates and figs. Clearly this wine has copious amounts of potential for further maturing.
Initial taste: Fruit forward, red fruits, caramel, vanilla, alcohol! Almost overwhelming.
After decantation: Oh, this is good stuff. Alcohol, vanilla, spices, dates, cocoa, fruit....I could go on. Fantastic port. Extremely masculine in every way, like a hammer to the roof of the mouth.
This is a great wine from a great producer and very hot vintage. Clearly this wine is still young, but will drink great from now on and many decades out.
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(TAYLOR FLADGATE VINTAGE PORT) #3; NOSE-like Ware's, more cherry, but also chocolate; TASTE-extemely good, love it, but doesn't have the extra sparkle that the Warre's is showing; WA(Pierre Rovani)-98, V-93
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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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12/23/2023 - RHONEISBETTERTHANBDX Likes this wine: 95 Points
From 750 mL bottle, decanted two hours before serving. Served at 18 degrees Celsius together with a tart strawberry cake.
Initial nose after opening bottle:
Wow, this is a potent wine. Lots of alcohol, fruit, some notes of dates and figs. Clearly this wine has copious amounts of potential for further maturing.
Initial taste: Fruit forward, red fruits, caramel, vanilla, alcohol! Almost overwhelming.
After decantation: Oh, this is good stuff. Alcohol, vanilla, spices, dates, cocoa, fruit....I could go on. Fantastic port. Extremely masculine in every way, like a hammer to the roof of the mouth.
This is a great wine from a great producer and very hot vintage. Clearly this wine is still young, but will drink great from now on and many decades out.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment