Select Year

1994

Decanting

Vintage Port forms a natural deposit in the bottle and should be decanted. Stand the bottle upright a few hours before decanting to allow the sediment to fall to the bottom of the bottle.

Storage

Continues to improve for decades after bottling. The bottle should be kept lain down in a cool place, ideally at a temperature below 16ºC.

Serving temperature

Serve at 16ºC to 18ºC. Vintage Port is best drunk one to two days after opening.

Pairing suggestions

Walnuts, blue veined and other richly flavoured cheeses are excellent accompaniments to Vintage Port; so too are dried fruits such as apricots or figs.

The Winter of 1993-1994 was extremely wet throughout the region. As a result, most vineyards experienced a very low yield, with production down as...

About the Wine

The Winter of 1993-1994 was extremely wet throughout the region. As a result, most vineyards experienced a very low yield, with production down as much as 75% in relation to the average in some areas of the Douro. In spite of the poor start, the growing season was satisfactory, with dry warm weather broken only by a few short periods of rain.

The 1994 vintage Vintage Port received 100 points from the highly acclaimed James Suckling, then of the Wine Spectator.

Tasting Notes

Deep crimson just beginning to display some maturity on the rim. The explosive fruitiness of early youth is now more restrained as the wine begins to settle into maturity but the nose is still driven by impressive focused blackberry and blackcurrant aromas set off by the classic Taylor scent of violets. Full bodied and well structured palate delivering rich blackberry and cassis flavours with spicy, figgy, liquorice flavours evolving on the long and sumptuous finish.

ACCOLADES

100
In a word, superb. My favourite Taylor has always been the 1948, which is still stupendous to drink today. However, I had never given a Taylor 100 points until I tasted the 1994.

James Suckling
100
This has always been, is, and always will be, a fantastic Vintage Port! All made in lagares with 100% stalks. It is a blend of Vargellas and Terra Feita, and for head winemaker David Guimaraens this perfectly shows the characteristics of Vargellas Almost opaque, deep-red color, with a discernible rim. Incredibly powerful bouquet, with coffee, tar, pepper, tobacco, chocolate, and residual red-berry fruit. Perfectly integrated tannins and supporting acidity on the palate, balancing the massive fruit; all kinds of red berries, black cherry, dark chocolate, and a colorful mix of spices here, too. Long, powerful, and complex finish This Port is now at the beginning of a very high, long plateau. It is still very closed from magnum but much more open from half-bottles.
2024
Axel Probst, The World of Fine Wine