Vintage PortClassic Vintage
Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port is one of the world’s great iconic wines. Made only in the very finest years – known as ‘declared’ vintages – Vintage Ports are blended from the best produce of the firm’s own estates of Quinta de Vargellas, Quinta de Terra Feita and more recently, Quinta do Junco.
After each harvest, the tasting panel selects the finest Port wines from the three properties and these are then left to age for two winters in oak vats.
In their second Spring, they are tasted again. If they are judged to be of exceptional quality, the Port wines of the three estates are blended together, Vargellas bringing structure, elegance and complexity to the wine and Terra Feita and Junco body, depth and powerful, concentrated fruit.
At this stage it must be decided whether a Vintage Port is to be ‘declared’. For a declaration to be made, the Vintage Port blend must be of outstanding quality: austere in its youth, with tremendous depth of flavour and massive structure, capable of evolving over years, or decades into that quintessence of great Port, a mature Taylor Fladgate Vintage.
Historically Taylor Fladgate has only declared about three Vintage years per decade.
Taylor Fladgate's Vintage Ports are renowned for their massive structure and aromatic power, tempered by a characteristic understatement and restraint. The ultimate collector’s Port wines, Vintage Ports will age for decades in the cellar, slowly developing the elegance and harmony which are the hallmarks of a mature Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port.
Video produced by Smith & Taylor Private Cellars of Chelsea Bridge Cellars - Private Cellarers of wine & Designers and Makers of Wine Rooms
