Taylor's, Vintage Port, 2018

Name: Taylor's, Vintage Port
Brand: Taylor's
Price: 429.1 GBP

Available Vintages

all 1963 2016 2017 2018

justerini & brooks tasting note

A wine of precision, length and intensity, layers of fresh plummy fruit, exotic flowers and dark herbs are contained by schist-mineral infused tannins and a long rich sweetness on the finish. Vargellas, the main component of the blend in 2018, thrived in the year’s vagarious conditions, thanks to its high proportion of old vines and a deep root system which helps to self-moderates yield and quality. At a maximum of 700g grapes per vine, but more often nearer 250g, the 2018 has as much colour and tannin as the 2017, but delivers those qualities in a more flowing, fragrant manner. The Fladgates believe it to have “tremendous ageing potential”, and from our tastings, we agree. It is a spellbinding Port in every sense. The total output is just below that of 2017 but above 2016, at approximately 8k cases. To put that in context, there was less Taylor’s bottled in 2016, 2017 and 2018 combined than there was in the 1985 vintage alone. Quality has never been higher.

critic reviews

95/100Mark Squires,Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The 2018 Vintage Port is a field blend aged for approximately 18 months in very old and large wooden vats. It comes in with 100 grams of residual sugar. This is the third straight declaration (2016, 2017 and this 2018) of a classic Vintage Port for Taylor's. When last seen, this was very good. Let's check in. This is an accessible Taylor's that drinks fairly well now, but it still shows some power. Most of all, though, the fruit is sensational. It's utterly delicious, with the young fruit ripe and rolling over the palate. This is coming along fast, so that with decanting, you might even drink it now, but that would be an error. It is not coming close to showing everything it has. In the back of my head, I am wondering a little about how fast this is coming around, so it seems, but it does so many things well, I can't be churlish right now. Let's see in time if it is going to be a long-haul wine, as I expect Taylor's to be.

DRINKING WINDOW 2026 - 2065

date of review 08/2022

97/100Neal Martin,Vinous

The 2018 Taylor’s Vintage Port comes predominantly from two vineyards: Quinta de Vargellas and Quinta de Terra Feita. It has a classy, aristocratic bouquet, a signature note apropos Taylor’s Vintage: dense black fruit with touches of melted tar, cloves and white pepper. This just builds and builds in the glass. The palate is very harmonious with fine tannins, perfect acidity and very pure with a gentle, almost caressing second half. White pepper interlaces the black fruit with a very precise finish. Pure class.

DRINKING WINDOW 2032 - 2075

date of review 09/2020