A Declaration!
Port lovers have arguably never had it so good! The 2018s today represent the third (or fourth, really) in a run of great Douro vintages, and in opting to declare a “classic” Taylor’s 2018, the Fladgates view it as an unmissable opportunity to witness “the consistency of one great house through 2016, 2017 and 2018, and to see that vintage conditions really do have a huge impact on the character of Vintage Port.” Continuing, Adrian Bridge affirmed that “we take declarations seriously, so to declare three vintages in a row is incredible and we are 100% confident that what is in the glass is truly fantastic.”
Read MoreThe Vintage
According to winemaker David Guimaraens, “the 2018s have a bit of both 2016 and 2017 in terms of style. They have the freshness of fruit and acidity we saw in 2016 with the richness and concentration of the 2017s.” Winter going in to 2018 was wet and cold, a relief after the drought in 2017, and those mild, humid conditions persisted in to Spring. In fact, the weather remained cool in the Douro until June, requiring a huge amount of work to be carried out in the vineyards to control the disease pressure. As is often the way though, the vintage turned on its head in the summer, and by 4th August the mercury hit 44C at Quinta de Vargellas. The ensuing heat and deep water reserves allowed the vines to catch up on ripening and they were able to synthesise tannin and colour right in to September. Picking began in the third week of September under perfect dry conditions.
The Wines
Though the regal Taylor’s 2018 is unquestionably the star of the trio on offer today, the Croft Quinta da Roeda single-Quinta and blended Fonseca Guimaraens offer equally compelling drinking opportunities, for both are laced with rich fruit and crisp, energetic tannins in their respective styles. For Roeda, this means a more fruit-driven character with notes of orange blossom, blackcurrant and star anise – a touch of the exotic contained within a fresh, enlivening tannic framework. Three properties are responsible for the Fonseca Guimaraens blend; a rich, round, deep and masculine style of Port with a more brooding, spicy, chocolatey profile. In both instances, winemaker David Guimaraens, cites the high quality of grape spirit they use in making young Ports more attractive, which since 2000 he believes has gone a long way toward smoothing their tannins and refining their overall feel. We suggest that Roeda will be drinking well within five years, and Guimaraens within six or seven, but both have the potential to go on for at least twenty.
Taylor’s 2018 is a glorious example of this undervalued fine wine category. 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.
The wines are offered En Primeur and will be shipped in Autumn 2021.