And 2009 is a vintage that Symington decided not to release, but the Fladgate Partnership did what the man from Del Monte did and said 'Yes'. What makes this different is that this is the fourth vintage declaration in a decade for this group, but they consider the wines good enough to justify it. The vintage was hot, which is the main reason given as to why some houses haven't declared, but as Adrian Bridge, who hosted the tasting, informed us, that isn't so much of a problem for Taylors and Fonseca. These houses have a large number of old vines, which in turn have deep root structures that have found their own deep water source, they don't need surface water to survive. Of course, older vines have lower yields, so both Taylor's and Fonseca 2009 are smaller declarations than normal with a third less wine than the 2007 vintage.
We started with the groups 2009 Skeffington Vintage port. This is a brand created to use the grapes left over from both Taylor and Fonseca. This blend is also used by some universities as their 'own label' vintage port and has about 1500 cases made. It had a bundle of very sweet bramble fruit with some alcohol coming off, but with basil, leather and cocoa. There is a menthol element coming off as well with some mint and a bit of toffee. The palate is dark, but with powerful soft tannin, lots of sweet brambles, some coffee, a bit of earthy, fresh fruit with leathery notes. Very long finish, a bundle of spice, but it is delivered very well. Big, concentrated, but drinkable. 87pts
The Fladgate Partnership bought Croft in 2001, and changed the property entirely, and making the wines foot trodden. After a couple of decades without investment, the house had lost its way. The ports were mediocre, and despite inheriting a lot of the 1985 vintage when they bought the company, it was all tipped into a tawny port because it wasn't of good enough quality. The 2009 Croft vintage had savoury aromas with a raspberry, earthy note up front. A little chilli chocolate and some blueberry as well. Very bright and herbal. The palate is gentle with some softer fruit, light berries, very clean and all about the purity of fruit. Lovely clean cassis, just hanging on through the finish and not leaving your palate, the tobacco and cocoa are just acting as seasoning rather than more fruit flavours. Very well made and I really like the changes they have done to Croft. 90pts
The next two wines, the 2009 Fonseca and Taylor's, stood me apart from everyone else at the tasting, as I preferred the elegance and balance of the Taylor's, whereas everyone else liked the big, fruit dominant Fonseca that closed right up on the finish. I stick by my view that the Taylor's is better, and critics like Jancis Robinson, Neal Martin, and Jamie Goode agree with me, so if I am proved wrong, they are too!
The 2009 Fonseca was sweet, elegant with lush berries, a bit of the sweeter pie filling, but with some more delicate fresher juicier fruit aromas. A big, jammy, spicy wine with lots of power lots of leather, lots of full on tannin but again, delivered very softly. Quite dusty with a lot of cocoa and mint. Very good, but the is a slight thinness on the finish which concerns me as it tightens up and doesn't deliver the balance I would want. But that is like picking on the fact that a beautiful lady has an ingrowing toenail, it matters not a jot. This wine is super, and will develop into a beautiful wine. 92pts
The 2009 Taylor's was, for me, instantly recognisable as Taylor's the second the glass went to my nose. It has a balance and beauty rarely seen in young vintage port, with juicy fruit, up front baked meat aromas, and a bit of leather, but with all elements beautifully balanced. There is a touch of mint too mixed with oriental spice and some juicy and jerky like aromas. There is a lot of very polished fruit. The palate is quite closed, but the fruit is coming through gently, with very nice cassis and cherry flavours, a lot of cocoa and tobacco masking the fruit. The alcohol comes through near the end with a nice chunky chocolate note coming through with lots of lovely earthy flavours. A stunning wine. 96pts
The Vargellas property, has a lot of old vines in it, and in the mid nineties, some of the oldest vines, planted between 1908 and 1935, were not producing enough fruit to justify keeping them. They were due to be dug up, but after tasting them, it was realised that the fruit was too good. Therefore a new wine was created, the Vargellas Vinha Velha, that used these old vines, but aimed at the collector market as they are significantly higher priced than the vintage wines from Taylors. The vines are of such low yield that it takes four vines to make one bottle of port, and remember that 20% of each bottle is fortifying spirit!
The 2009 Taylors Vargellas Vinha Velha had a lot of forward, bright fruit. A bit of raspberry with some compote elements, and then there is a sweeter, rounder fruit aroma. Many layers are coming through, cocoa underneath the soft fruit. A floral element on the nose. This has lovely soft fruit, a complex deep wine with lots of cocoa, tobacco and some leather. Cassis emerges with tobacco and spice, leading to a long finish with some cedar box and lovely violet flavours. 95pts
These ports are super value, and prices have been kept at the 2007 vintage level - unlike certain French regions I will not mention - and long may they stay that way. When you factor in that Taylors will make in a decade what Lafite does in two years, add in the quality, longevity and drinkability of these wines, and, with the exception of the Vargellas Vinha Velha, that they cost at most £60 per bottle, these are the fine wines that anyone can experience. I'm placing my order today...
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