Nonexistent ports?

[Markus L.]

After reading the forums since last summer, I'll dare post about something.

Two new ports came for sale where I live, and both raise some questions. First is Graham's Quinta dos Malvedos, vintage 2002. After seeing this, I naturally checked the forums for some comments. To my surprise, I couldn't find a single TN about it, not from here or The Port Forum. Also, Graham's blog had a while back a story about a Malvedos vertical with 17 vintages since 1958. No 2002 there either. Search engine wine-searcher.com showed only 4 online stores in the world selling it. So, if someone knows, could they perhaps explain why the 2002 Malvedos seems to be skipped everywhere, as if it didn't exist?

Second port is Fonseca's crusted, bottled 2006. No TN's of it either. I checked Fonseca's website, and surprisingly enough, there's no mention there of Fonseca even producing crusted. In fact, the site's section 'types of port wine' doesn't mention crusted at all. Strange way of marketing in my opinion. Are they so ashamed of their crusted that they don't admit to producing it?

[Roy Hersh]

First of all, thanks for posting here Markus. Glad that you decided to give up being just a lurker.

As to the Fonseca "Crusted" Port ... that's a new one on me too. Then again, given that it is a 2006 ... no wonder it is still quite unknown. Maybe Fonseca is "testing" this out on your market, before launching this on a broader scale?

As to the 2002 Guimaraens, you must take into consideration that most houses did not make ANY 2002 VP's and very few even made 2002 LBV's, as it was such a difficult vintage. There are a handful of Vintage Ports produced that year, and a handful of LBV's too ... but again, much of what was harvested, went into Tawny Port reserve stocks.

[Markus L.]

Fonseca has released at least 8 different crusteds over the years. Why no mention of it on their website?

But then again, my complaints about port producer websites is a topic in itself.

[Derek T.]

I wonder if this is a similar situation to that previously discussed in relation to Dow's Quinta do Bomfim?

The Symingtons have occasionally produced vintages of Bomfim that have only been released into Denmark. These are discussed in the thread linked to above. It is possible that they have done a similar thing with Malvedos 2002 in that they might have produced a very small parcel for a specific market but kept it under the radar as they did with the special productions of Bomfim?

I think the Fonseca Crusted is probably just a new wine coming to market that hasn't yet had much exposure.

[Cynthia J]

Hi Markus! Regarding the Quinta dos Malvedos 2002 - As a general rule, the Symingtons do not release the single quinta wines until we feel they are ready to drink - we do the laying down for you! I know 1999 is the current Malvedos offering, but I need to confirm the exact status of the 2002 with colleagues - and I think they may still be out this week with the Easter holidays, so I may not have a further answer for a few days. The internal tasting notes for this wine, circa 2007, are as follows: The Quinta dos Malvedos 2002 Vintage has a deep ruby colour. On the nose displaying jammy blackberry and blueberry scents, combined with seductive floral hints. On the palate packed with solid, structured, rich and intense black fruit flavours, showing impressive intensity and sweetness leading to a very long lingering finish.

Very rarely, with extraordinary wines, we will offer the single quintas en primeur as we do for the classic declared vintages - one I can think of was the Smith Woodhouse Quinta de Madalena 1995. As a general rule, we would hold the single quinta vintage wines 8 to 10 years, but we taste at least annually to assess them and make release decisions.

Thanks ! (fyi - in case you are wondering - I'm the Malvedos blogger)

[Tom Archer]

I think the Fonseca Crusted is probably just a new wine coming to market that hasn't yet had much exposure.

Until relatively recently, Fonseca crusteds were somewhat sporadic offerings; but there are now releases available from '04, '05 & '06, so they may be bottling every year now.

I've sampled the '06, and consider it to be a very solid wine that needs a lot more time in bottle before its drunk.

Tom

[Cynthia J]

Hello again, Markus! i spoke with Henry Shotton (who is the winemaker at Malvedos during harvest, and the rest of the year is resonsible, with Johnny Symington, for worldwide sales of our bottle-aged ports). He confirms the Malvedos 2002 is still gently resting in our Lodge, awaiting release. 1999 is the current market offering, and we also have a 2001 in waiting. Depending on a combination of our judgment when the wine is ready for release, and demand for the prior wines, the 2002 would probably come to market in 3 to 4 years, but that is only a rough estimate. Occasionally, if one of the Symington family is invited to or themselves organise a vertical tasting, we may bring along a bottle of a wine not yet released, or a cask sample. That Danish vertical you mention, if you look again, you will notice the gaps between wines were mostly at least 3 years, and the tasting included 1998, 2001 and 2004, as well as a cask sample of 2009 (so two unreleased wines and the sample not yet bottled) so 2002 would have been superfluous. Hope that helps! Cynthia

[Markus L.]

Okay, now I'm confused. If the 2002 is still gently resting in your lodge, then how can bottles of it be on the shelf here? I can buy the 2001 here also (and I actually have a bottle of it). Obviously there's something I don't understand here about the release of Malvedos vintages.