Today I've read on the Portuguese media that Wine Enthusiast magazine has recently tasted 18 Vintage Ports from Taylor's. The older Port was from 1900.
Two wines got 100 points and fourteen wines out of the eighteen were rated with 95 or higher points.
Mario is the 2004 Single quinta or declared one? I assume its the Single quinta Vargellas as back to back declaration would have been controversial on this forum already.
Living the dream and now working for a Port company
Mario Ferreira wrote:
It's curious to see a SQVP being rated 100 points.
Is it reasonable for me to infer that Taylor's is trying to establish Quinta de Vargellas Vinha Velha as a "super cuvée", like Quinta do Noval Naçional, rather than just an SQVP?
If they succeed then Andy and Frédérick's purchases will seem astonishing value for money in twenty years' time.
Later,
Dr Owl
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John Owlett, Southampton, UK
As you know, Taylor's already has two Single Quinta Vintage Ports, Vargellas and Terrafeita, which in some cases, like the Vargellas 1987, are absolutely brilliant wines. The main points behind the Vargellas Vinha Velha are:
1- The vines are between 80 to 100 years old, which originates a very low yield but amazing concentration.
2- The age of the vines also means that the roots are extremely long (and by long I mean between 15 to 20 meters in some cases). This means that they have access to nutrients that other vines do not and in drought years they have access to water when other vines do not.
3- Last, but not least, in the Vargellas Vinha Velha you do not have only the 5 or 6 traditional grape varieties you find these days in the Douro Valley. There is a whole bunch of different varieties all mixed up, which creates, in this specific case, a great combination. One of the varieties that is present in good numbers is a little-known and not very appreciated variety called Tinta da Barca, which is believed to be partly responsible for this great wine.
I’m sorry for the lecture, but I think the Vargellas VV deserves it, as it is truly a great wine. My answer to you John is that you are right, this is a “super cuvée” by Taylor’s.
Mario is the 2004 Single quinta or declared one? I assume its the Single quinta Vargellas as back to back declaration would have been controversial on this forum already.
There was a 2004 Vargellas made..I've had it once...and I will defer my thoughts on it until the next installment of Roy's Harvest Trip report.
Kurt Wieneke wrote:Broadbent has already plowed that territory - he has in rare instances rated a wine 6 stars!
I think Mr. Parker was first with 2003 Domaine du Pégaü Châteauneuf du Pape Cuvée da Capo (magnum)100+
Broadbent six stars? Which wine? I suppose it must be Porto Pocas Colheita 1989
Nah not Poças lol. He did on at least 10 occasions, for some Bordeaux expecially the 47 and 61 Vintage if my memory serves me well. I did go trough his book but I just don't want to turn all the pages again just to give the list :?
Living the dream and now working for a Port company
Late last year I did a very thorough report on Vargellas and Vinha Velha in particular. It answers all questions raised above and provides lots of information and lots of tasting notes as well: http://www.fortheloveofport.com/newsletter.htm#Atlanta
John Owlett wrote: Is it reasonable for me to infer that Taylor's is trying to establish Quinta de Vargellas Vinha Velha as a "super cuvée", like Quinta do Noval Naçional, rather than just an SQVP?
This is only partly true - yes, Taylor's are going for a premium product produced only from vines planted on a limited parcel of land on their premier Quinta but TQVVV is not the same breed as QNN. VV is produced from very old grafted vines, NN is produced from relatively young ungrafted vines planted on terraces unaffected by Phylloxera. As far as I am aware the NN terraces are still occassionally replanted whereas the VV terraces are not.
I have spoken to a member of the Taylor aristocracy (standing 30 metres from the VV terraces ) and what I was told was that this is not an attempt to reproduce an NN style wine. I believed him 8)
For future reference, following are the 18 Taylor Fladgate ratings from Wine Enthusiast:
Taylor Fladgate Vertical
quote= The wines were tasted in five flights: 1900-1935; 1945-1963; 1970-1985; 1992-1997; 2000-2004. All wines except the 1900 and 1908 were opened and decanted approximately two hours before serving; most were sourced on the secondary market by Executive Wine Seminars, the event organizer. For background on the tasting, see "Hitting the Century Mark", on page 18. Where given, prices are estimated retail.
86 pts - Taylor Fladgate 1900 Vintage Port; $NA
96 pts - Taylor Fladgate 1908 Vintage Port; $NA
95 pts - Taylor Fladgate 1927 Vintage Port; $NA
88 pts - Taylor Fladgate 1935 Vintage Port; $NA
96 pts - Taylor Fladgate 1945 Vintage Port; $NA
98 pts - Taylor Fladgate 1948 Vintage Port; $NA
95 pts - Taylor Fladgate 1955 Vintage Port; $NA
92 pts - Taylor Fladgate 1963 Vintage Port; $430
99 pts - Taylor Fladgate 1970 Vintage Port; $255
95 pts - Taylor Fladgate 1977 Vintage Port; $260
87 pts - Taylor Fladgate 1985 Vintage Port; $165
100 pts - Taylor Fladgate 1992 Vintage Port; $280
99 pts - Taylor Fladgate 1994 Vintage Port; $290
96 pts - Taylor Fladgate 1997 Vintage Port; $180
96 pts - Taylor Fladgate 2000 Vintage Port; $100
100 pts - Taylor Fladgate 2000 Vargellas Vinha Velha Vintage Port; $270
97 pts - Taylor Fladgate 2003 Vintage Port; $100
97 pts - Taylor Fladgate 2004 Vargellas Vinha Velha Vintage Port; $240
Its very interesting to see the rating that the VVV 2000 was given at this tasting after only 2 hours of decanter time.
This was the wine that I treated myself to over Christmas. While I really wanted to like this wine, I was not impressed. Its too young and too closed to judge. To my taste it has gone past its young fruity stage and is a decade or two away from its next enjoyable phase. It clearly has potential, but I can't say that this is going to be a 100 point wine (and, IMHO, it most certainly isn't a 100 point wine today).
For future reference only, here is Wine Enthusiast's TN on the VVVV2000.
Since this wine got such unusual rating, I guess it's always interesting to read the critic's opinion anyway :)
100 Taylor Fladgate 2000 Vinha Velha Vintage Port; $270. The hue of this wine takes dark and inky to a new level - and this wine's intensity isn't confined to its color. This is simple huge in every way, yet because every component is in proportion, the balance is impeccable. Incredibly rich, dense fruit picks up hints of tar and chocolate, while the finish lasts for what must be minutes. Hold. Imported by Kobrand.
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) and what I was told was that this is not an attempt to reproduce an NN style wine. I believed him 8) 
