For The Love Of Port

375ml bottle, decanted for about 6 hours.

Lots of red fruit on the nose, like rosehip and raspberries.
In the mouth a powerful mouth filling port, with round tannins. The tannins are still a little harsh, but not annoying. I taste chocolate, blueberries and figs.
Great long finish.
I think one of the best vintage port of the 2003 harvest. 94/100

This is a wonderful young VP and they did a marvelous job with it. This hearkens back to the old days when Croft made really good VP's.

Andy Velebil wrote:This is a wonderful young VP and they did a marvelous job with it. This hearkens back to the old days when Croft made really good VP's.

So since 2003 they are back on track at Croft? I guess David Guimaraens is the blender?

Thomas V wrote:

Andy Velebil wrote:This is a wonderful young VP and they did a marvelous job with it. This hearkens back to the old days when Croft made really good VP's.

So since 2003 they are back on track at Croft? I guess David Guimaraens is the blender?

Well, kinda yes and no. Yes in that the brand in now in very good hands with TFP. No in that they still are not consistent IMO. I don't think 2007 and 2011 were in the same league as the 2003. And of the two younger ones 2007 was easily the weakest of the three.

I can only imagine how hard it is to take over a brand that isn't performing well, correct deficiencies on many levels (such as the viticulture side, wine making side, and blending side to name a few). With a dry wine it's a bit easier as you can do so every year and more easily see how things are progressing. With VP, since it's only a few times a decade on average, I'd say that learning curve takes longer and there is "more to lose" to use the phrase.

I am confident TFP has gotten a pretty good handle on it now and I would hope the quality becomes consistently outstanding again.

I bought both the 2003 and 2005 some years ago. I had the 2005 Croft Q. da Roeda several times and must say this really is a very nice single quinta vintage port. I can strongly recommend it!

I saw a 6 pack of this in my cellar... Had no idea I owned any.

Monique Heinemans. wrote:I bought both the 2003 and 2005 some years ago. I had the 2005 Croft Q. da Roeda several times and must say this really is a very nice single quinta vintage port. I can strongly recommend it!

+1

It is comming out of its 'closed phase', so we can i start enyoing this great port again.