1948 Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port

[SEAN C.]

The slightly seeping 1948 Taylor was originally purchased by me as an "unknown Port" for very little money. When I brought the bottle home I was pleased to read "1948 Taylor bottled in 1950" printed on the cork. With little decanting time the Taylor had almost no alcohol on the nose and a wonderful maple scent. In the glass it was medium bodied with a mature ruby color. On the palate were flavors of cherry and strawberry combined with black pepper and cinnamon on the finish. The '48 Taylor was a stunning bottle that lived up to the high standards set by other great 1948 vintage Ports.

My score 97 points

[Roy Hersh]

You do realize that only Graham's and Fonseca declared 1948 besides Taylor ... at least those are the only ones I have had and am aware of from all accounts. Few things are as much fun as having these 3 side-by-side.

[SEAN C.]

You do realize that only Graham's and Fonseca declared 1948 besides Taylor ... at least those are the only ones I have had and am aware of from all accounts. Few things are as much fun as having these 3 side-by-side.

Morgans and Dow did too ..no?
I've never had Taylor, Graham, and Fonseca at the same time but I've had all three and I have to say the 1948 Vintage is absolutely incredible!

[Andy Velebil]

I know Morgan's did as I saw one at auciton not too long ago. But I've never seen a TN on it and I think it was only re-released when Croft was aquired by TFP and they released some old stocks. I've had the 1945 Morgan which was from that same re-released batch and it was stunningly good.

I've also seen a pic of the Dow's, but also have never seen a TN on it.

[Roy Hersh]

The Dow was vinified and may have even been bottled, but it definitely was not formally declared. That I am positive of.

[Andy Velebil]

http://www.winecommune.com/stores/item. ... rice_d[vin]

[Roy Hersh]

Nice although unlikely bottled at Dow's. I had no doubt that it had actually been bottled when you mentioned it. But like I said, this was never declared which is different from the bottle winding up on the open market. I have now checked the Dow's book and found this to be definitive.

[Andy Velebil]

Why do you say its not bottled at Dow's? From that era not many UK bottlers, if at all, were using dark glass. The label also appears to be a label from Dow's, not from a negiotiant bottling, which usually has their name on the front label. It very well could have been bottled at Dow's but never formally released. As we know there is quite a bit of older stuff that was produced but never "official" declared or widely released, yet they exist. The red wax top is also consistant with some 1970 Dow's that was released ex-cellars about 1 1/2 - 2 years ago.

[Roy Hersh]

Andy,

Simply put, on all older bottles of Dow or Silva & Cosens that I can recollect, Oporto always appeared on the front label when bottled there.

[Andy Velebil]

Andy,

Simply put, on all older bottles of Dow or Silva & Cosens that I can recollect, Oporto always appeared on the front label when bottled there.

Oporto is there on the front label though.

[Gary Banker]

Michael Broadbent's "Wine Vintages" says that: "9 shippers declared...Deep, powerful, aloholic port resulted. Fonseca good. Graham excellent. Taylor outstanding, even greater than its 1945." However, he does not name the other shippers.

For the 1948 vintage, Mayson mentions Sandeman, and also "A 1948 Dow's Quinta do Bomfin which was neither declared nor shipped, but was bottled for home consumption ..."

So what are the other five shippers that declared?

[Andy Velebil]

Checking online, I see a listing for the following 1948 VP's
Burmester
Dow's (multipule listings at different stores in diff countries). Roy you sure they didn't declare? There seems to be a fair amount of it at retailers.
Taylor
Fonseca
Graham's
Morgan's
Real Companhia Velha

Thats 7, plus Sandeman would be 8. Who was the 9th?

[Glenn E.]

There's a 1948 Niepoort for sale at Seckford Wines in Melton. I also see listings for a 1948 Niepoort Garrafeira, so it's possible that the Seckford Wines listing is just omitting that crucial detail.

[Gary Banker]

Peter Wylie list 1948 Mackenzie in their vintage port listing.

[Roy Hersh]

Glenn the '48 Niepoort is the Garrafeira. The '45 on the other hand, is out of this world and is a true classic VP.


Andy wrote:

Dow's (multipule listings at different stores in diff countries). Roy you sure they didn't declare? There seems to be a fair amount of it at retailers.

I'll show you the Dow book when you are here in January. Is is no different than the 1950 which after many years of totally remaining out of the public's hands surfaced all at the same time. There was never 1948 Dow around until now. So, someone obviously had a stash and let it go. It may have been a Symington Family special occasion or birth year wine, who knows. But until now, it was never seen at retail.

[Symon B]

superlative massive long high alchol but ballenced honey fig raspberry little hint cinnamon some chockolate little caramel hint wild mushrooms ceps eroma cigar in the air power power power deep ruby amber more power it stops you talking
huge port unique never had a tayler like it the t1945 was your friends pritty sister this t48 was big georgiouse older sister had it in 2005 gave it 99 no seapage just in neck
never had this rare port before ore after costs big bucks now i had to pay 400ds then it was just one of those ports you will never ever forget was it beter than the f48 im going to say yes only just
the t48 went on for ages in the mouth it did not have multi layers of flavours like f63 it did not need to could be the best port iv had with cropwell bishop stilton decantered 4 heures but it would do 2 days no joke finest taylors iv ever had thus far i have not had the 1994 yet !!!!!! symonb