2011 Quinta do Vesuvio

[Adam LeCroy]

I bought 18 bottles of this vintage in 2013 as a reminder of my wedding. Have been drinking for 5 year anniversaries and children births. Opened this bottle last night, it is very sweet, almost no alcohol. It tastes like a mulberry with less acidity. Maybe a mulberry dipped in sugar turned into velvet.

I can't see how this will take another 30 years of age.

[Thomas V]

So you didn't enjoy it?

Could it be in a closed phase?

[Glenn E.]

To me that sounds like a bad bottle - possibly oxidized in some way. I sounds like what people sometimes call "flat" - very little life left, but all of the expected flavors.

[Adam LeCroy]

It's been stored at 57 since 2013 horizontally. I see no reason why it should be flat, next tasting will be in 2 years at 10 year anniversary.

[David Spriggs]

Was the wine decanted for any length of time? It probably would show much better with 6-8 hours in a decanter.

[Andy Velebil]

It is normally is a very good bottle so here are some possible reasons for it not showing well.
-Bad bottle
-Palate fatigue that night
-Slightly corked (just enough that isn't readily noticeable but can still rob it of flavor and body)
-Closed Phase. It is around the time where it could have gone into a closed phase. I would hazard a guess this may be the reason based on how you described it (or the low level TCA issue I mentioned). If it has gone into a closed phase it usually will take it several years to start to come out of it. Having one again in two years means it could be coming out of any potential phase or still in the midst of it. The only way to find out is to open it when the times comes. Regardless, make sure to give it a long decant. 12-24 hours is a good rule of thumb for such a young VP.