Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port 2016

Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port 2016 - Douro, Portugal

A textbook expression of classic Vintage Port from Taylor, Fladgate & Yeatman - the 2016 is widely regarded as one of the strongest recent releases. 

Rich purple-black in the glass, this wine unfolds with a vivid constellation of dark-berry aromas: blackberry, bilberry and blackcurrant dominated by purified intensity, with underlying notes of cedar, wild herbs, a hint of violet and a mineral-tinged freshness. As it opens up, the fruit turns deeper and more seductive, with touches of plum, bramble and dark berry-coulis. On the palate the wine is full-bodied and muscular yet elegant - structured by firm, sinewy tannins and enlivened by a clean, racy acidity. Dense layers of blackberry, black cherry and dark plum evolve through mid-palate weight into a long finish that ends with graphite-like mineral tension, dark chocolate, and a whisper of blue-fruit richness.

Grape variety: Traditional Douro field blend of indigenous Portuguese grapes

Style: Classic Vintage Port - powerful, structured, deeply concentrated and age-worthy

Drink window: 2028–2055+ (will cellar gracefully for decades, probably until at least 2070) 

Perfect for: Aged blue cheeses, dark-chocolate desserts, fig or walnut-based pastries, or slow-sipped with a cheese course

Notable Critic Scores

• 100 points - James Suckling

• 98 points - Wine Enthusiast 

• 98 points - Wine Spectator

• 96 points - Wine Advocate (Mark Squires) 

This 2016 Vintage Port is a modern classic - intense and concentrated now, but built with the structure, tannin and acidity to evolve gracefully for decades. It’s a serious wine for cellaring, but even in its youth it shows the depth, power and aromatic brilliance expected of top-flight Vintage Port.