Taylors 2009 Vintage Port

Taylor's 2009 Vintage Port 

The Taylor's 2009 follows a series of three outstanding vintages, 2000, 2003 and 2007.

CEO – Adrian Bridge remarked: ' The 2009 is the fourth declaration in a decade. In over three centuries of Taylor's history, a sequence of great vintages like this has been very rare, it is also remarkable that these four years have produced wines so different from one another but all unmistakeably Taylor in style'.

The Taylor's 2009 blend is based on the wines of Quinta de Vargellas and Quinta de Terra Feita. Since 2000, the firm's third property, Qunita do Junco, has also made a small contribution to the blend and has done so again in 2009.

Quantities are smaller than those of the three preceding classic vintages.

Producer Barrel Notes:

Inky black with purple rim. A nose of great purity opening on a vigorous note of concentrated black woodland fruit laced with raspberry and plum. Around this dense fruity core, with its attractive vibrancy and minerality, is a fragrant and complex aura of citrus fruit blossom and wild herbal scents of mint and lavender. Supported by a tight warp of thick sinewy tannins, the palate explodes with concentrated ripe black fruit flavour which surges into a long finish before being gripped in a tight tannic embrace. A wine which manages to combine the massive structure and powerful fruitiness of the 2009 harvest with elegance, poise and finesse.

Critics' Tasting Notes:

"Intense, vivid nose is spicy and dense with lovely bright aromatics, as well as some violet florality. The palate is rich and bold with lots of sweetness. Generous, with smooth, intense fruit and firm yet fine-grained tannins. Massive fruit and lovely structure. Brilliant."

95–97/100 points, Jamie Goode (2009 vintage declaration tasting)

"Now with a couple years in bottle, I am erring to the Taylor’s over the Fonseca (although these can always change!) The Taylor’s show more delineation and refinement with pure black currant, cassis, pencil box, hints of marzipan and a hint of dark chocolate. The palate is full-bodied and sumptuous with super-fine tannins, very pure blackberry and boysenberry notes interlaced with cedar, dried fig and a touch of black pepper on the beautifully refined finish. Excellent."

97/100 points, Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, June 2013

In 2011, Jancis Robinson (18/20 points) recommended waiting until 2035 before drinking this beautiful port. If you can wait, it'll keep going, and taste even better, until at least 2070.