2022 Taylor’s Quinta de Vargellas Vintage Port 2 x 0.75L 2 Bottles Port Wine DESCRIPTION For many, Taylor’s is the archetypal Port house and its wines the quintessential Ports. Established over three centuries ago in 1692, Taylor’s is one of the oldest of the founding Port houses. It is dedicated entirely to the production of Port wine and in particular to its finest styles. Above all, Taylor’s is regarded as the benchmark for Vintage Port. Noted for their elegance and poise as well as for their restrained power and longevity, Taylor’s Vintage Ports are blended from the finest wines of the firm’s own quintas or estates, Vargellas, Terra Feita and Junco. These three iconic properties, each occupying a distinct geographic location and with their own unique character, are the cornerstone of the company’s success and the main source of its unique and inimitable house style. Taylor’s is also respected as a producer of wood aged ports and holds one of the largest reserves of rare cask aged wines from which its distinguished aged tawny Ports are drawn. The house is also known as the originator of Late Bottled Vintage, a style which the firm pioneered and of which it remains the leading producer. Above all, Taylor’s is an independent company in which some family members play a leading role in all areas of the firm’s activity. The firm’s long and unbroken family tradition has provided continuity and clarity of purpose, essential attributes of any great wine house. It has also allowed the skills and knowledge required to produce the finest ports to be constantly refined and added to in the light of experience as they are passed down from one generation to the next. Based in Oporto and the Douro Valley the company is closely involved in all stages of the production of its Ports, from the planting of the vineyard and the cultivation of the grapes to the making, ageing, blending and bottling of the wines. The family’s commitment to the future of Port is demonstrated in its single minded dedication to the highest standards in Port production, its continued investment in all aspects of the firm’s operations and its determination to preserve the unique environment of the Douro Valley through the promotion of sustainable and responsible viticulture. WINEMAKER: David Guimaraens. WINE VARIETIES: Traditional from Douro Region. TASTING NOTES Deep purple black with a narrow magenta rim. Exuberant, powerful, fresh blackcurrant and cherry nose. Finesse, elegance and poise with a linear push of woodland fruit, hints of plum and a kiss of citrus and quince. This dense backdrop is overlaid with an enchanting grapey freshness that builds as the nose develops. The floral scents which are the hallmark of Vargellas are present, the characteristic violet fragrances intertwining with delicate blossom and herbal notes. A wave of clean berry fruit flows through the palate from beginning to end. The tannins are firm but well integrated, providing plenty of grip and an attractive touch of austerity. A fine single quinta Vintage Port, with perfect balance and confidence. HARVEST When flowering started on the 19th May, we continued to register very low levels of water – 195mm to be exact from the previous November to the 31st May. Because of the dry conditions, we had very little pressure from disease, which meant that the key focus in the vineyards was dedicated to working the canopies. At the beginning of June we entered a phase of the first of many heatwaves with temperatures of over 40 degrees Celsius recorded - this is very unusual for June. July was the hottest ever recorded with an average temperature of 28.3c. In fact, on the 14th July in Pinhão we recorded a temperature of 46.5c. The highest temperature ever recorded. As a result of the extreme temperatures, veraison only occurred in the last week of July. Harvest started on the 3rd September at Vargellas with the vines producing very small berries, which gave them a good juice to skin ratio. A few days later on the 6th September we had a very welcome 4mm of rainfall which kept the temperatures down and gave some very welcome relief to the vines and did a great job in giving the grapes that all important final push.2022 will be remembered for the year that we were able to foot tread again, after two years interruption due to COVID. Seeing the lagares full of people again and knowing that this is the way great vintage ports are made, was a sight to hold. SERVING Pair with walnuts, blue veined and other richly flavoured cheeses are excellent accompaniments to Vintage Port; so too are dried fruits such as apricots or figs. Serve at 16ºC to 18ºC. Vintage Port is best drunk one to two days after opening. PLEASE NOTE: This is a recurring auction. The seal number(s) you see on the photos might differ from the one(s) on your bottle(s).