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Taylor, Taylor Fladgate 2017

Tasting Notes

This offers up a dense rumble of dark currant, fig and blackberry paste flavors, laced with hints of buckwheat, baker's chocolate and warm tar. The muscular finish is thickly layered, with threads of alder and espresso cream adding definition along the way. Should be among the more long-lived wines of the vintage. Best from 2035 through 2060. 1,250 cases imported. — JM

97
James Molesworth, WineSpectator.com, May 2019

The 2017 Vintage Port, not quite bottled when seen but the final blend, is a field blend aged for approximately 20 months in wood. It comes in with 100 grams of residual sugar. A step up (or two) on the 2016, this shows fine depth, more focus, vivid fruit and serious power. It's not particularly thick, austere or astringent, but this is built for the long haul. It is potentially a great Taylor's, effortlessly combining brilliant fruit and structure. It tastes great now (today, it is far more vivid than its Vinha Velha sibling), but the power makes this hard to drink today. So, have some patience. It will need some time, probably a lot more than indicated, and will likely last longer than indicated as well. As noted in the accompanying article, I don't see much point to impossibly long drinking windows. At some point, reevaluation is required. 2030 - 2077

98/100
Mark Squires, Wine Advocate (July 2019 ), July 2019

Deep saturated purple in the glass. This has powerful aromatics but finds purity and lift with dried flowers and subtle sweet spices overlaying the dense black fruit on show. The palate follows with a multi-layered and explosive core of rich bramble fruit cut with sweet and savoury spices, bright acidity, and superbly integrated, refined tannins. This is rich and powerful but wonderfully balanced, with all elements singing in harmony already at this early stage. The fruit drives the finish, which is minutes long, showcasing ripeness and finesse in equal measure. Superb.

98
Farr Vintners, Farr Tasting, June 2019

Deep purple. Dark-fruited, dusky, smoky, full of blackberry and blueberry fruit. Like a bottomless well of fruit, so deep and smooth. Power and polish to the densely layered but welcoming tannins, the power hidden by the fruit depth. As it opens on the nose, there’s a more wild elderberry character and more chocolate on the finish. Amazing length, the tannins creating a paradoxically dry, savoury finish. Even with all this exceptional fruit, it seems more corseted on the palate than some in this vintage. Fladgate MD Adrian Bridge suggested this wine had an aroma of orange blossom and he is right, but I am not sure I would never have identified it without his prompt. 20% Drink 2030-2067

18.5
Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2019

A blend from predominantly north-facing Quinta de Vargellas in the Douro Superior and Quintas Terras Feita and Junco in the Pinhão valley: lovely ripe mulberry fruit on the nose, floral yet also showing lovely concentration; dense and fleshy initially on the palate, damson fruit, full, ripe, round tannins, rising in the mouth, leading to a big finish: silky-velvety fruit backed by broad fine grained chalky tannins. A peacock’s tail. Already beautifully integrated. 11,500 cases produced (nearly double that of 2016).

18+
Richard Mayson, richardmayson.com, May 2019
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.