Vintage Port
Level in Neck
100 points - Neil Martin Vinous
Description and Reviews:
From the very good 1948 vintage, this very rare Taylors vintage port is one of the finest ports ever made
There is Vintage Port and then there is the 1948 Taylor Fladgate. It remains a monumental Port that towers over the 20th century. Nineteen forty-eight is perhaps one of the lesser-known declarations compared to 1945 and 1963, although nine houses declared that year. Michael Broadbent described that as an “error of judgment” given the quality of the vintage in retrospect. I have been fortunate to taste the 1948 Taylors on several occasions, encountering one or two perfect bottles along the way. “Christopher & Co” bottled my most recent encounter in 1950, British merchants bottling a lion’s share of production in those days. With the recent declaration of the 2016 vintage, the 1948 serves as a timely reminder of the heights Vintage Port achieves with age. Deep in color, it appears more twenty-years old than seventy. The bouquet is exactly like the previous bottle in 2015, soaring from the nose with opulent raspberry, blackberry, clove, sage, vanilla and Medjool dates, perhaps this bottle more floral than others. The aromatics just feel exuberant and vivacious. The palate is beautifully balanced to the point where you barely notice the power locked inside this multi-faceted fortified. Red and black fruit, orange rind, cracked black pepper and smoke, later fig and a hint of cassis. The purity makes this so ethereal and the finish has been abraded by the passing decades to create a sense of harmony that only time and not winemaking can create. No doubt that well-stored bottles will reach the century mark and still be going strong. Broadbent suggested that the 1948 stands as one of the greatest Vintage Ports ever made. Of that, I am in no doubt. 100/Drink 2018-2048.
Level in Neck Unlabelled Metal Embossed neck tag Good capsule.Provenance: This lot forms part of a private collection amassed mainly in the 1970s and 1980s by a discerning and knowledgeable wine enthusiast who began collecting in his student days. The wines were meticulously stored in a traditional cellar and have lain undisturbed for decades. This offering presents a unique opportunity to acquire rare and historical bottles from a bygone era.
Bottle size:
75cl
ABV:
20
Drink Type:
Vintage Port, Port, Douro
Stock:
1 In Stock
Price:
$1,805.65 USD inc UK VAT (where applicable) *
* excludes delivery (free standard UK delivery on orders over £100)
