Croft Vintage Port 2017 Half Bottles.

ONE OF THE FINEST CROFT VINTAGES OF RECENT YEARS. THE IMPRINT OF CROFT’S FAMOUS PROPERTY, QUINTA DA ROÊDA, IS APPARENT IN THE WINE’S SEDUCTIVE FRUIT, SILKY TEXTURE AND COMPLEX SCENTED QUALITY.

TASTING NOTES: Dense inky core fading to a magenta rim. A seductive Croft nose, ripe and voluptuous but with the depth and density characteristic of the 2017 vintage. As usual, plump, juicy blackcurrant, black cherry and raspberry form the backdrop. However, the nose is soon drawn into a vortex of heady, complex aroma in which resiny scents of eucalyptus and gumcistus blend with pungent notes of sage and mint, fresh hints of grapefruit and a mellow spiciness. On the palate, firm, sinewy tannins are wrapped in a thick envelope of dense, velvety texture. As is often the case, this is one of the most exotic and beguiling wines of the vintage. However, it is also a weighty wine, dense and deeply coloured, with the concentration and stamina to ensure a long life in bottle.

One of the finest Croft Vintages of recent years.The 2017 Vintage Port is a field blend aged for approximately 20 months in French oak. It comes in with 97 grams of residual sugar. This was only seen before bottling previously. Now, with some bottle aging, it looks super, superior to the 2016, also reviewed, and a fine 2017. It is, of course, extremely young. It's tight but not astringent (at least with decanting); the fruit is as if just crushed, and it is beautifully balanced. This is not even close to showing all it has. Throw it in the cellar. You can drink it now, but you'll just be wasting it. Right now, this and the 2016 are close, but I predict this will pull ahead with every passing year - 95 Points The Wine Advocate Aug 19, 2022.