Taylor's Quinta De Vargellas Vinha Velha Port 2017.

Following a wet 2016, the year started with cold and dry winter conditions, with a fifth less rainfall than the thirty-year average. Bud burst occurred relatively early, around 10th March. The dry conditions continued into Spring and the warm weather in April and May encouraged the rapid growth of the vines. The first three weeks of June were extremely hot, causing damage to the new bunches in some areas of the Douro. The early cycle continued with véraison around 18th June, one month earlier than the previous year.

Apart from some thunderstorms and rainfall early in July, conditions remained dry until the end of September although temperatures for much of the ripening season were moderate. As expected, the crop ripened very early, showing high sugar levels which led to longer fermentations and very effective colour extraction. Picking started at Taylor’s Quinta de Vargellas on 1st September, the earliest in a generation. The last time picking was recorded as having started this early was in 1945 – one of the greatest of the 20th century vintages - when the first fruit was picked on 3rd September. Temperatures at harvest time were mild, with cool nights, leading to balanced fermentations and excellent extraction. The musts were dense and marked by exceptional depth of colour and impressive phenolics.

ACCOLADES: The 2017 Quinta de Vargellas Vinha Velha Vintage Port is a field blend of typical grapes (like Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca) aged for 20 months in French wood. It comes in with 105 grams of residual sugar. The "old vines" here reference centenarian vines on average. This was not quite bottled when seen, but it was the final blend.

Not better qualitatively than the regular Taylor's this year, this is stylistically different—more precise, more elegant, less lush and with less vivid fruit for the moment. The drier (so it seems in perception) and sterner presentation makes this one need a lot of time. This babbling infant has just begun to tell its stories—and the beginning date for drinking that I have listed is merely a starting point, not when it will clearly be truly attractive. Nor, for that matter, is the end date anything but an advisory that means "a long time." This is not, in short, even the end of the beginning, let alone a good look.

Even with some aeration, it is very closed now—not astringent per se, but not expressive either. As fine as this seems today, it is likely to improve dramatically with time. Expression of fruit here will only come to those who have patience, and not otherwise. This tightly wound and rather muscular Port is filled with potential, even if it is all potential just now. It is worth leaning up for the moment. It is highly likely to justify the optimism. In ten years when we taste the greats from this vintage, this will be on the shortlist. However, fair warning—if you lack a cellar, look away - Mark Squires, Issue Date July 2019, The Wine Advocate.