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Wine Description
The Story
Taylor’s Port is the last of the original English founding port companies to remain family owned. It has never been bought, sold or taken over. The company is run by descendants of the founders. This ensures its outlook and philosophy remains focused on the production of top quality ports.
Taylor’s were also the first to invest heavily in property in the Upper Douro. The recent acquisition of Quinta do Junco illustrates the continued commitment of the firm to producing premium quality wines. Their Estates at Vargellas, Terra Feita and Junco, have been carefully selected and all have the prize Casa do Douro “A” classification. The main grape varieties used are Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Tinto Cão and Tinta Amarela.
Each Estate has a carefully planned programme of new planting to maintain the standards of the estate wines - used for the famous Taylor’s Vintage Ports, single Quinta wines, and the backbone of Taylor’s Late Bottled Vintage Port.
Taylor’s Vintage Port is made from grapes grown on the firms two properties Quinta de Vargellas and Quinta de Terra Feita. The stature of its Port is acknowledged by experts everywhere - and by the international wine auctions which regularly price Taylor’s Vintage Port ten to fifteen per cent above its rivals.
Wine Information
TAYLOR 1985 VINTAGE
Taylor’s owns two great vineyards in the Douro, Quinta de Vargellas and Quinta de Terra Feita. Both are categorised grade A - the highest possible rating. In years when Taylor’s produces a classic vintage, wines from these two estates are blended together. As they are some 20 miles apart, and subject to very different microclimates, they combine to produce a powerful, long lived and complex vintage port.
Notes on Viticultural Year and Harvest
The 1985 vintage was preceded by an exceptionally cold, wet winter, with night temperatures at Pinhão well below freezing point between the 7th and 15th January. Bud burst took place early in April and flowering around the end of May. Berry set was excellent, and the young bunches perfectly formed. The summer was hot throughout the regions, with no rainfall during July and August.
Picking began early at Vargellas and other Taylor vineyards in the Upper Douro Valley, the grapes having generally reached maturity by 15th September. Picking took place under clear skies, with mild, warm days and cool nights. The grapes were healthy and evenly ripened, giving well-balanced must with high sugar levels. The cool night temperatures helped to produce long, even fermentations, allowing the musts to be well worked and producing rich, aromatic full-bodied wines with magnificent depth of colour and firm tannic structure. By the close of the harvest it was apparent that the year had produced wines of exceptional quality in all areas of the Douro and there was justified optimism among the shippers as to the prospects of a declaration.
