Taylor - Vintage port 2003

Druerne til Vintage-portvinene fra Taylor’s dyrkes i Dourodalen på Taylor’s egne vingårde, Quinta de Vargellas og Quinta de Terra Feita, hvis jorde begge er klassificeret i gruppe A, som er den absolut bedste gruppe. Mikroklimaerne på de to gårde er meget forskellige, og det resulterer i komplekse og kraftige portvine, som er særdeles velegnede til henlægning.

Om Vintage Port siges der, at den er drikkelig efter 4-5 år, men at den først virkelig kan nydes efter 15-20 år. Pga. det naturlige depôt, der er i Vintage Port, skal man huske at lade flasken stå oprejst i 48 timer, inden man åbner den – på den måde falder bundfaldet til bunds. Derefter bør man forsigtigt dekantere portvinen, således at bundfaldet bliver i flasken. Portvinen er klar til servering 2-3 timer efter dekanteringen – og bør drikkes inden for 24 timer efter åbningen.

Vinteren forud for 2003-høsten var meget våd. Blomstringen fandt sted i stærk varmt vejr i slutningen af ​​maj under nogle af de bedste forhold set i flere år. 

97 points Wine Enthusiast

 Inky purple in color, this youngest Taylor vintage Port boasts a floral, wonderfully open and appealing bouquet, backed by layers of rich fruit. What makes this wine extra special is the seductive texture—somewhere between creamy and syrupy—and ample length. (JC)  (2/2007)

96 points Wine & Spirits

 The 2003 vintage surrounds Taylor's classically hard-core iron grip with fruit that's generous, succulent and rich. The aromas of violets and spice seem to rise out of a blast of black rock, the muscular tannin inseparable from the fresh fruit. Though the ripeness and richness of the vintage tends to blur many of the distinctions among the best Ports, the relatively dry style of Taylor stands out, the extreme power of its structure bringing to mind a wrought iron fence stretching off into the distance. Winemaker David Guimaraens describes 2003 as a concentrating year, and points to 1966 as a parallel to the vintage. Likely the longest lived of the '03s, this should be drinking best from 2033 through 2055, then mature into a firm old age for decades after.  (12/2005)

95 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

 The 2003 Taylor’s has a lovely ripe, primal bouquet of blackberry, raspberry, vanilla and marmalade that shows slightly better delineation than the Fonseca. The palate is medium-bodied with very composed, refined tannins that belie the heat of that summer. There is wonderful focus here and fine tension, the finish offering precise notes of black cherries, mulberry, cloves and white pepper. This is one of the finest Ports of a precocious vintage. (NM)  (5/2013)

94 points Wine Spectator

 Lovely aromas of currants, blackberries and licorice. Full-bodied, with medium sweetness and layers of ripe, round, velvety tannins. Flavorful finish. More round and refined than from barrel. (JS)  (4/2006)

93 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

 Bright, saturated ruby. Vibrant, pure aromas of blackberry, violet and bitter chocolate. Juicy, minerally, precise and penetrating, but quite primary and unevolved today. Shows strong but integrated acidity and a tight kernel of fruit. Best today on the slow-building, rising, aristocratic finish. But today the wine's tannins are less obvious than its acids. This seems distinctly less ripe and chewy than the great 2000 Taylor's but it's still extremely unevolved. Latour-like in its structure and reserve. (ST) 93+  (1/2006)

Firmaet Taylor's - eller Taylor, Fladgate & Yeatman, som det helt korrekt hedder - er over 300 år gammelt. Taylor's er stadig et personligt ejet familiefirma, som er fuldstændig uafhængigt. Taylor's hovedsæde er beliggende i Vila Nova de Gaia. Her afskibes portvinene, som eksporteres til mindst 54 lande verden over - derudover sælges portvinene selvfølgelig også i Portugal. Druerne til portvinene fra Taylor's dyrkes i Dourodalen på Taylor's egne tre vingårde; Quinta de Vargellas, Quinta de Terra Feita og Quinta do Junco. Portvinene fra Taylor's var, er og vil fortsat være nogle af de største portvine!