A juicy but also muscular take on 2016, with red berry, plum, a touch of mocha and cool herbal notes of rosemary and lavender. Super fine tannins sit well below the surface of the velvety fruit, with notes of blackcurrant leaf, schist and pepper on the finish.
The Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port 2016 from Symington’s has a slightly more savoury bouquet than its fellow 2016 releases – earthier, almost nuttier with some lovely grilled walnut scents percolating through with time in the glass. The palate is sweet and candied on the entry, notes of marmalade and dried quince infusing the cassis and black cherry fruit with high notes of blueberry and a slight saline tincture towards the well balanced, quite persistent finish. Very fine. Drink 2022 - 2040. Neal Martin, vinous.com
Food-Pairing
This port is delicious with foie gras, certain cheeses (Gorgonzola, Roquefort), as an aperitif or as dessert wine
Grapes: 43% Touriga Nacional, 25% Touriga Franca, 12% Tinta Amarela, 17% Alicante Bouschet, 3% Sousão
grapes are mostly from the west-facing vineyard Vale da Teja (30 years is the average age of these plantings)
Alcohol content
19,5 %vol
Store & Serve
Serve at 16 °C. Must be opened 6 to 24h in advance
Vintage port wine can not remain open for a long time, because it oxidizes faster. After opening, maximum 2 days shelf life
Critics & Awards
96/100 - The Wine Advocate 2018
95/100 - Wine Enthusiast Tasted: Dec 2018
92/100 - Neal Martin, vinous.com, June 2018
94/100 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, May 2018
98/100 Derek Smedley MW, DerekSmedleyMW.co.uk, May 2018
17,5+/20 - Farr Vintners, Farr Tasting, May 2018
18/20 - Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, May 2018
18,5/20 - Vinum Wine Magazine Tasted: Dec 2021
Port Vintage Years
The earliest harvest on record in 2017 followed a growing season of drought and high temperatures, the resultant wines being very concentrated with good structure. 2016 has been a tricky vintage for the growers but ultimately they have been rewarded with super wines with elegance and freshness, good enough to make some growers think twice about a general declaration in 2015 whose wines look very good in their own right. In 2013 the single quintas are fresh with lively fruit character. 2012 is a great single quinta vintage which produced elegant wines with balance and poise. 2011 has produced fabulous wines with freshness and a fruit style which will make them great drinking throughout their evolution. 2009, by contrast, is about power, density and longevity. The 2007 vintage was more elegant with great concentration, length and purity. The very hot summer of 2003 delivered super ripe, intense wines. The Millennium vintage of 2000 was wonderfully rich and ripe, approachable in style but worth keeping. 1997 was widely declared and rightly praised but still a little backward. Wines from the 1994 vintage remain backward due to their intensity. 1992 is also for the long-term, currently quite closed. The concentrated wines of 1991 are still for keeping, though Ports from the lighter houses are just beginning to emerge. The wines of the bountiful 1985 vintage have a great balance of power with sweetness and are drinking now. The appealing style of the 1983s makes them perfect for current drinking. The wines of the 1980 vintage too are much under-rated and very pure. The 1977s, undoubtedly one of the great vintages, have matured well and are firmly in their drinking window, whilst the initially structured wines of 1970 have proved themselves worth the wait and are now at their peak. Lucky indeed are those still fortunate enough to have some 1966s, 1963s, 1960s and 1955s!