Warres Vintage 2017 Port

€ 95.00

Warre’s 2017 has bright floral aromas of roses and violets, typical of the Touriga Nacional and also of rockrose, which is a feature of the Touriga Franca. On the palate the wine is full and plummy with amazing concentration and buoyant freshness delivering flavours of black cherries and blackberries. Layers of complexity are gradually revealed with a remarkable full-bodied structure.

Warre's Vintage Ports are peerless in their expression of poise and elegance. This unsurpassed style is derived from the inherent characteristics of Warre's two principal vineyards; Quinta da Cavadinha and Quinta do Retiro Antigo. They complement each other very well

Food-Pairing

This port is delicious with foie gras, certain cheeses (Gorgonzola, Roquefort), as an aperitif or as dessert wine

Grapes: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca

Warre’s Cavadinha and Retiro vineyards have old mixed-variety vines (one-fifth and one-third of the respective vineyards) which really came into their own in what was one of the hottest and driest years on record. We only had half the rainfall that we would expect in an average year; at Cavadinha just 332 mm fell compared to the 30-year annual average of 681 mm, and most of that was concentrated in the winter.

The warm and dry spring conditions precipitated a precocious growing and ripening season, with budbreak, flowering and veraison all happening two to three weeks earlier than usual. The Douro’s hardy grape varieties showed characteristic resilience, adapting early to the dry conditions by reducing their water intake to conserve what little soil water reserves there were for later — when they would be most needed. It is quite remarkable that in July, soil moisture levels — although low — were not as depleted as expected and this, combined with summer temperatures that were close to the seasonal average, was critical in sustaining the vines through the final ripening stages in August.

The decision to pick when we did was vindicated by the exceptional quality of the Touriga Nacional that came into the Cavadinha winery from the higher lying Quintas do Alvito and Netas (neighbouring Cavadinha) during the first week of September; two to three weeks earlier than usual. Temperatures gradually became more moderate from September 10th, allowing us to wait for the Touriga Franca to ripen to perfection, conserving the excellent levels of acidity that has brought such exquisite freshness to Warre’s 2017. Yields were unbelievably low, the old field blend at Retiro produced just 470 g/vine and the Cavadinha field blend 860 g/vine. At Telhada, Warre’s vineyard in the remote Douro Superior, the average yield was also well down with just 590 g/vine. These tiny yields were mirrored in the incredible concentration and intensity of the fermenting wine in our lagares.

The Warre’s 2017 Vintage Port is made up of the finest parcels from Warre’s three Douro vineyards, Cavadinha, Retiro and Telhada, and the privately (family) owned Alvito & Netas properties. The field blends from Cavadinha and Retiro provide the principal structure with a combined contribution of 63%. The combination of old field blend vines and very low yields gives the Warre’s 2017 Vintage Port extraordinary complexity and subtlety, alongside the concentration and power which are hallmarks of the year.

Alcohol content

19,5 %vol

Store & Serve

Serve at 16-18 °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