Taylor's Vintage Port 2009
Taylor Fladgate & Yeatman was founded over three centuries ago in 1692 and has been independently owned throughout its history. The most famous of all Port houses, Taylor’s is regarded as the benchmark for Vintage Port and its declared vintages attract the highest scores and auction prices. Noted for their elegance and restrained power, their longevity and their distinctive scented character, these classic Vintage Ports are blended from the finest wines of the firm’s own ‘quintas’ or estates.
Taylor’s three famous properties – Vargellas, Terra Feita and Junco – occupy distinct geographic locations. Each contributes its own unique character and dimension to the subtle harmony of the blend. Select ‘Vineyards’ at the foot of this page to learn more.
Commenting on the decision to declare the 2009 vintage, Taylor’s CEO Adrian Bridge remarked, ‘The year has produced wines of massive scale, not unlike the iconic vintage ports of the early twentieth century. They are wines built to last.’
As usual the 2009 Taylor Vintage blend is based on the wines of Vargellas and Terra Feita, the two historic properties whose contrasting but complementary personalities define the Taylor style. Since the 2000 vintage, a small proportion of wine from Quinta do Junco has been added to the blend and this is again the case with the 2009.
Winemaker David Guimaraens remarked, ‘2009 produced wines with enormous density of colour and excellent tannic grip. However they also display good acidity and wonderfully complex fruit.’
All stages of the 2009 viticultural year occurred earlier than usual on the Taylor properties, from bud burst in early March to an early harvest which began on 12th September at Vargellas, in the hotter eastern reaches of the Douro, and on 16th and 17th respectively in the two Pinhão Valley estates, Junco and Terra Feita. The low yields resulting largely from the very dry ripening season produced wines with dark inky colour and a thick weave of sinewy tannin. However their power and density, not unusual in a warm dry year, is matched by pure focused fruit and multi-layered complexity.
The Taylor 2009 Vintage Port combines the scale and vigour typical of the year with the elegance and poise which define the house style. As is so often the case with Taylor’s, it is the iron fist in a velvet glove, a wine whose refinement disguises an inner strength which will allow the wine to age for decades.