2017 - Warre's, Vintage

The 2017 Vintage Port is mostly a field blend from old vines (63%), plus 22% Touriga Nacional and 15% Touriga Franca, bottled about a month before this tasting after 18 months in seasoned vats. The just-bottled sample was not actually used for fear it might be in shock, so this is actually a pre-bottling sample. It comes in with 110 grams of residual sugar. Relatively accessible, this still shows some impressive firmness to go with its fine concentration. An elegant wine this may be, as Charles Symington called it, but it is still admirable for its structure, even if the whole package is a little understated. Its fruit and mid-palate are nicely supported by moderate tannins. It evolves well with air, easily showing vivid and fresh fruit. It is beautifully textured as well. This is a fine Warre's Port, holding its own next to Dow, better than the 2016 Warre and a force in its own right. It is one of the best in a while. It is relatively accessible but not ready. There were 3,600 cases produced.

3,600 cases which was 13.6% of Warre’s total vineyard production. Old vines were really important in 2017 warm, very dry conditions. Warre’s Cavadinha and Retiro vineyards have old mixed-variety vines (one-fifth and one-third of the respective vineyards). They are also quite high and cooler, facing north and east. Yields were exceptionally 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. Fruit also came from the neighbouring privately owned Alvito and Netas properties. Quinta da Cavadinha 44%, Quinta do Retiro 31%, Quinta da Telhada 17%, Quinta do Alvito and Quinta das Netas 8%. Touriga Nacional 22%, Touriga Franca 15%, old mixed vines (field blend) 63%. TA 4.5 g/l, Baumé 3.7. Bottled May 2019.Ripe and pure black fruit, smells fresher than the Dow’s. Sweet blackcurrant tea and a touch of dark chocolate, like chocolate-covered fresh black cherries and blackcurrants. Becomes more floral as it opens, wilder, more exuberant. Chewy, chalky rather than grainy tannins. Deep and rounded and long with a dry-tasting finish. A generous, full-bodied whole. (JH)