2017 - Graham's, The Stone Terraces Vintage

The 2017 The Stone Terraces Vintage Port, from a specific plot, is predominantly Touriga Nacional. It comes in with 117 grams of residual sugar and was bottled about a month before this tasting after 18 months in seasoned oak vats. However, this was a pre-bottling sample, as the bottled sample was not quite ready to taste. I was—relatively—unimpressed with the first pour of this. The second pour was silk for texture coupled with pure power. This is relatively elegant in the mid-palate, but the muscle is very old-school. It is not jammy, but it is remarkably concentrated as well. What's missing? The expression of fruit. At this point in its life, it seems already shut down hard. As brilliant as this seems today, it is very closed and likely to improve dramatically with time. Most of the score is for concentration and power, but the expression of fruit this year is harder to find (unlike the lighter 2016 at the same age). The depth and muscle are astonishing, and with this exuberant property, it's certain that the fruit will come out to play in time. It's an obvious projection, but in time, this is still likely to be the best of the trio of 2015-2016-2017 this issue. Let's start here and let it prove a few things in the cellar. It almost certainly will, as this powerful 2017 has endless potential. It is the one to bet on. In a year with many brilliant wines, this still has to be on the shortlist for "Wine of the Vintage." It's not in my top couple of slots so far, but it's certainly on the list I'd want for comparison in a decade. Charles Symington suggested it was the best Port he'd ever made—even if it does not really show all it has today. It still showed plenty. One last word: If you don't have patience and a cellar, this isn't for you. There were 600 cases produced.

600 cases. From two cooler plots at Malvedos: parcel 37, known as Cardenhos (a north-east-facing amphitheatre), and parcel 43, called Port Arthur (east facing), each of them with little more than 1,300 vines. (Most of the Malvedos vines are south facing.) Although yields overall were down in 2017, the Touriga Nacional from these sites was particularly successful and produced almost as much fruit as usual. TA 4.22 g/l, Baumé 4. Bottled May 2019.Black core with tiny narrow rim. Fragrant with lifted, floral black fruit. Wonderful complexity on the palate: those fresh dark fruits, some smoky earl grey tea leaf, and all that floral intensity even though there's masses of dark fruit. Tannins are incredibly silky, like slub silk, and add another layer of purity to a wonderfully expressive wine. Perfect harmony. (JH)