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Mentzendorff & Co., importers of the fine products of the The Fladgate Partnership, presented the 2009 declarations at Quo Vadis in Soho, 10:00 to 16:30 Friday 6th May 2011.

• Review of the event as a whole;
• 2009 Taylor;
• 2007 Taylor;
• 2003 Taylor;
• 2000 Taylor;
• 2009 Taylor Quinta de Vargellas Vinha Velha;
• 2007 Taylor Quinta de Vargellas Vinha Velha;
• 2004 Taylor Quinta de Vargellas Vinha Velha;
• 2000 Taylor Quinta de Vargellas Vinha Velha;
• 2009 Fonseca;
• 2007 Fonseca;
• 2003 Fonseca;
• 2000 Fonseca;
• 2009 Croft;
• 2007 Croft;
• 2003 Croft;
• 2000 Croft;
• 2009 Skeffington;
• 2007 Skeffington;
• 2003 Skeffington.

Still opaque. Modest violets and boysenberry on the nose. Slight hollowness on entry with huge levels of tannin and intense acidity. The tannins dominate with the fruit being quite light and late arriving. The aftertaste is modest and tannin dominated with some sweet black licorice. This port will need many years in the cellar before the tannins integrate. 87/100.

I was slightly disappointed with my experience with this wine on this occasion. This is the only vintage of VVV that I own. However, others were much more impressed with it than I was, so perhaps my palate was rather shot by the time I reached this wine (19 youthful ports in under an hour does test the palate!).