I thought that I'd dig out some notes from a Quinta de Vargellas 2005-1967 vertical conducted by Adrian Bridge, Managing Director of Taylor’s, at The Royal Opera House in London, to commemorate the release of the 2005 Quinta de Vargellas a few years ago.
Located in an extremely remote location in the eastern-most Port-producing zone of the Douro Superior, Quinta de Vargellas became accessible by road only in the early 1970s, with no electricity until 1972.
Previously part owned by the Ferreira family, Vargellas was acquired by Taylor’s in 1893, when Phylloxera was ravaging the Douro Valley. At this time, the Quinta was capable of producing just six 550-litre pipes of Port. Today, it typically yields 245 pipes (134,800 litres/179,733 bottles). The north-facing vineyard comprises 25% Touriga Nacional, 25% Touriga Francesa, and 22% Tinta Roriz, with the rest planted to Tinta Cao, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Amarela, Rufete, and other varieties.
Vargellas is cheek by jowl with the River Douro and ripens up to two weeks earlier than cooler vineyards high up in the surrounding hills. On average, Vargellas is 2 degrees warmer across the year on average than Taylor’s other vineyard at Terra Feita.
In declared years, wine from Vargellas forms a major part of Taylor’s vintage blend, but it is bottled as a Single Quinta in those years when a bona fide Taylor’s Vintage is not declared. “A classic vintage has perfect conditions, and we make a blend from our two properties to produce a more long-lived wine…In other years, when it is very good but the wine won’t be as long-lived, we make a single Quinta wine,” explained Bridge. With the launch of its Quinta de Vargellas 1958, Taylor’s was the first Port house to release a single Quinta Vintage Port.
In the winery, Vargellas is treated exactly the same as a Vintage Port, but is aged in bottle at the Quinta for several years before release.
Some years ago, the humorist Willie Rushton drew a cartoon of bowler-hatted Englishmen crammed onto the tiny railway platform at the remote Vargellas station in the Douro Valley. The caption read, “The last outpost of the British Empire.” Rushton also wrote a poem in the Quinta’s visitors’ book (which all guests must do):
I could sing out your praises, ’til ill,
Of the Rusty. I’ve had more than my fill
At Vargellas. Oh, blast!
You go downhill so fast
And the bloody walk back’s all uphill.
Taylor's report on the 2005 vintage says, "Winter was extremely cold and dry, leaving water reserves severely depleted after a hot, dry year in 2004. Budburst started a bit later than normal, around 24 March. There was low vigour and small berry size for all grape varieties throughout the growing season. From 16 May to 6 September, there was no additional rainfall and the vines were under considerable stress, exacerbated by heat waves in June, July and the first week of August, when there were 15 days at over 40˚. Fortunately, summer drought conditions were relieved by steady rainfall between 6 and 9 September. Picking began at Vargellas on 12 September and on 17 September at Terra Feita, Roêda, Panascal, Cruzeiro and Santo Antonio."
"They’re very young at this stage, so clearly we will get that jammy, blackcurrant fruit. They’re babies", cautioned Bridge before this flight of 2005s. This newly released Vargellas has the crudest and least well-formed nose of all the wines tasted, appealing in its way, but too young to read properly. Luscious, fruit-packed palate, though there is noticeably more tannic extract than previous vintages. Similarly styled to the 2001: lushly textured, and will probably make charming early drinking.