- One of the flights of five revealed after all 15 wines were tasted
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At the time of starting to put together a meaningful selection of 2022 Vintage Port cask samples, we had 26 shippers listed on the 2022 Declarations thread. I set myself a target to gather samples from at least half of these shippers in order to be able to taste a representative sample of the vintage. Over the month of July, bottles arrived in ones and twos until at the end of the month I had 15 different shippers waiting to be tasted.
As in previous years, all samples were tasted blind. Bottles were wrapped in foil as soon as they were unpacked. Any full bottles were decanted into (foil wrapped) half bottles, all corks were removed and replaced with t-stoppers. The 15 half bottles were shuffled and selected at random in flights of 5. Each flight was tasted once per day over 4 days to allow the wines to develop and open were they needed to.
- Blinded and numbered
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Some of the Ports changed an astonishing amount, going from closed and lifeless on day 1 to rich, sweet and opulent on day 3. The impressions and scores given below are for the wine when it showed at its best, or a blended impression across a few days where a wine performed consistently.
2022 Vintage Summary
The 2022 growing season was hot and very dry, with the Douro being officially in severe drought by the end of June with rainfall down by 70% on the 30 year average for a Douro growing cycle. July was the hottest on record since 1931 with temperatures peaking at 47°C in Pinhão and remained above 40°C for most of August. The vintage was probably saved by some modest rain in early September, which was just enough to revive the vines which were in water-saving mode, but yields were still 30% down on 2021 in the Douro Superior. The combination of heat and late rain meant grapes were small and thick-skinned with vinhas velhas performing particularly well. Harvest started in the Pinhão Valley in the first or second week of September. At least one producer commented on the similarities between the weather in 2022 and that in 2017 and 1945…
- Rich maroon in colour
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The vintage is one which will not disappoint. Whatever you buy, you’ll be buying an excellent quality Vintage Port — and one which could be a bargain given that 2022 is not going to be a widely declared vintage. All of the wines tasted can be drunk now with pleasure and yet are also capable of aging for 20-50 years. The style of the wine and of the fruit they displayed varied considerably depending on the wine-maker’s interpretation of the vintage. One or two were rich, ripe and opulent, a couple were uncompromisingly acidic powerhouses, a handful were elegant and refined — there is a wine for every taste. Every wine brought a grin of happiness, some a massive smile of joy.
Tasting Notes
Niepoort
Fresh ripe fruit on the nose, ripe without being sweet with an added floral undertone. Fresh on the palate with the fruit arriving early, before the hidden tannins grab hold and don't let go their vice-like grip. Despite the determined nature of the tannins, the fruit remains wonderfully harmonious, swimming over the top of the turbid tannins like a swan in a swollen river. The aftertaste is of fruit, the tannins simply provide the frame which encases and directs attention towards the fruit. Fantastic length to the black fruit and liquorice root finish. Excellent Port. Day 4. 92-94/100.
Ferreira Quinta do Porto
Dark maroon in colour (as were most of the wines from the vintage) with a narrow rim. Expressive perfumed fruit nose, cherries with a hint of sandalwood. The palate is pleasingly smooth; the fruit ripe but assured with an unexpected elegance to it. The palate is just wonderfully harmonious with the fruit and acidity complimenting each other perfectly. The fine tannins are submerged beneath the harmony of the palate and merely add an extra bass richness to the chords on the palate. Black liquorice, black fruit gums and an immensely long finish. This is beautiful and carries such self-assuredness. Day 1. 91-93/100.
Sandeman Quinta do Seixo
Soft and attractive nose of sweet fruit and evening flowers. Smooth entry, perfumed fruit at first, followed by a wave of acidity and ground peppercorn. Gentle tannins support the re-emergence of the perfumed fruit; bramble and raspberry rather than the expected blackcurrant. That gorgeous perfume lingers around the mouth as part of the aftertaste, leading to a sweet bramble jelly finish, dusted with icing sugar as the aftertaste moves towards the long finish. Day 2. 91-93/100.
Offley
Lavender and blackcurrant on the nose. Fragrant and fresh. The floral tone to the fruit comes through on the palate, which has an attractive balance. The fruit is ripe but fresh, the tannins firm but subservient to the fruit and the acidity keeping everything on its toes. The wonderful ripe, fine tannins glow on the aftertaste, creating a perfect framework for the fruit on the finish. Lovely; a Port to drink now with impressive complexity in its baby-fruit phase or one to cellar for 50 years. Day 2. 91-93/100.
Dow’s Quinta Senhora da Ribeira
Maroon in colour with a narrow rim. Surprisingly closed on the nose with only a little lavender emerging from the glass. Marked acidity on the palate, but combining well with fragrant fruit and delightful ripe tannins. The acidity keeps the fruit bright, but doesn't hide the wonderful floral character of the ripe fruit, the floral tones providing a lovely complexity to the palate. Surprising grip on the aftertaste reveals just how powerful the tannins are, but the wine has been put together with such mastery that the harmony to the wine runs right through to the end of the very long multi-faceted black damson finish. Truly outstanding. Day 1. 93-95/100.
Quinta do Vesuvio
Attractive sweet blackcurrant on the nose, ripe and quite dense. Dense, sweet fruit on entry, followed by a wave of massive acidity and tannins. The wave washes away all sensation of fruit for a few moments, before the fruit floats back up to the surface and the conflict settles down to a more harmonious mid- and late palate. The aftertaste is dominated by the sweet blackcurrant cordial fruit and the gentle dark chocolate tannins. Big, with very sweet fruit. Day 4. 87-89/100.
Capela do Quinta do Vesuvio
Fresh blackcurrant cordial on the nose with an attractive mineral streak to it. Balanced entry, with the fruit a little subdued and the structure intense - a combination of powerful but ripe tannins with generous but not overwhelming acidity. The wine is well balanced on the palate, big and full of self-confidence. The aftertaste is stunning, a fabulous combination of blackcurrant and redcurrant with just a scattering of white-currants to add the mix. The finish is immensely long, full of fruit but powered by the dark chocolate flavoured tannins. This is a seriously impressive Port. Day 2. 92-94/100.
Quevedo
Subdued smells of ripe fruit with a slight smoky overtone shine from the glass. Smooth on the palate, with the fruit not sweet and slightly bitter but shining brightly; dominated by the blackcurrant yet with the acidity supporting the wine rather than dominating it. There are tannins in play, but they are sub-servient to the acidity and fruit. Dry edged bramble and blackberry fruit on the aftertaste, moving nicely to merge with the tannins to deliver a very long black liquorice finish. Rather good. Day 4. 89-91/100.
Barros
Amazing floral blackcurrant on the nose, extremely expressive. Balanced entry, the fruit fresh and alive. The fruit feels ripe but picked in time to preserve the perfect level of acidity to keep the ripeness just at perfection. Bright and alive, the tannins are just like those found when chewing a ripe blackcurrant — soft, fine-grained and quickly vanishing into the flavour of the fruit. So well balanced. The aftertaste is gentle, blackcurrant dominated with a little menthol emerging as the fruit begins to settle for the long finish. A touch of dryness to the fruit, but the long finish is just pure blackcurrant cordial. Wonderful. Day 4. 92-94/100.
Burmester
Maroon in colour with a narrow rim. An unusual nose, elegant fruit, almost honeyed in its delicacy. There is an attractive sharpness to the fruit on the palate, giving a lovely fresh mouthfeel to the wine. The acidity on the palate highlights the quality of the fruit; the subtle tannins weaving a warp on which the fruit is woven. Nice balance to the palate. The tannins become slightly more noticeable on the aftertaste and finish, but the fruit drops away a little quickly leaving a long aniseed sensation that stays in the mouth for several minutes. Day 1. 88-90/100
Calem
Wonderful perfumed fruit on the nose, sweet without being jammy with a deep tone of tobacco leaf. Balanced entry, rich and ripe blackcurrant with just the right amount of acidity to compliment the fruit; a little sprinkle of peppercorn adds a frisson of heat to the fruit and the tannins are so fine-grained that they just seem to be the texture of the fruit. The fruit on the palate is superb, just picked at that perfect point of ripeness with enough acidity for freshness. Bramble rather than blackcurrant settles onto the palate (I picked a lot of wild blackberries this year!) as the delicious aftertaste, bramble with texture from the tannins. This is impressive; young Port which is delicious to drink now as a baby fruit bomb but which has the structure to mature for several decades. I think I've found my Christmas Port for this year. Day 2. 92-94/100.
Kopke Quinta S. Luiz
Attractive floral perfumed nose. Sweet fruit slides smoothly onto the palate, with the acidity and soft tannins coming into view on the mid-palate. Nicely structured, nicely balanced. The acidity builds to a crescendo, forcing the wine to be swallowed - but that just reveals a lovely, long and delightful ripe blackcurrant finish. The fruit on this wine is ripe, sweet, but perfectly balanced. Day 3. 89-91/100.
Taylor’s Quinta de Vargellas
Expressive nose, smelling of old-fashioned Fruit Chews (blackcurrant with many other fruit flavours added) with a nice green leaf added. Smooth entry, the green tea shines strongly in the sweet fruit, with the tannins seeming to emerge from the tea. Fresh and elegant palate, the fruit dominates but there is good complexity of flavours and textures. Nice grip on the aftertaste, the fruit dominates but the tannins add complexity. Delicious liquorice finish. Impressive. Day 3. 89-91/100.
Taylor’s Sentinels
Blueberry nose, plenty of fruit but also some clean spirit showing over the top of the fruit. Good balance on entry, with the fruit being supported by the hidden tannins and gentle acidity. Nicely balanced, the tannins take their time to gather together and grip the cheeks. Dry core to the fruity aftertaste, followed by a long blackcurrant finish with dry edges. Good length. Lovely wine. Day 3. 91-93/100.
This wine is produced from Taylor’s vineyards in the Pinhão Valley, within the demarcated region originally marked with the Feitoria sentinel stones. The grapes come from four estates, Quintas da Terra Feita, Junco, Casa Nova and Eira Velha. Many years ago, in the 1930s and 1940s, Taylor’s used to release in small quantities an off-vintage Port called Taylor’s Pinhão. Perhaps this wine of yester-year would have been similar to the Taylor’s Sentinels Port of 2022.
Fonseca Guimaraens
Attractive warm blackcurrant on the nose. Balanced entry with the fruit showing as a bright and acidic blackcurrant. The acidity is piercing, cleaning away the tannins that attempt to camp on the insides of the cheeks. The fruit remains bright and fragrant, carrying a lovely freshness throughout the palate. The blackcurrant aftertaste carries a gentle chewiness and a layer of menthol warmth. The heat fades to deliver a well balanced and attractive long finish of wonderful blackcurrant with a hint of dark chocolate. Delicious. Day 3. 90-92/100.
