As 2009 was a particulary hot year, this favored the cooler conditions of vineyards above 820 feet of elevation. Therefore the second phase of the vintage at Vesuvio showed a quite clear improvement in the wines produced, particulary in terms of aromas and acid balance. The Vesuvio 2009 Vintage lot was made up of 40% Touriga Nacional from block 112 and 142 (which is situated at a considerably higher altitude than has normaly been used in the Vesuvio blend) and which produced a wine of fantastic color and balance.
Stemmy and herbal on the nose (a keynote of the Sousão varietal); inky black, powerful and very substantial. Mouth-filling, brambly fruit invades the palate, some dark chocolate tones – intense, concentrated, muscular and brooding. An impressive wine destined to develop magnificently over the next decades.
40% Touriga Nacional, 36% Touriga Franca, and 24% Sousão
Reviews
Powerfully rich and refined, with plenty of grip behind the lip-smacking flavors of kirsch, dark plum, chocolate and boysenberry. Shows excellent balance as well, with a silky texture and a long, spicy finish that's accented with hints of licorice and cedar. –KM
Rich wine, as befits a ripe year, full of damson jam and sweet tannins. Of course, it is still very young in a ripe fruity style. The structure is all there, ready for aging.
There is a bit of a roasted herb nuance on the finish. It opens with a stern demeanor, a bit forbidding, tight and surprisingly crisp. It is focused, floral and beautifully aromatic. Its backbone is still there. In this warm vintage, it is surprisingly bright and graceful, not (at this moment) showing as much of the fleshy, fruity notes. With more time in the bottle, it is apparent that this aromatic wine has considerable potential for further development.
This historic estate at the gateway to the Douro Superior has been in the Symington family since the late 1980s, at which point it underwent a major replanting. The older vines now average 35 years while the young vines average ten. Together they created a rich 2009 with meaty tannins and strawberry coolness to the fruit. It develops a meadow flower scent and wild, dark purple fruit flavor that lasts.