Touriga Nacional makes up 40% of the Vesuvio 2011 Vintage Port, delivering freshness, structure and phenomenal color, as well as gorgeous aromas of esteva (rockrose). The other principal component, Touriga Franca (45% of the blend) realized its full potential in 2011, ripening fully and evenly. Sourced from the predominantly west-facing Vale da Teja vineyard (30 years is the average age of these plantings), the Franca provided superb floral characteristics (violets, roses) and velvety tannins, contributing exceptional elegance to the overall blend. True to its typical late ripening cycle, the Franca was last to be picked from the 1st to the 9th of October. The balance of the blend is made up with small quantities of Tinta Barroca (10%) and Tinta Amarela (5%). All of the Quinta do Vesuvio Port wines are foot-trodden in the famous stone lagares in the traditional manner.
Quinta do Vesuvio experiencied a generally dry viticultural year in 2011, althought the previous autumn and winter rainfall had been above average; 312mm were recorded between November 2010 and February 2011, or 70% of the total rain during the entire viticultural year at Vesuvio. This replenished the water reserves in the subsoil and thus helped to offset the almost complete lack of rain during the early to mid-summer. As is the case in so many classic Vintage years, abundant winter rains are key to the develop of the vines during the spring and summer leading up to the harvest.
Reviews
An elegant style, full of well-spiced, juicy flavors of raspberry, boysenberry and blueberry that extend with lively acidity and well-integrated tannins. Unctuous and succulent on the finish, which oozes with molten chocolate.
CELLAR SELECTION - Red and black berries bring out the richness of the year, masking the seriously tannic structure. The wine has great spice, richness and a dark, smoky core of powerful tannins. For long-term aging, but delicious now.
Aromas of flowers and berries with hints of dried fruits. Full body, medium sweet with solid tannins and a powerful palate. This goes on for minutes. Extremely well-made.
The 2011 Quinta do Vesuvio has a primal bouquet with heady scents of macerated dark cherries, boysenberry jam and a slight fug of alcohol that should be integrated by the time of bottling. The palate is very rounded with sweet ripe tannins, plenty of raisin-tinged black fruit, and delicate touches of cracked black pepper and shaved ginger on the cohesive finish.
This grand quinta on the south bank of the Douro, a vast vineyard developed by António Bernardo Ferreira in the 1820s, has been under restoration by the Symingtons since they purchased the property in 1989. The 2011 is a hedonist’s Port, a blend of fruit off new plantings and mature vines (an average of 35 years old). It’s heady with bright blueberry flavor, jasmine scents and dusty schist tannins. The wine’s warm burn lasts, surrounded in fruit flavor, integrated into a voluptuous texture.