Vesuvio’s old vineyards produce a very small number of bunches per plant, rarely yielding more than 700g/vine. These tiny quantities are harvested from small, compact bunches which produce tremendously concentrated and well-structured wines. The Vesuvio 2016 was made from a combination of the property’s choicest vineyards, carefully selected by Charles and his team. The Vale da Teja vineyards, on the western extremity of the Quinta provided the principal structure. The mature plantings, all dating from the early 1970s, of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca and Tinta Amarela brought fantastically floral aromas to the wine. To enhance the aromatic profile, these grapes were cool-fermented in the Quinta’s historic lagares where the usual team of up to 50 treaders worked tirelessly. The Vinha do Pombal vineyard, gracing the terraced slopes of the central valley at Vesuvio, contributed Sousão for the acidity which brings freshness to the wine. The Castelos section contributed Alicante Bouschet for its substance and structure. The union of these three distinct areas of the estate resulted in this extraordinary 2016 Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port.
Reviews
Densely packed and dark in profile, with lots of warmed fig, mulled blueberry, açai berry and blackberry paste flavors rolling through, scored with graphite and tar notes, carrying through a finish that has a smoldering feel. A long licorice snap echo adds a lip-smacking hint. A terrific young Port.
Expressive, gorgeous fruit. It has a seductive feel, but it is also muscular and intense. It is one of the most muscular in the Symington stable this year, with the concentration to soak up the power. This seems superb.
CELLAR SELECTION - This is a jammy, ripe and deeply rich wine. Its firm tannins are fully integrated with the powerful black fruits to give a wine with great potential longevity. The end has an almost fresh aftertaste.
Lovely warm country aromas, this is ripe, open and very full in style. Super-ripe cassis flavours, broad and fleshy, backed by weighty tannins combined with lovely definition. Finishes with a powerful flourish, very impressive.
The greenness and stalkiness comes through here with a minty, fennel character as well as blueberry and violet undertones. Peppermint, too. Full-bodied and off-dry, showcasing blue fruits and a spicy, fresh finish. Try in 2022.
The wine’s purple fruit is racy, its concentration substantial, the tannins gentle and yielding in their quiet mineral wealth. A floral and herbal undertone predicts the complexities to come with bottle age, the wine destined to age on its freshness and balance rather than the sheer power of tannins that once defined young Vintage Port.