Taylor Fladgate Portuguese Wine Tasting With Special Guest Robert Bower Wednesday, October 28th 7:30pm
"I made wine out of raisins so I wouldn't have to wait for it to age."
- Steven Wright
When it starts to get cold, we start thinking about the high alcohol wines to keep us warm. So, we will be taking down some high alcohol wines on Wednesday, October 28th and one of my favorite types of high-octane wines is Port.
This type of wine was created hundreds of years ago to appease the English thirst for wine during their hundred year’s war with France occurring in the 14th and 15th centuries. There are several types of fortified wines but Vintage Port is considered by those in the know to be among the world's finest high octane grape juice elixir.
With sweet wines waning in popularity the Portuguese wine producers have started to make more dry non fortified wines. These wines have been available in Portugal for years but many of the top wines of Portugal are just now starting to arrive on the shores of this country.
Join us as we welcome the eighth generation of the Yeatman family to south Florida for a special night of wines from some of their top vineyard sites and of course a few vintage fortified wines to showcase the best wines in their category.
The fee for this tasting which includes dinner and gratuity is $275 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.
Taylor Fladgate Portuguese Wine Tasting
With Special Guest Robert Bower
Wednesday, October 28th
7:30pm
2022 Graca da Pedra Alvarhino, Moncao y Melgaco
2021 Quinta da Pedra ‘Milgres’ Alvarinho, Moncao y Melgaco
2021 Quinta de Portal Reserva, Duoro
2018 Principal ‘Calcario’, Bairrada
2013 Principal Grande Reserve, Bairrada
Taylor Fladgate 20 yr Tawny
Taylor Fladgate 30 yr Tawny
Taylor Fladgate 1975 Colheita Tawny
Taylor Fladgate 2022 Sentinel Vintage
Menu
Grilled Sardines Served on Toasted Sourdough Bread
Sliced Black and Blue New York with Sweet Potato and Carrot Flan
Double Chocolate Chip Bourbon Pecan Pie with House Made Vanilla Ice Cream
The fee for this tasting which includes dinner and gratuity, is $275 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463. Please let us know when you make your reservations if you have any dietary restrictions and chefs Toni and Dani will be glad to accommodate you.
A bit about our Host Robert Bower:
Robert Bower has spent a quarter of a century taking Port to the world, nearly five years of it on the ground in the United States, and it is a calling he was born into. He represents the eighth generation of the Yeatman family to work in the Port trade, the family whose name has stood on the door of Taylor, Fladgate & Yeatman since 1838.
Born in Porto in 1975, Robert first came to know Port as a child, following his father through the steep terraced vineyards of the Douro at harvest time. His father, Huyshe Bower, a relative of the Yeatmans, joined Taylor’s in 1959 and later became a partner. Huyshe went on to open new international markets for the house, reducing its historic dependence on Britain and he started the close partnership with Kobrand in 1987. He grew Taylor’s to be a reference for Port in North America and Asia. It is work his son would later take up.
At eight, Robert was sent to school in England, continuing at Eton College and then Imperial College London. There he graduated in biology and, a year later, earned a Master’s in Molecular Biology and Virology. This was followed by three years with the pharmaceutical company Novartis in Cambridge, England. Drawn back to Portugal and the Douro, he prepared for the wine trade with studies in marketing, languages and wine tasting in England and France.
Robert joined The Fladgate Partnership in the spring of 2001, managing its North American markets from Porto. He then moved to the United States, spending nearly five years at Kobrand Corporation as the Port wine Portfolio Manager, working closely with the American trade. In March 2011 he returned to Portugal as Market Director, responsible for more than 20 markets around the world, from New Zealand and Singapore to Switzerland and Portugal itself, where he successfully grew market share.
Today Robert’s focus is on making his family’s Ports and table wines available around the world, and on showing the remarkable range of high-quality wine styles that Portugal produces.
About The Fladgate Partnership
Founded in 1692, Taylor’s has remained independent and family-run throughout its history. Its parent company, The Fladgate Partnership, brings together the Port houses of Taylor’s, Fonseca, Croft and Portal, as well as still and sparkling wines from the Douro, Bairrada, Dão and Vinho Verde, including Principal, Quinta da Pedra, Royal Palmeira, Bella and Quinta do Portal. The group also owns The Yeatman and Vintage House hotels, fine-dining restaurants and the World of Wine (WOW) cultural quarter in Vila Nova de Gaia.
All the wines from these two producers in the store on SALE!
2022 Anselmo Mendes Muros Antigos Alvarinho Moncao E Melgaco
Price: $23.50 Your Price: $21.15
A very bright and crisp wine with fresh pineapple and lime citrus fruit along with a briny character, green pepper spice, wet stone like mineral notes. Tongue tingly acidity through the finish, a light and refreshing white with notes of white flowers, ginger spice and that briny nuance through the finish. Finish 35+ Very Good +
2021 Quinta da Pedra ‘Milgres’ Alvarinho, Moncao y Melgaco
Price: $36.75 Your Price: $33.08
Quinta da Pedra dates back to the 17th century. It is situated in the heart of Moncao and Melgaco, a sub region of the Vinho Verde appellation, where Alvarinho excels. The property's dry farmed 155 acres benefit from the pure granite soils on gently slopes with perfect exposure. Fermentation begins in temperature controlled stainless steel, then finishes for at least 12 months in very old, used French oak barrels (10+ year old). Batonnage is carried out for 6 months.
Bright yellow. Pronounced aroma of fresh stone fruit with citrus tones, white flowers and wet rocks. Medium to full body, with a refreshing acidity that cuts through the palate. Layers of aromatics along with a silky texture that lingers throughout the palate.
2021 Quinta de Portal Reserva, Duoro
Price: $33.00 Sale $29.70
(91 Points) My favorite of the range is the 2021 Reserva Tinto, which has a fresher and more elegant profile, probably because of the natural conditions of the cooler year. It was produced with a blend of 45% Touriga Nacional, 40% Tinta Roriz and 15% Touriga Francesa. It has 13.5% alcohol, with a paler color, a floral and perfumed nose with some spiciness and a medium-bodied palate with fine tannins and good balance and freshness. This matured in used French oak barrels for nine months. 10,800 bottles and 100 magnums produced. It was bottled in October 2023. Wine Advocate
2018 Principal Calcario Bairrada
Price: $29.00 Sale $26.10
The property's 151 acres are spead over clay-limestone soils that dominate the gently hills of this property. The entire vineyard is dry farmed. With a base of red wine (Principal) and our use of gravity flow winemaking, we are able to produce a red wine that reflects the nature of the limestone rich soils: with its expressive fruit, vibrant acidity, minerality and rich texture.
Vivid ruby with a medium-intensity core. Aromas of dark fruits, such as black plum, combined with rockrose and spices. Full-bodied, with mouthwatering acidity and well-integrated medium tannins. Captivating and persistent finish.
2013 Principal Grande Reserve Bairrada
Price: $157.50 Sale $141.75
Inspired by the greatest blends in the world, this wine showcases the power of Portuguese Touriga Nacional. The property’s 151 acres are spread over the rich clay-limestone soils that dominate the gentle hills of this property. The entire vineyard is dry farmed. These wines are vinified using gravity flow winemaking.
Deep ruby core with aromas of rich black fruit with notes of mint and herbs, wrapped in light spicy notes from the oak. It is a full-bodied, voluminous wine with elegant and smooth tannins.
Taylor Fladgate 20 yr Tawny
Price: $81.00 Sale $72.90
(94 Points) Offers a supple-edged feel -- think burnished leather -- while notes of dried peach and cherry, cinnamon, graham cracker and toasted pecan meld steadily through the lengthy finish. Wine Spectator
Taylor Fladgate 30 yr Tawny
Price: $202.50 Sale $182.25
Taylor Fladgate is one of the few remaining houses to produce a 30 Year Old aged tawny Port. Selected red Ports produced in the eastern areas of the Douro Valley are matured in seasoned oak casks in Taylor Fladgate cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia. Here, the cool and damp coastal climate encourages a slow and gentle ageing process, producing aromas of great complexity and finesse.
Taylor Fladgate 40 Year Tawny Port
Price: $292.50 Your Price: $263.25 Quantity in Stock: 4
(95 Points) The NV 40 Year Old Tawny Port was bottled with a bar top cork in 2014. It comes in with 125 grams per liter of residual sugar. Big, weighty and mouth filling, this is an aromatic Tawny that finishes with acidity and tension. Gripping on the finish, its flavors become more interesting as long as it sits in the glass (or on your palate). It is not, perhaps, as sunny as the Fonseca, its sibling reviewed this issue, but it is denser and more gripping. Comparing to the Taylor 30 (also reviewed), I'm not sure I liked the 40 here all that much better. The 30 is a bit fleshier while this 40 is a bit more concentrated in flavor and aromatics. Perhaps some additional age also helped this 40 combat some of the aggression on the 30. They are both pretty fine, a difference of five to Midnight and five after, rather than night and day. It is still a fine experience and my favorite of the group. Don't drink it too warm. Room temperature is mostly too warm. The sweet spot for most tends to be 58-62 degrees Fahrenheit. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
1975 Taylor Fladgate Colheita Tawny
Price: $517.50 Sale $465.75
Taylor Fladgate holds one of the most extensive reserves of very old cask aged Port of any producer. They include a collection of rare Single Harvest Ports. These are Ports from a single year which age to full maturity in seasoned oak casks. Taylor Fladgate has decided to make a limited release, each year, of a Single Harvest Port made 50 years previously. The ninth in the series is the 1975 Single Harvest.
Rich chestnut in color, with a broad amber rim. An elegant, floral, beautifully perfumed nose with an opulent core of wild honey, treacle, tea leaf and a delicate red cherry compote. Cedary tobacco aromas, notes of wild rosemary, thyme and a kiss of fresh mint add complexity. The palate is luscious and lifted by a fresh acidity with flavors of blood orange marmalade, dried figs, apricots and rum babá. The finish is bright, lean, fresh and harmonious. A superb Single Harvest Tawny Port.
2022 Taylor Fladgate Sentinel Vintage
Price: $84.50 Sale $76.05
Taylor Fladgate Port is proud to announce the release of its new Taylor Fladgate Sentinels Vintage Port, a unique blend crafted from wines produced on Taylor Fladgate's historic properties in and around the Pinhão Valley. This central region of the Douro Valley is one of the most historically significant areas for Port wine, recognized as the source of the finest Ports since the inception of the Port trade.
The four estates—Terra Feita, Junco, Casa Nova, and Eira Velha—are all located within the original 1756 demarcation and were awarded feitoria status, the highest classification for Port vineyards. The name Sentinels is inspired by the granite pillars, known as “marcos de feitoria”, which stand guard along the demarcation line that separates the highest quality Port areas, and this is where many of the Taylor Fladgate’s estates are situated. A total of 335 stone posts were placed between 1758 and 1761 to mark this prestigious area.
Each of these historic properties offers distinct characteristics in terms of altitude, orientation, sun, wind exposure, and mix of grape varietals. Despite their individuality, they share a distinctive 'Pinhão Valley' style—rich, deep, and powerfully fruity—that ensures a harmonious blend while each contributes uniquely to the wine's overall complexity and aroma.
2016 Taylor Fladgate LBV Port
Price: $23.75 Your Price: $21.38 Quantity in Stock: 4
Winery Notes: Taylor Fladgate were pioneers of the LBV category, developed to satisfy the demand for a high quality ready-to-drink alternative to Vintage Port for everyday consumption. Unlike Vintage Port, which is bottled after only two years in wood and ages in bottle, LBV is bottled after four to six years and is ready to drink when bottled.
Taylor Fladgate continues to lead the LBV category of Port worldwide, in spite of the fact that many other shippers now also produce an LBV. The wines used to blend Taylor Fladgate LBV were drawn from a reserve of some of the best full bodied red Ports, produced at the 2016 harvest, from grapes grown on Taylor’s own vineyards and on other top properties in the Cima Corgo and Douro Superior areas.
Tasting Notes Broad purple black colour with a narrow magenta rim. The character of the 2016 vintage is clearly imprinted on this finely tuned and beautifully balanced LBV. Very bright, intense fruit on the nose, black woodland berry aromas blending with fresher notes of raspberry and plum. Wild herbal notes of resin and balsam lend the wine a lifted, ethereal quality and an additional dimension of complexity. On the palate, the fruit character is denser and more luscious but there is also a fresh grapey quality. The taut, linear tannins of great quality are another hallmark of the 2016 vintage, as is the seam of racy acidity which runs through the palate. The finish is extraordinary long, a seemingly infinite surge of dense berry fruit flavour. This elegant and stylish LBV displays the classic Taylor Fladgate blend of pure, focused fruit with a sinewy muscularity and impressive stamina and depth.
Notes on the Viticultural Year and Harvest: The weather pattern during the growing and ripening seasons had a decisive effect on the character of the 2016 wines, with their elegance, refinement, crisp acidity and magnificent tannins. Spring was unusually wet, with heavy rain and relatively cool conditions throughout April and May. This had the benefit of restoring ground water levels, depleted by the previous year’s drought, and creating reserves for the hot summer that was to follow. However, the wet spring conditions also resulted in loss of fruit in some areas and a significant reduction in yields. They also delayed the start of the ripening cycle.
Véraison started late, with the first signs visible around the second week of July. From early July, hot dry conditions prevailed until well into September. In spite of the heat, maturation was even and gradual. Together with the late start to the cycle, this meant that, at the end of August, the crop was still far from ripe. Some rainfall in mid-September helped to round off the maturation. Producers that delayed picking until after the rains were rewarded with perfect harvesting conditions, with cool nights helping to extend fermentation times and allow for gentle extraction. The first grapes were picked at Taylor Fladgate's Quinta de Vargellas on 17th September, with the Pinhão Valley estates following on the 23rd and 26th respectively.
1995 Taylor Fladgate Quinta de Vargellas Vintage Port
Price: $99.00 Sale Price: $85.00 Quantity in Stock: 5
(91 Points) The 1995 Quinta de Vargellas Vinha Velha Vintage Port is a typical field blend aged in used French oak vats. It comes in with 93 grams per liter of residual sugar. This was the debut vintage of the Vinha Velha, and it leads off the vertical this issue. Drinking perfectly now, this has chocolate and caramel, seeming very much like a gentle, mature and harmonious Port, but it has neither profound complexity nor a lot of power. It is, however, sensual and appealing, wonderful to drink now. It likely won't get better at this point, but I was pleased to see it expand in the glass and improve even by my last taste. I'd want to drink this now, personally. Adrian Bridge suggested it had reached its mature plateau, and I agree. It will hold on that plateau reasonably well, perhaps longer than anticipated, depending on how you like them. Of course, most wines, especially Ports, don't fall off the table. It has plenty of life left in a literal sense. When it declines, the decline will be slow and long. Wine Advocate
2000 Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port Magnum
Price: $425.00 Your Price: $382.50 Quantity in Stock: 1
(98 Points) Among the most saturated blue/purple/black-colored examples of the vintage, Taylor's 2000 tastes like a young vintage of Chateau Latour on steroids. Aromas of graphite, blackberry liqueur, creme de cassis and smoke jump from the glass. Spectacularly concentrated and enormously endowed, with sweetness allied to ripe tannin, decent acidity, and layer upon layer of fruit and extract, this is the leading candidate for the port of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2040.
1997 Taylor Fladgate Port
Price: $150.00 Sale Price: $120.00 Quantity in Stock: 9
(96 Points) Saturated black/purple-colored, with stunning aromatics of blueberries, blackberries, licorice, and iron, this spectacular vintage port is one of the stars of the vintage. Extremely full-bodied, with silky tannin, spectacular concentration and purity, multiple flavor levels, and an evolved, forward personality, this is an exquisite yet precocious 1997 vintage port. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2030 Wine Advocate
1945 Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port
Price: $2500.00 Your Price: $2250.00 Quantity in Stock: 1
(97 Points) Nearly as sublime as the '48, this is a majestic wine in its own right, with a superb concentration of fruit and a firm structure. Deep, dark ruby with a garnet edge, ripe raisin, almond and cedar aromas, full-bodied, with masses of ripe grape and almond flavors and medium tannins that tickle your palate on the finish. Built to age for centuries but amazing to drink now. –JS Wine Spectator Issue: Web Only – 1989
1992 Fonseca Vintage Port
Price: $163.00 Sale Price: $129.00 Quantity in Stock: 3
(94 Points) Intensely fruity on the nose, with lots of blackberry and violet. Full-bodied and lightly sweet, with slightly astringent tannins and a medium finish. Silky. Still very tight. Needs time. '91/'92 Port retrospective. Best after 2010. 8,500 cases made. –JS Wine Spectator05/31/05
1997 Fonseca Vintage Port
Price: $125.00 Sale Price: $100.00 Quantity in Stock: 1
(93 Points) Somewhat of a lightweight for Fonseca, but undeniably charming, this dark ruby/purple-colored wine offers a floral, exotic, flamboyant bouquet, a sweet, fleshy style, but not a great deal of weight or massiveness. Heady alcohol, sweet tannin, and a velvety texture make for a gorgeous finish. While I would have preferred to have seen more weight, structure, and intensity, this is an outstanding, albeit lighter than normal Fonseca. Anticipated maturity: now-2020 Wine Advocate # 126 Jan 2000 Wine Advocate
2000 Fonseca Vintage Port Magnum
Price: $275.00 Sale Price: $230.00 Quantity in Stock: 7
(96 Points) The 2000 Fonseca continues to exude finesse and focus on the nose, with pure blackberry, juniper berries, licorice and a touch of sloes, perhaps as Adrian Bridge remarked, just beginning to close after ten years in bottle. The palate is underpinned by very fine tannins, a sensual, svelte texture with wonderful acidity. The harmony and symmetry is alluring, the finish precise and demonstrating the persistency to suggest a long future ahead. Drink 2020-2060. Wine Advocate
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