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‘The show piece of the Douro.’ |
James Suckling, Vintage Port |
‘Uma lenda no Douro.’ ‘A legend in the Douro’ |
José Dias, Revista Vinhos |
‘This legendary Quinta.’ |
Alex Liddell, Port Wine Quintas of the Douro |
‘One of the Douro’s finest properties.’ |
Lay & Wheeler, UK |
‘The concept of first growths in the Douro does not officially exist, but ... Vesuvio would undoubtedly be one of a handful of such properties.’ |
Colin Parnell, Decanter Magazine |
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Wine Spectator Online, James Sucking, 18-04-05 95-100 Points "Big and burly. Masses of fruit and tannin. Full blackstrap Port here. Full-bodied, with mouthpuckering tannins, yet they are sweet and round. Medium sweet. Long finish. One of the best of the vintage. This single-vineyard Port is always superb". Richard Woodward, Wine & Spirit International, June 2005 “Brooding, smokey power, and a superlatively silky mouth feel with delicate floral notes and jammy black fruits. A long, smooth finish. Superb”. Andy Tan, News Letter From Auric Pacific, June 2005 Excellent “My favourite of all. Slightly amber edge in addition to it dark ruby colour. The nose reminded me of wine from Pauillac, with cassis, cedar intermixed. The equally expressive nose also posses inviting sweet syrup flavours in addition to a brandy-coated raspberries that are all so inviting. The lush, chewy, layers palate come across approachable, yet underneath, you could trace the tannin, which was largely conceal by the overwhelming fruits. Very charming Port”. Roy Hersh, www.fortheloveofport.com , July 2005 98+ Points “Inky black and amongst the very darkest Ports of the vintage. This producer continues to impress me and this way my favourite entry from the Symington stable. It was unquestionably one of the finest VP cask samples I have had. When I first tried this wine in San Francisco. It made a huge impression on my palate. Having the opportunity to evaluate the Vesuvio over three days, I came away with even more respect for this producer. It is easy to describe this wine in one word, extraordinary. Initially the nose was reserved but eventually showed a gorgeous purity of raspberry essence along with some floral notes and spice. The blackberry and primary grape flavours are loaded with intensity, massive and powerful with tannins that attack the mouth early and often. This youngster was nearly a perfect VP when allowed to open up. Grip is that an iron fist, but there is no velvet glove here. Although the 2003 Vesuvio should easily surpass five decades, it also is very enjoyable and approachable now, if given time to breathe properly. This is the real deal, a blockbuster which is one of the two best wines of the vintage, and a must buy!”. Pierre Rovani, Wine Advocate #161, October 2005 90 Points “Waxy black and red cherries are found in the aromatic profile of the 2003 Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port. Thick, creamy-textured, and exuberant, it offers a medium to full-bodied personality redolent with sweet black cherries and blackberries. A seductively sexy port, it is seamless, feminine, ample, and displays a long, syrupy finish that more than makes up for a slight lack of complexity”. Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast, November 15, 2005 93 Points “The Symingtons’ show-piece vineyard in the upper Douro continues to make great vintage Port. This 2003 shows the estate’s potential for big, luscious wines that are both powerful and tannic. It is opulent and generous, with the potential for good aging”. James Suckling, Wine Spectator, December 2005 95 Points "Complex aromas of crushed berries, pepper and spices. Full-bodied, with medium sweetness and layers of polished tannins. Masses of berry, plum and citrus character. This single-vineyard Port is always superb." Joshua Greene, Wine & Spirits, December 2005 93 Points out of 100 “High-toned floral scents contrast the plump, juicy middle of this wine, a high percentage of Touriga Franca filling it in. That voluptuous middle is grounded in schist, the tannins gentle but present, their stony character making the wine taste increasingly bold with air. It’s sourced from a vineyard in the arid Douro superior that the Symington family purchased in 1989 and largely replanted in the early 90s”. Stephen Tanzer, www.wineaccess.com, January 2006 93 Points out of 100 “Full ruby. Pure, sexy aromas of black fruits, minerals and spice cake. Concentrated, superrich and impressively structured; a sweet, dense, primary wine with terrific depth and breadth. Offers intriguing hints of woodsmoke and pomegranate, and conveys a strong sense of extract. The vibrant finish features compellingly sweet tannins and a whiplash of black cherry and licorice flavor. A great showing already, but this should reward 12 to 15 years of aging”. |
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Joe Czerwinski, Wine Enthusiast, November 2003 91 Points “A brooding nose of sullen blackberries and earth presages a wine that shows wonderful balance between fruit, alcohol, acidity and tannin”. João Paulo Martins, Portuguese Wines, November 2003 18 Points out of 20 “Dense colour, very vegetal and closed aroma but already denoting some aromatic exuberance. Despite good structure and concentration on the palate it can be drunk now – good news for fans of young Vintage Ports. Firm but present tannins assure longevity”. João Paulo Martins, Revista de Vinhos, February / March 2004 18 Points out of 20 “…closed and austere, this is a muscular Vintage full of vigour. The same sensation is carried over on the palate, grippy with ripe tannins and spicy notes. A lovely Vintage”. Wine International, October 2005 GOLD MEDAL “Lush wine with plum cake, spice and blueberry aromas on the nose. The palate shows perfect integration of succulent black fruit, grape spirit and fine tannins. The sweet finish is long, balanced and very complex”. Roy Hersh, For the Love of Port, 26th October 2005 90 Points out of 100 “Inky black-purple tinge. Purple fruit essence with a touch of anise provides the initial intrigue. More of a red fruit persuasion and much softer and easy to drink now than the 1997 tasted next to it. It has modestly ripe tannins and it’s a gentle, approachable young Port with a medium length. This is a Vesuvio with finesse, which is not how I normally describe this producer’s Vintage Port offerings”. |
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James Suckling, Wine Spectator Weekly, 30th May 2002 95-100 Points “Muscular, with loads of wet earth, berry and prune character and hints of cassis bush. Full-bodied and medium-sweet, with a powerful structure that builds on your palate. Very long. Masses of grip.” Roy Hersh, Words About Port, 6th June 2002 96-98 Points “The 2000 is a dark purplish-black with full opacity and ultra-ripe aromas of violets and blueberry preserves. Alluring sweet berry and jammy plum fruit that dominate the underlying ripe tannins…This is one powerful beast with the structure to take it to the finish line…Will this surpass the phenomenon that was Vesuvio 1994, only time will tell!” Público, 22 Junho 2002 “Vinho possante e opulento com um aroma clássico de ‘violetas’…Em termos de paladar, o Vesuvio 2000 apresenta uma excelente complexidade e concentração de fruta, com taninos fortes, mas maduros. Este é um dos melhores vinhos jamais produzidos na Quinta do Vesuvio. Clive Coates MW, The Vine, July 2002 19.5 Points out of 20 “Very good colour. Full and backward. Structured, even slightly dense at present. But undenyingly profound. This is full bodied, rich and concentrated on the palate. Excellent grip. A really vigorous wine. One of the few with real intensity on the follow-through. Very fine plus”. Jancis Robinson, www.jancisrobinson.com, 11th July 2002 17.5 Points out of 20 “Excellent deep blackish crimson. Young, green vegetal notes. Big and bold and brazen and even a note of barley sugar. Very blithe blackberry juice. Rumbustious and utterly confident. Good on it. Like heavenly hunting port!” Richard Mayson, Decanter Magazine, August 2002 “Opulent and immediately impressive… Full, ripe jammy flavours.” Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast, September 2002 95-98 Points “The best Vesuvio since the Symington family took over ownership of this great quinta in 1989. It is a hugely powerful wine, rich, dense and classic in its balance of sweet fruit and dry tannins. The potential here is enormous…”. Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, 30th October 2002 91 Points “Quinta do Vesuvio’s saturated blue/purple colour is more dense than many of its peers. Impressive in the mouth, with full body, sweet crème de cassis and blackberry liqueur intermixed with smoke, earth, and spice; this sensual effort possesses elegance allied to power and authority. Complex, fat, rich, and intense, it is an exceptionally stylish, graceful effort…”. Jane MacQuitty, The Times Saturday, 9th November 2002 “Graham’s was my joint top wine of the Vintage – along with the entirely trodden-by-foot Quinta do Vesuvio, a very fine, elegant, perfumed, mulberry-stashed port.” Joshua Greene, Wine & Spirit, December 2002 94 Points “Vesuvio is a vast, conical hill in the Douro Superior, and it grew a vast, structured wine in 2000…It fills the mouth with joy, the sweetness growing right out of the tannins…The perfect condition of the tannins allow the wine to balance high and tight between sweetness and structure. It’s beautifully formed and seamlessly built for a long life ahead”. Michael Broadbent, Vintage Wine, Published 2002 Five Star Rating “Nothing shy or retiring here. Superbly forthcoming fragrance and fruit; crisp, concentration, length”. Bruce May, Post Gazette – Pittsburgh, 2nd January 2002 “The Quinta do Vesuvio is a massive wine…The exotic flavours of black fruits, spice and cocoa coat the palate and intoxicate the senses”. James Suckling, Wine Spectator Weekly, 20th February 2003 94 Points “Lovely nose of plums, chocolate and berries, with hints of spices. Full-bodied, with super firm tannins and a tight tannin structure. Long and refined. It builds on your palate”. Lyn Farmer, The WineNews, February / March 2003 92 Points “I have always loved the elegance of this wine…the objective taster cannot help but note the exceptional ripeness of the grapes and the intense, brilliant ruby-purple colour. Aromas of black raspberry and fresh prune with a wonderful floral character. Lean notes of smoke and tobacco give the wine considerable verve. Violet aromas are beginning to emerge, a quality that becomes more pronounced as it ages. Rich in texture but not overly sweet, its long finish is filled with ripe, slightly dusty tannins and just a hint of dark chocolate on the close”. Luís Ramos Lopes, Revista dos Vinhos, May 2003 “The aroma is typically Vesuvio: very floral, raisiny, spicy. Dense, fat and meaty on the palate, with polished, silky tannins, complex flavours (cocoa, forest berries, pepper) and a very long finish. A lovely Vesuvio at its best”. Wine International, October 2003 Gold Medal – International Wine Challenge 2003 “A different style altogether – cool mint and eucalyptus with a touch of mint chocolate rounds out the rich, concentrated blackberry and floral fruit. It is wonderfully concentrated and shows real power and a clean dry edge”. Charles Metcalfe, Wine International, February 2004 94 Points “Deep purple-black showing a definite strong floral character, with a savoury, bready tone. It’s deep, dense and very sweet, overflowing with luscious fruit, and an aroma of violets”. Roy Hersh, Words About Port Roy's Port Wine Cellar Reduction Party Six Decades of Vintage Port (April 18, 2004) 96 Points “It looked like black ink in the glass…I could conclude by saying, 'what more could you possibly ask from an infant VP'?…This delivers such ripe, boisterous and slightly jammy, viscous juice that overwhelms the palate, if not the brain. Moderate tannins show up on the surreal finish. Port on steroids or was this actually a young Harlan? Neither, just a top notch young 2000, which is way high in the pecking order from this wonderful vintage. Given the big fruit, the balance is impressive and the overall structure, near perfect. If you don't own any of these - shame on you”. |
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WINE, November 2001 “Big, lush palate of soft blackberries and plums. Well structures with supple tannins and a warming finish”. Joshua Greene, Wine & Spirits, April 2002 “One of the best vintages of the new Vesuvio yet”. |
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WINE, November 2000 “Aromas of dense berry fruits with a powerful and rich fruit palate, with mulled wine spices and a long luscious finish”. James Suckling, Wine Spectator, Feb. 28th 2001 “Thick and finely textured Port. Lovely aromas of anise, berries and mint. Full-bodied, very sweet, with silky tannins. Fruity finish”. Richard Mayson, Decanter Magazine, June 2001 “An outstanding wine from a spectacular quinta in the Douro Superior”. |
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Andrew Jefford, Evening Standard, 05-08-1999 “The Pick of Port” - “The relative coolness of the vintage has suited Vesuvio, and with the 1997 this grand old property has produced its greatest wine since coming into Symington ownership. Under 10% of the harvest was used to create a beefy, succulent, fiery port with a fresher fruit style and crunchier tannins than previous Vesuvios.” Clive Coates MW, The Vine, September 1999 18 Points out of 20 “Very fine nose. Lovely fruit. Sophisticated and complex. Very classy. Fullish. Intense. Very ripe and concentrated. Up with the Taylor in class and character. Very very long and lovely. This is really fine.” WINE, October 1999 Gold Medal – International Wine Challenge 1999 “This extremely youthful port has a very restrained nose, but the palate has huge, concentrated fruit, a massive dose of spice and a long, clinging, tannic finish”. James Suckling, Wine Spectator, February 29th 2000 90 Points “A fresh and dark Port, with lovely floral, berry and cherry aromas. Full-bodied, medium-sweet, with a firm backbone of tannins and plum and tabacco on the finish.” Ch’ng Poh Tiong, The Wine Review Singapore, February 2000 “A superb wine. Loads of fruit, red and black, including very ripe mulberries. The tannins too are very ripe”. João Paulo Martins, Revista de Vinhos, June 2000 “A tightly padlocked wine, which can only stand in its favour. The aroma shows notes of flowers and currants. Very good on the palate, elegant and majestic, integrated, warm and long on the finish. It has everything you could ask of a young Vintage”. Robert Parker, Parker’s Wine Buying Guide, Sixth Edition 2003 90 Points “A delicious…dark saturated ruby/purple port, this 1997 reveals copious quantities of jammy, grapy, black fruit flavors intermixed with earth and spice, full body, and silky tannin”. Jancis Robinson, www.jancisrobinson.com, 14th October 2004 18.5 Points “Dark crimson with slightly ruby rim. Rich and alcoholic with a hint of bonfires and raisins. Lots of fine tannin not yet integrated but it should get there. This is a striking young port with a good future ahead of it. Very ripe, sweet finish. Big and brassy but masses of tannin underneath all that ripe fruit”. Roy Hersh, For the Love of Port, 26th October 2005 94+ Points out of 100 “Wow” was my first impression when sniffing and sipping this wine. Impenetrable opacity to this wine’s appearance. An herbal note and straight forward violet aromas punched my proboscis. A massive wine, yet more approachable than expected from the ink in the glass, with ripe, chalky tannins but otherwise a gorgeous mouth feel. Almost syrupy but the acidity prevents the viscous black currant fruit from seeming cloying. With all of this, the best part of this Port is the sensational length and complexity to the aftertaste. If you own a case, open a bottle tomorrow. If you own a single bottle, wait fifteen to twenty years and drink it when it’s more mature”. |
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James Suckling, Wine Spectator, February 1999 90 Points “Impressive. Dark purple in colour, with lots of pretty plum, floral and berry aromas. Full-bodied, with very racy tannins and a long, long fruity finish. |
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James Suckling, Wine Spectator, 31-12-1998 Nº 35 on the Wine Spectator’s 1998 Top 100 “While many houses either declined to declare the vintage or made single-quinta Ports in 1995, Vesuvio crafted this classic…which checked in at Nº 35 on the Wine Spectator’s 1998 Top 100.” João Paulo Martins, Revista de Vinhos, December 1998 Rated – Excellent Quinta do Vesuvio came top of the Revista de Vinhos 1995 vintage port tasting “Very dense colour and concentrated bouquet. Showed some vegetal notes typical of the Vesuvio vineyards, along with suggestive mineral hints. Very austere and full, vigorous to the point of violence. A raw diamond”. Richard Mayson, Decanter Magazine, February 1999 “Pick of the 1995s” “Dense and slightly dusty on the nose; a good indication of tannin and structure. Very rich, sweet blackberry fruit flavours combined with ripe tannic grip. Confirms Vesuvio’s position in the premier league”. Michael Broadbent, Vintage Wine, Published 2002 “Distinctive and impressive”. |
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Wine Spectator, 15-07-96 95-100 Points “Greatest Vesuvio ever. A young vintage Port that sneaks up and grabs you by the throat. Full-bodied, featuring intense grapey, stemmy character and a long, silky, firm, tannic finish. Truly superb”. Joanna Simon, Sunday Times, 11th August 1996 “Absolutely magnificent”. 92 Points Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate , 31st October 1996 “This impressive wine, with an opaque ruby/purple color, reveals excellent richness, layers of flavour, well integrated alcohol and tannin, moderate sweetness, and a long, heady finish”. Clive Coates MW, TheVine, August 2001 19 Points out of 20 “Fine colour. Lovely nose. Dry but rich. Concentrated and very well balanced. There is a lot of depth here. This is very classy. Fullish body. Good ripe tannins. Excellent complex fruit and very good grip. Really intense at the end. Very fresh from start to finish. Very fine indeed”. Revista do Vinhos “To date, the 1994 is the most well-crafted Vintage from this estate. That year provided not only concentration, but an elegance in fruit and tannins that is rarely found, and Quinta do Vesuvio is one of the best Vintages from this superb year”. James Suckling, Wine Spectator, Jan 31st-Feb 28th 2002 “I drank a bottle of 1994 Quinta do Vesuvio with owner Rupert Symington a few months ago, and although we felt slightly guilty popping the cork on such young Port, we couldn’t help want more when the decanter went dry. The beautiful young thing seduced us with its opulent, aromatic fruit and caressing, velvety tannins. “So what if ’94 Vesuvio will be much better in 20,30 or 40 years?” we said to one another as we drank the Port. “It’s glorious now, why not take advantage of the moment?” Michael Broadbent, Vintage Wine, Published 2002 Five Star Rating “…delicious, touch of uplifting citrus aromas; not as sweet, but glorious fruit. Still opaque; extraordinary, most distinctive, great potential”. Wine International, June 2004 96 Points “Very intense black colour with a slightly overripe, floral and liquorice character. An extremely complex berry palate…”. |
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James Suckling, Wine Spectator, 31-01-96 94 Points - Editors choice - Wine Spectator Yearbook “Fabulous Vesuvio, improving all the time. Amazing wet earth and ripe fruit character; full in body, offering hard tannins and fresh flavours”. Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast, February 2001 93 Points “Sweet, powerful concentrated fruit, full of rich, dark, brooding flavors. The wine is developing well, and is certainly ready to drink, but looks to have many more years of life ahead of it”. Wine International, December 2003 94 Points – Silver Medal “Impressive. Big, rich and fleshy with ripe tannins. Voluptuous, very fine, well balanced and complete”. - Richard Mayson “A deep dark colour. Big, fat and gutsy with power of fruit at the back”. - Derek Smedley “A seriously large wine with very good colour and length” - Bill Warre James Suckling, Wine Spectator, 31st May 2005 “Shows a raisin and grape skin aroma. Full-bodied and medium sweet, with astringent tannins. Very young. Still tight and powerful; needs time to mellow”. |
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Joanna Simon, The Sunday Times, 06-09-1993 “I have been particularly struck by ......Quinta do Vesuvio (expensive but exceptional)”. James Suckling, Wine Spectator, 30-9-93 90 -94 Points – Outstanding “This wine really kicks in on the finish. Best Vesuvio ever. A young Port with a long life ahead of it. Compact with tight and well-integrated tannins, full fruit, medium sweetness and a long, rich finish. Super wine”. Clive Coates MW, TheVine, November 1993 19 Points out of 20 “Very good colour. Lovely blackcurrant fruit on the nose. Real flair here. Medium full body. Great intensity of flavour. Creamy rich…Excellent. Really lovely long multi-dimensional finish”. Michel Phaneuf, Le Guide du Vin 1994, Montreal “Depuis toujours, les historiens du Porto ont été d'accord pour considérer la Quinta do Vesuvio comme le trésor du Douro.......les remarquables 1990 et 1991 .........laissent présager que la Quinta do Vesuvio générera dans l'avenir un Porto exceptionnel dont on n'a pas fini de parler”. Mark Golodetz, Wine Enthusiast, February 1994 “The Quinta do Vesuvio is likely to be the best of the '91s. Here the structure is used to full advantage, layers of complex fruit flavours crowd the palate, the finish is long and light, this is a wine of grace and power”. The Underground Wine Journal, Volume XV, 1994 “The 1991 appears to be one of the stellar Ports of the vintage”. Jacques Benoit, La Presse Montreal, 19-03-94 “…tout simplement monumental”. James Suckling, Wine Spectator, 31-07-94 91 Points “Loads of character in this one. You can almost smell the soil. Very powerful and impressive, with masses of tannins and medium sweetness. It shows opulent aromas and flavours of wet earth, green tea and berry. A tough young wine that needs to age”. Decanter Magazine, September 1994 Decanter Top Wines of the year - Best of 30 1991 Vintage Ports tasted “Immediate juicy lift of berry fruits on the nose, quite sweet and a little jammy on the palate, with marked tannins, a good warm structure, and a nice long finish”. Richard Mayson, Decanter Magazine, November 1995 “Quite outstanding concentration in 1991 & 1992: One of the best wines of each Vintage”. Wine International, December 2003 92 Points – Silver Medal “Still quite closed on the nose but showing some underlying intensity. Lovely sweet, spicy berry fruit with spicy, peppery tannins and a well-balanced palate”. - Richard Mayson “Very powerful yet balanced with a excellent, taut finish”. - Simon Gotelee “A very solid colour with good, chewy fruit. A keeper”. - Bill Warre |
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Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, 28-08-92 93 Points “The 1990 Symington's Quinta do Vesuvio possesses an opaque black/purple colour, and a sweet, rich nose with a whiff of liquorice and powerfully ripe fruit. In the mouth it is full-bodied, with superb concentration, as well as a rich, opulent, deep finish. Drinkable now, it has at least 20 years of evolution. Just as spectacular as any Vintage Port I have tasted from 1983 or 1985.” Michael Broadbent MW, Decanter Magazine, December 1992 “Impressive....virtually opaque, with a vivid purple rim so intense that it seemed to be exerting pressure against the sides of the glass. ......black, fiery, peppery, alcoholic, its sweetness masked by packed fruit, high extract and dry, mouth-puckering tannins”. |
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"The 1989 VINTAGE is remarkably balanced and harmonious, with excellent fruit and soft tannins". Colin Parnell, Decanter Magazine, May 1992 |
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