Quinta do Vesuvio 2004

Single Quinta Vintage Port

A strict selection of only the very finest wines from this property produced just 1100 cases of a year that surpassed all expectation.

Description

The fragrant nose of violets and layers of rich blackberry fruit on the palate make it irresistible for broaching young, although the wine will age for decades.

Climatically, 2004 was atypical thoughout most of the agricultural year, with an unusually dry winter being followed by an equally dry spring. June was exceptionally hot at Vesuvio with virtually no rain to speak of. Rainfall was totally absent during July and there was great concern that excessive hydric stress would irreversibly compromise the quality of the fruit. Fortunately, August brought plenty of rain, in fact the highest recorded in the Douro for the month of August in 104 years.

The unseasonal, desperately needed rain came at a critical time, although persistent overcast conditions and further rain in early September held back the maturation of the grapes. The weather did however oblige, swinging in our favour and from mid September there were 25 days of uninterrupted sunshine, with high temperatures allowing for excellent ripening of the grapes.

The Baumés were some of the highest recorded in a decade, The Touriga Nacional reaching 14.7º and the Touriga Franca 13.5º. A year which could have been very difficult actually turned out to be quite exceptional, surpassing all our expectations.

Our Expert's Recommendation

"This young wine should be allowed to age in its own bottle for at least 15 to 20 years from the time it is bottled to achieve its optimum maturity. For those who prefer to drink their Vintage Port young, 4 to 5 years are sufficient."

Press Comments

"A powerhouse of a wine that goes from densely rich to massive without a pause. The ripe fruit, dark, heavy tannins and black plum and fig flavors all come from the terroir of this great vineyard."
Roger Voss , Wine Enthusiast
01/03/2008

"This is very grapey on the nose, with hints of rose. Full-bodied and very balanced, with ultrafine, silky tannins and a long, long finish. Beautiful and balanced."
James Suckling , Wine Spectator
31/12/2007

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