Sarah Ahmed – The Wine Detective

The Fladgate Partnership, owners of the illustrious Ports of Taylor’s, Croft and Fonseca has declared today, St George’s Day (23 April), that they are to release 2009 classic Vintage Ports from all three houses making this the fourth declaration in a decade (2000, 2003, 2007, 2009).
 
“In over three centuries of making great Ports, we have seldom seen four outstanding vintages come along in a decade,” comments Adrian Bridge, CEO of The Fladgate Partnership. “Like the great landmark vintages of the early twentieth century, the 2009s are built for longevity.”
 
As usual, Taylor’s 2009 is based on a blend of Ports from Quinta de Vargellas and Quinta de Terra Feita.  Quinta do Junco has made a small contribution since 2000 and does so again in 2009.  Fonseca 2009 is drawn from Quinta do Panascal and Quinta do Cruzeiro with a small proportion of wine from Quinta do Santo António, recently converted to organic viticulture.  Croft 2009 is drawn entirely from Quinta da Roêda.  A small quantity of Taylor’s Quinta de Vargellas Vinha Velha 2009 will also be released.
 
“We haven’t seen colour intensity and tannic grip like this in over twenty years,” adds Head Winemaker, David Guimaraens.  “The quality of fruit is also impressive and the wines have excellent acidity.”
 
The 2009 viticultural year was marked by low vine fertility and a dry ripening season resulting in low yields, dense and concentrated musts, high colour, tannin and sugar levels.  There will be smaller quantities available than the preceding declared vintages and tighter allocations. 
 
The Fladgate Partnership has used its traditional date of St George’s Day to announce the release of a classic vintage.   2009 is the only year ending in a 9 to have been declared by Taylor, Fonseca and Croft since the 19th Century.

Check out Fladgate’s dedicated 2009 vintage website here for more details and click here for details of new release 2009 Vintage Ports which I recently tasted at The Big Fortified Tasting plus Niepoort Bioma 2008 Vintage Port.

PS:  See here for an interesting report on the diverging views of Fladgate and Symington on Jancis Robinson’s website here.