1896 Taylor's, Very Old Single Harvest Port, Portugal

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Description

Burnished bronze with a halo-bright edge in appearance, the nose is reticent initially almost as if shy to re-emerge into today’s world – this has undergone quite a metamorphosis for any wine especially one at some 125 years of age. To taste, wonderful depth and strikingly concentrated impact – you certainly get bang for your buck from this, as you’d hope; incredibly deep, dark, aged, slightly crystalised marmalade notes – nothing too sweet. No shrinking violet this as it ameliorates slowly through to an extraordinarily nutty, figgy and molasses finish before taking a further extended spell to close with its life-imparting acidity. Really, a very striking and astonishing wine, as you’d only expect. Moreover, there’s no need to hurry once the decanter is broached, the wine will stay good for weeks.

Tom Cave, Customers’ Private Reserves Manager

Colour Red

Sweetness Luscious

Vintage 1896

Alcohol % 20

Maturity Drink now

Grape List Touriga Nacional,Touriga Francesa,Tinta Barroca,Tinta Roriz,Tinto Cão

Body Full Bodied

Producer Taylor Fladgate

Critics reviews

Neal Martin MW 98/100

It has a greenish, tawny rim, quite deep at its mahogany core more than you would expect for a Port of this age. The nose is quite arresting, does not hang about, delivering a cornucopia of aromas: grilled walnuts, espresso, smoke, antique bureau and dried fig, all extremely well defined. Monitoring this over three or four hours, it gains intensity, hints of liquorice and menthol joining the chorus line, just the right amount of volatility. The palate is medium-bodied, slightly viscous on the entry, very spicy with sweet honey and brown sugar notes, completely offset by the combination of natural and volatile acids. Despite its age, this is a fiery Port with extraordinary lingering notes of Japanese shiso leaf, fig jam, damson and stem ginger, clean and poised with that volatility kicking towards the finish. This has wonderful sweetness, with 218g/L residual sugar that counters any oxidation. At around £4,000 per bottle, it is not inexpensive. But you are paying to drink history, knowing that it will never be released again. Of course, this 1896 is ready to be drunk now, but such is its concentration and vigour, that it could be cellared if you insist on your fortified wine being at least 125 years old.Neil Martin, Vinous.com.com (June 2021)

Neal Martin MW, Vinous.com (Jun 2021)

About this wine

Touriga Nacional

Touriga Nacional is a highly regarded grape variety indigenous to Portugal, often considered the country's flagship red grape. Known for its intense aromas and flavours, the wines typically feature dark fruits such as blackberries, blueberries, and plums, along with distinctive floral notes like violets and hints of spices, herbs, and chocolate. These generally have high tannin levels, good acidity, and deep, dark colour, contributing to their structure and ageing potential.

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