Tasting At Taylors – The Lafite Of Portugal
Our tasting at Taylor's Port House in Porto an an excellent reminder that these are some of the world's best wines.
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Our tasting at Taylor's Port House in Porto an an excellent reminder that these are some of the world's best wines.
Sometimes it takes a tasting at a winery, to remined you not just how special they are, but exactly why they enjoy such a loft reputation. Our tasting at Taylor’s in Porto in November 2022 did just that and provided ample evidence that this is a world-class operation making wines that compete with the best of the best.
Robert Parker’s quote above makes it abundantly clear that Taylor’s is a Port House that rivals the finest that the rest of the world has to offer. His comparison to Lafite, the most famous of First Growths, is a clear sign of how impressive these fortified wines are, and is clearly merited.
Lafite’s wines are characterised by an effortless regal quality, nothing is pushed or tries too hard, and everything is perfectly and deliciously proportioned. Exactly the same qualities can be found at Taylor’s; these are wines that make brilliance seem easy.
It’s the sign of a great tasting when it raises the energy level of a room, our tasting at Taylor’s did just that. These are Ports that generate excitement, conversation and have you coming back for another precious sip.
The 2017 Vintage, from a recent great year, was epic and for such a young fortified wine, is already showing superbly. Back vintages including the 2003 were also excellent and highlighted the consistency, not just in terms of quality, but also in house style.
To finished, we were able to sample the Very Very Old Tawny Port. From a new category for Tawny Port, this an ancient Tawny with a minimum average age of 80 years. Taken from some of Taylor’s most prized casks, it was an absolute treat that lingers long in the memory.
To finish, it’s worth re-iterating what despite the outstanding nature of these Ports and the pedigree of Taylor’s as a producer, these remain some of the best value fine wines on the market. The comparison to Lafite is an compelling one as a bottle of Lafite would cost you many times the amount of a bottle of Taylor’s, even when the latter is from a great year. For bargain hunters, Taylor’s Port is an unbeatable proposition.
