2017 Taylor Fladgate LBV
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Tasting notes
Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca and Tinta Roriz. Vinification takes place in large oak casks. When around half of the natural sugar in the grape juice has been turned into alcohol by fermentation, the fortification process begins. The treading stops and the skins are allowed to rise to the surface of the lagar where they form a solid layer. The wine fermenting under this cap is then run out of the lagar into a vat. As the fermenting wine pours into the vat, a very clean, young wine brandy is added. This colourless, neutral spirit, at a strength of 77% abv, is usually added in a ratio of around 115 litres of brandy to 435 litres of fermenting wine. The wine matures in barrel for four to six years. Winemaker David Guimaraens. TA 4.02 g/l, pH 3.6, RS 90 g/l. Bottle weight 600 g. Bright crimson. Pure, raw, young port without pretension and with an amazing price tag. Quite a bit of tannin and great purity of fruit. At the reduced price this is VGV . (JR)
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The 2017 Late Bottled Vintage Port is a typical Douro blend bottled in 2022 with a bar-top cork and 104 grams of residual sugar. This takes the lively Croft 2016, another of the Fladgate Group's houses, and adds a little depth. More importantly, it adds waves of flavor. It is well balanced and just delicious. The structure is average. On the other hand, while very well balanced, it is not quite as lively. Pick 'em. These can hold, but bottle development is not the same with filtered LBVs, so there is little reward to doing so. Drink up.