Vintage Port 2023 En Primeur

A selection of their very best plots from the Mendiz Valley to the north of the Pinhão Valley, and in 2023, that was six parcels from six vineyards. All foot-trodden in granite lagars and aged in cask for 18 months before bottling. Notably expressive, leading with rich blue and black fruits, intense floral aromatics and a distinct herby quality, especially mint. On the palate this shows great freshness and purity, a silky-creamy texture, and while the tannins are very present, they are ripe, the whole is harmonious. This has upfront appeal and great potential for the cellar.

Wonderfully pure, leading with a creamy, dense nose of classic blue/black Douro fruits, schist dust and resinous herbs, and lavender. The attack offers a gorgeous sweetness, fantastic concentration, great energy, and plenty of freshness, resolving to an elegantly balanced back palate of long pure dark fruit flavours. Vesúvio often has a savoury vein, but this is a touch easier and more charming than the 2022 release.

Not produced in 2022 or 2023. Sourced from the lower parts of the Pintas vineyard in the Pinhão Valley, this is very focused and pure, a concentrated core of black fruits, pressed flowers, and tangy fruit seeds. The palate boasts a gorgeous sweet and charged attack, it has a sense of verticality and brightness and is seriously structured with plentiful fine tannins ahead of a satisfyingly vinous, dry(ish) finish. Brilliantly balanced, fragrant and juicy.

The nose offers great concentration and density, intense dark fruits with a wealth of baking spices, and spicy dark flowers. The palate seems softer, plenty sweet and gentle, offering notes of blueberry, dark cherry and boozy chocolates. Nicely balanced and full of promise.

Deep nose, tightly wound, pleasingly fresh and lifted, showing a little wildness to the fine dark fruits. Plump and sweet on the palate, very juicy and fragrant, with great acidity and fine grainy tannins. Perhaps a little less complex but super intensity and this should offer delicious drinking early than most.

A broader feel to the nose here, of rich red fruits over mint-tinged dark fruits, giving a sense of depth and freshness. Full-bodied with that Graham’s easy sweetness, and then a surprisingly charged combination of energy and acidity – something that should imbue this with a long life. Supple, rounded and very juicy, complexity will follow in time, but that doesn’t detract from how delicious this is now.

Super depth of black fruits, very fine floral top notes, an overall sense of precision and lift, and so inviting. There is a broad sweet core here and excellent drive, with great acidity and long flavours of plum, fig and soft spices. The tannins are impressively fine and give a svelte texture making this approachable, something that will drink on the earlier side, and the larger formats will clear allow for serious cellaring too.

Deep nose, tightly wound, pleasingly fresh and lifted, showing a little wildness to the fine dark fruits. Plump and sweet on the palate, very juicy and fragrant, with great acidity and fine grainy tannins. Perhaps a little less complex but super intensity and this should offer delicious drinking early than most.

Wonderfully pure, leading with a creamy, dense nose of classic blue/black Douro fruits, schist dust and resinous herbs, and lavender. The attack offers a gorgeous sweetness, fantastic concentration, great energy, and plenty of freshness, resolving to an elegantly balanced back palate of long pure dark fruit flavours. Vesúvio often has a savoury vein, but this is a touch easier and more charming than the 2022 release.

Super depth of black fruits, very fine floral top notes, an overall sense of precision and lift, and so inviting. There is a broad sweet core here and excellent drive, with great acidity and long flavours of plum, fig and soft spices. The tannins are impressively fine and give a svelte texture making this approachable, something that will drink on the earlier side, and the larger formats will clear allow for serious cellaring too.

A broader feel to the nose here, of rich red fruits over mint-tinged dark fruits, giving a sense of depth and freshness. Full-bodied with that Graham’s easy sweetness, and then a surprisingly charged combination of energy and acidity – something that should imbue this with a long life. Supple, rounded and very juicy, complexity will follow in time, but that doesn’t detract from how delicious this is now.

Deep nose, tightly wound, pleasingly fresh and lifted, showing a little wildness to the fine dark fruits. Plump and sweet on the palate, very juicy and fragrant, with great acidity and fine grainy tannins. Perhaps a little less complex but super intensity and this should offer delicious drinking early than most.

Wonderfully pure, leading with a creamy, dense nose of classic blue/black Douro fruits, schist dust and resinous herbs, and lavender. The attack offers a gorgeous sweetness, fantastic concentration, great energy, and plenty of freshness, resolving to an elegantly balanced back palate of long pure dark fruit flavours. Vesúvio often has a savoury vein, but this is a touch easier and more charming than the 2022 release.

Deeply intense and complex aromas of pressed flowers, wild herbs – especially fennel, notes of liquorice and coal, and rich plum and dark cherry fruit. The palate too is impressive in terms of intensity and structure, it is hugely complex and shows excellent definition, and like many quality 2023s, the finest tannins.