Single quinta no second to classic vintage

The discovery of a 46 year-old single quinta Port in near-perfect condition proved the value, quality and age worthiness of this fortified wine style.

An extremely rare bottle of Taylor’s Quinta de Vargellas 1965 was found by Tate head sommelier Hamish Anderson in a UK cellar beneath an Elizabethan country house, which was owned by a friend.

Anderson generously shared the Port with Taylor’s UK agent Mentzendorff and the drinks business’ editor Patrick Schmitt in the Tate Britain’s Rex Whistler restaurant last month.

In particular, it was found that the wine looked and tasted significantly younger than its 46 year-old status suggested – a result of both the quality of the wine at bottling, but also the damp, cool and stable conditions of its UK resting place.

Speaking of the single quinta category, commonly viewed as a significant step down in quality compared to classic vintage Port, Andrew Hawes, managing director at Mentzendorff, said: “Are they second wines? Are they for drinking younger? I would question all these assumptions.”

He also commented: “Vargellas is one of the world’s great vineyards, that is incontestable.”

Clarifying the role of single quinta Ports in those years when there is no classic declaration, Hawes added: “Vargellas is capable of delivering a stellar performance when other vineyards haven’t been able to contribute high enough quality to make a classic vintage Taylor’s.”

However, in 1970, both a classic vintage Taylor’s and Quinta de Vargellas were released, although the latter wine was made from a parcel of wines just before they were flooded due to damming of the Douro river for hydro electric power.

“The dam had been made and the river was rising so it was the last opportunity to produce wine from a small parcel of wines, and only one pipe was made,” explained Hawes.

Taylor’s also release a Quinta de Vargellas Vinha Velha in classic declarations, which is made from a very old parcel of wines in the middle of the estate.

“It produces wines of such staggering concentration that they warrant being shown separately, although there is such a tiny amount,” said Hawes.

Quinta de Vargellas is a north-facing bowl shaped vineyard located in a bend on the south bank of the river in the Upper Douro.

Taylor’s was the first Port house to release a single quinta in 1958 and currently sells a proportion of the Ports on release, while holding back the majority for selling after several years ageing in bottle.

For more on Port and the Douro, see the July edition of db.