Fladgate Partnership declares 2017 vintage

The Fladgate Partnership has joined with many of its fellow Port producers in declaring a 2017 vintage across all of its properties.

Holding off its declaration to the traditional St George’s Day date, Fladgate said that Taylor’s, Fonseca, Croft and Krohn had all declared and two old vine bottlings would also be produced – Vargellas Vinha Velha and ‘Serikos’ a new Port from a pre-phylloxera plot at Quinta da Roêda.

The Fladgate Partnership’s managing director, Adrian Bridge, commented: “After the long interval that followed the 2011 Vintage release, we are delighted that the highly acclaimed 2016s are now followed by the superb 2017s.

“All our houses and their properties have produced exceptional wines, with impressive density, depth and aromatic potential.”

He added: “It is clear that 2017 was a stunning year for the old vineyards. In addition to a Vargellas Vinha Velha release, we are very excited to be launching Serikos, a Vintage Port from the oldest vines of Croft’s Quinta da Roêda.”

The group’s technical director and head winemaker, David Guimaraens, echoed the notes of many of his counterparts at other companies when talking of the growing conditions and wine quality.

He said: “We will remember 2017 for the very dry conditions throughout the growing and ripening seasons and the very early harvest. August was not excessively hot and, although the wines were concentrated by the dry conditions and low yields, they were also beautifully balanced. The start of the harvest was the earliest in a generation. The last time picking started this early was in the legendary vintage of 1945.”

“The thick skinned, perfectly ripened grapes have produced dense, firmly structured wines, with impressive depth and reserves of aroma. Many of the wines display an attractive minerality which brings a touch of elegance and restraint to the powerful fruit.”