Taylor's : Late Bottled Vintage 2021

Characteristics and Tasting Tips for Taylor's Late Bottled Vintage 2021

Tasting

Appearance
Taylor's Late Bottled Vintage 2021 reveals a deep ruby-red colour with slightly violet highlights, typical of the house's great fortified red Ports.

Nose
The nose opens with ripe dark fruit aromas, led by blackberry and blackcurrant, accompanied by notes of cocoa, dark chocolate and sweet spices, at times enhanced by a subtle smoky touch.

Palate
The palate is rich and velvety, carried by a generous sweetness perfectly balanced by lively acidity and tannins already softened by extended ageing in wood. The long, harmonious finish prolongs the flavours of dark fruit, cocoa and spice.

Food and Wine Pairings
This Port pairs ideally with a chocolate fondant, fresh red or dark berries such as blueberries, and blue-veined cheeses, whose aromatic power elegantly echoes the richness of the wine.

Serving and Cellaring
Taylor's Late Bottled Vintage 2021 does not require decanting and can be served straight away, at a temperature of around 16 to 18°C. Once opened, it keeps for several weeks without losing its quality, so it can be enjoyed by the glass whenever the mood takes you, without any particular serving constraints.

A Douro Port with Velvety Generosity from Taylor's

The Estate
Officially founded in 1838 under the name Taylor, Fladgate & Yeatman, Taylor's is one of the oldest houses in the Douro, a wine region within the Duriense in Portugal. Still family-owned and independent, it is now led by Adrian Bridge, head of The Fladgate Partnership. A pioneer of the Late Bottled Vintage style, which it created in 1970, Taylor's draws on quintas ranked among the finest in the Douro and on a strong commitment to sustainable viticulture.

The Vineyard
The grapes for this Port come from the Douro's finest terroirs, on poor schist soils arranged in narrow terraces and farmed according to a sustainable viticulture model, without irrigation. Located within the delimited area of the Porto appellation, the vineyard benefits from careful management of cover crops and a high planting density, which favour the natural expression of the Douro's native grape varieties.

Winemaking and Ageing
After a partial fermentation, the must is fortified with the addition of neutral grape spirit, which fixes the alcohol level while preserving a significant proportion of residual sugar. The Late Bottled Vintage 2021 is then aged for several years in large oak vats, for the usual four to six years characteristic of this style, before being bottled, making it ready to enjoy without any need for further cellaring.

Grape Varieties
This Port is made from the traditional grape varieties of the Douro, mainly Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca and Tinta Roriz, sometimes complemented by Tinta Barroca, which together contribute structure, fruit and aromatic complexity.