2022 Vintage and Single Quinta Vintage Ports

I have been rather late in tasting the 2022 Ports, most of which were released earlier in the year. Covid rather got in the way at the end of June, leaving me unable to taste properly for two months. Thankfully I am now back on track and I have manged to taste many of the wines twice or more since the early part of the year, thereby confirming my impressions.

Some background: 2022 was a challenging year in the vineyard, shaped by extreme heat and drought. It began with a very dry winter followed by heavy rain in March. Thereafter the spring and summer were abnormally dry with frequent heatwaves, starting in early June with the so-called ‘queima de Santo António’ (‘Santo Antonio burn’). July 2022 was the hottest since 1931 with nine days over 40°C, the temperature peaking at 47°C in Pinhão on 14 July. Port grapes were being harvested in late August, by which time ‘the vines were looking brown and tired’ in the words of David Guimaraens of the Fladgate Partnership. At the Symington family’s Quinta do Vesúvio grapes were already being trodden on 29 August, the earliest in the history of the estate. The grapes were small but healthy with low acidity levels but very little in the way of raisinisation. Temperatures dropped in early September and vineyards at higher altitudes (350 metres and above) ripened well. Then from the second week of the month it rained on and off for ten days. Early-picked Tinta Roriz and Touriga Nacional showed well but Touriga Franca took longer to ripen. As a result ripening was uneven, with grapes ranging from very ripe to green all at the same time. Consequently there was variation in quality, even within the same quinta. Careful selection was paramount. A handful of shippers opted for a full declaration (namely Niepoort [whose wine I haven’t tasted], Barros, Cálem, Messias and Offley) but for the majority it is a single quinta vintage. Quinta do Vesúvio released two wines, a single quinta vintage and the site-specific Capela do Vesúvio. Where information has been provided I have included background details. The wines are listed in order of scoring.

Quinta do Vesúvio 2022 ****/*****

Tasted twice, once blind: deep, inky and opaque; restrained but already showing heady opulence on the nose with lovely ripe plum and cherry fruit under a veil of dusty tannin; similarly broad, ripe and opulent on the palate with broad, ripe fine-grained tannins which linger on to a well-defined but quite soft, elegant finish. This will be a keeper. Drink from 2035 - 2055 plus. 18.5

Dow, Quinta Senhora da Ribeira 2022 ****

Tasted twice, once blind: very deep, inky and opaque; dense and very slightly soupy on the nose with just a hint of hot country fruit, perhaps just a phase in its evolution; gloriously rich and broad, showing greater purity of fruit on the palate, ripe and fleshy with dense, ripe tannins mid-palate, firming up to finish with a flourish. Good middle to long distance wine: 2032 - 2050 plus. 18

Fonseca Guimaraens 2022 ****

Tasted twice, very deep and opaque in colour; dense but still rather sullen on the nose with underlying ripeness; solid, still raw but expressive on the palate with spicy tannic superstructure, pepper and spice, leading to a big expansive finish with firm, linear tannins, mid-to-heavy weight, great balance, a really lovely wine that will last. Drink from 2032 – 2050 plus. 18

Burmester, Quinta do Arnozelo 2022 ****

Tasted twice, once blind: very deep, opaque and quite dense on the nose with attractive ripe fruit underlying, still quite tight-knit fruit with more to give; well-defined ripe plum and berry fruit, minty ripeness, still a bit raw but with firm tannins rising in the mouth leading to a firm peppery finish. Good purity of fruit and balance; a middle to long distance wine to drink from 2030 - 2050. 17.5

Capela do Vesúvio, 2022 ****

From three plots on Quinta do Vesúvio including, Vinha da Capela which is a field blend from 100-year old vines as well as a portion of 50-year old Touriga Franca, just 460 cases in total. Tasted twice, once blind: deep, opaque; a bit sullen on the nose (not showing as well as the SQVP at this stage), quite dense, perhaps closing in on itself, a touch of graphite and herbal (mint), hedgerow character underlying; fresh and vibrant on the palate with good purity of fruit, firm, dusty tannic structure (reflecting the graphite characater on the nose) leading to a long seamless, linear finish. Very elegant. Drink from 2032 - 2050 plus. 17.5

Graham, Quinta do Tua Vinhas Velhas 2022 ****

A first release from a property that use to belong to Cockburn pre-2006, made from 50 year old mixed vines from westerly facing terraces, just 555 cases in total. Tasted once: very deep in hue, especially for a vinha velha with a dense, dusty-graphite character both on the nose and palate, impressively well-structured and still impenetrable in some ways, yet very elegant too, especially on the finish with very pure berry fruit. Compact, this should age well but it has an old-fashioned feel at this stage. Drink 2035 – 2055 plus. 17.5

Taylor, Sentinel 2022 ****

Tasted twice: the first release of a blend of wines from Taylor’s own quintas in the Pinhão Valley including Terra Feita, Casa Nova, Junco and Eira Velha (as well as new properties in the upper part of the valley; Bragão, Bucheiro, Vedejosa and Arruda), this is effectively a Taylor’s second label vintage: deep opaque, crimson colour; open, fragrant and violety on the nose with lovely soft, ripe fleshy fruit to match, (already a very pure expression of the Pinhão Valley) backed by dusty tannins which rise in the mouth to a good firm finish. Not big but very elegant. This can be enjoyed now if you like young vintage Port but I suggest keeping it for five years more at least. 2030 – 2045 plus. 17.5

Barros 2022 ****

Tasted once, very deep youthful hue with open, slightly lifted berry fruit on the nose, a touch of green pepper; lovely fresh, well defined berry fruit, linear still a touch green and angular on the palate but with lovely balance and a good grippy finish. Needs time to soften: 2035 – 2050. 17

Sandeman, Quinta do Seixo, 2022 ****

Tasted once (blind): deep, opaque; dense on the nose with some hot country fruit evident (just a hint of Bovril), though this may be just a phase; similarly rich and dense in the mouth, lacking in purity of fruit definition at this stage but solidly built with broad ripe tannins and a complete mouth-filling finish, though lacking a little in verve and vitality at this stage. Needs time: 2035 - 2055. 17

Taylor, Quinta de Vargellas 2022 ****

Tasted three times, once blind: deep, opaque, still a bit withdrawn on the nose but underlying well defined spicy-berry fruit; fresh, with good purity of fruit on the palate, firm spicy sinewy tannins rising in the mouth and on to an attractive linear finish. Still a bit raw but a well- balanced, middle-distance wine for drinking from 2032 – 2045 plus. 17

Cálem 2022

Tasted once: deep and opaque with lovely, open, ripe floral aromas, very immediate; firm and grippy on the palate, spicy, slightly green tannins, mid-weight with lovely purity of fruit and a slight green edge returning on the finish. 2032 – 2050. 16.5+?

Kopke, Quinta de São Luíz 2022 ***/****

Tasted twice, once blind: deep, opaque; a bit sullen on the nose at this stage with underlying spicy green hedgerow character and a hint of dark chocolate concentration; quite dense initially on the palate with firm, dusty-grainy tannins mid-palate leading to a fresh, linear finish. Not showing much purity of fruit at this stage but well-balanced and promising. 2030 - 2045. 16.5

Churchill, Quinta da Gricha, 2022 ***/****

Tasted once (blind): deep, opaque; lovely lifted berry fruit aromas and a touch of tar, also a touch floral but more to give; open sweet-spicy berry fruit, not dense, mid-weight with, firm peppery tannins mid-palate and on to a linear finish, which already shows some charm. Good middle distance wine: 2030 - 2045. 16.5

Ferreira, Quinta do Porto, 2022 ***

Tasted once (blind): deep, opaque with baked, hot country fruit and stewed plum aromas, more definition on the palate with broad sweet plummy fruit but still a touch stewed mid-palate with soft, dusty tannins and a rather soupy finish though it does show some verve. Drink Dates: 2030 - 2045. 16

Messias 2022

Tasted once, possibly a poor cask sample: deep and opaque, open but woolly, vegetal and stalky on the nose and on the palate. Seemingly quite dry in style and rather lean and one dimensional in style. No mark.