Sogrape:
- Ferreira,
- Offley,
- Sandeman
2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005
Axel P wrote: ↑15:05 Mon 09 Apr 2018The Symingtons will inform the press today that they are releasing the following Vintage Ports of 2016:
Graham’s
Graham’s, The Stone Terraces
Dow’s
Warre’s
Cockburn’s
Smith Woodhouse
Quinta do Vesuvio and Capela do Vesuvio
Quinta de Roriz
I am sure there is more to arrive soon.
Gould Campbell, RIP. Quarles Harris, RIP. Martinez, RIP.
Gould Campbell - distinctive style, different.Gould Campbell, RIP. Quarles Harris, RIP. Martinez, RIP.
Correct - but bear in mind that blending vintage ports has always had less to do with terroir and more to do with maintaining the distinctive house style through blending stocks from a variety of quintas.Am I right in thinking none of QH, Mz or GC had an associated Quinta? I think that is quite significant. Anything produced under any of these brands would now be "a port wine produced from grapes/wines sourced from various places"
It's quite hard to put the GC style into words, but it tends to be one of the more distinctive and recognisable wines in horizontals. It tends not to come over as a heavy wine, and is quite fragrant. Martinez from the glory days are getting old now, but the wines are still remarkably deep in colour, smooth and very elegant. Two very different port styles.What would be distinctive about say, Martinez versus Gould Campbell in this scenario?
uncle tom wrote: ↑09:10 Mon 16 Apr 2018I agree with your question, but Martinez is actually a Spanish nameMartinez - this was a really great name up until the '60 vintage. After that the company was sold and the brand pauperised. Is there really no place for a Portuguese brand name in the Symington's stable?![]()
Martinez was founded in 1790 by the Spaniard D. Sebastian Gonzales Martinez.
(see http://www.vintageport.se/house/Martinez.php for more information)
OK smartarse - Iberian name then..I agree with your question, but Martinez is actually a Spanish name
Yes agree - but having a Quinta associated, offers another dynamic to the overall story of a brand. The ports from say, Graham, can still take advantage of the opportunity to blend wines for the vintage port. I'd say having Malvedos associated with it far outweighs the tying of the hand for including Malvedos grapes in the product. Indeed isn't that part of the story around house style for Graham?uncle tom wrote: ↑10:15 Mon 16 Apr 2018Correct - but bear in mind that blending vintage ports has always had less to do with terroir and more to do with maintaining the distinctive house style through blending stocks from a variety of quintas.
Single quinta is not inherently better than multi quinta, as it ties the hands of the blender.
I agree these ports had some distinctiveness over the years. But what drove that? They were distinct houses not under the same group, who had distinct winemakers who perhaps tried to deliver the signature style of the house at that time. My assertion is that sustaining that in the absence of a more rounded story about the brand is difficult. Could you have say 15 SFE brands of "ports made from grapes/wines from various sources", all with some nuance to their character, and be able to establish that nuance in the eyes of the consumer? You could have a go, but I would argue that you'd never establish the brand of those ports to justify the effort in trying to do so.uncle tom wrote: ↑10:15 Mon 16 Apr 2018It's quite hard to put the GC style into words, but it tends to be one of the more distinctive and recognisable wines in horizontals. It tends not to come over as a heavy wine, and is quite fragrant. Martinez from the glory days are getting old now, but the wines are still remarkably deep in colour, smooth and very elegant. Two very different port styles.
To be accurate, most VP's don't come from just one Quinta. Even "SQVP's", by law, can have a small amount from other Quinta's and still be called a SQVP.flash_uk wrote: ↑09:58 Mon 16 Apr 2018Am I right in thinking none of QH, Mz or GC had an associated Quinta? I think that is quite significant. Anything produced under any of these brands would now be "a port wine produced from grapes/wines sourced from various places". What would be distinctive about say, Martinez versus Gould Campbell in this scenario? If losing these means scarce investment resources are more focused to drive higher quality elsewhere, maybe no bad thing?
I could also see an argument where thinning out the tail of brands creates a bit more space for newer, innovative producers to find a space (and for us to discover). I get the sense we've seen more new producers in the last 10 years than in the 40 before that, or am I imagining that?
Terroir is only really apparent when people in other parts of the world attempt to copy the port style of wine. The schist adds a minerality that you can't overtly taste in reds, although it makes the Douro white table wines very distinctive.Terrior? Blending expertise? Viniculture?
If you researched the blending history of the 'estateless' names, you would probably find a quinta or two that had almost always contributed to the blend, so if that was a concern, a 'home quinta' could probably be found.A Quinta gives one a story to tell, a place for people to see, a place for people to romanticize about
Krohn has declared to-day as well —