I thought that I'd dig out some notes from a Quinta de Vargellas 2005-1967 vertical conducted by Adrian Bridge, Managing Director of Taylor’s, at The Royal Opera House in London, to commemorate the release of the 2005 Quinta de Vargellas a few years ago.
Located in an extremely remote location in the eastern-most Port-producing zone of the Douro Superior, Quinta de Vargellas became accessible by road only in the early 1970s, with no electricity until 1972.
Previously part owned by the Ferreira family, Vargellas was acquired by Taylor’s in 1893, when Phylloxera was ravaging the Douro Valley. At this time, the Quinta was capable of producing just six 550-litre pipes of Port. Today, it typically yields 245 pipes (134,800 litres/179,733 bottles). The north-facing vineyard comprises 25% Touriga Nacional, 25% Touriga Francesa, and 22% Tinta Roriz, with the rest planted to Tinta Cao, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Amarela, Rufete, and other varieties.
Vargellas is cheek by jowl with the River Douro and ripens up to two weeks earlier than cooler vineyards high up in the surrounding hills. On average, Vargellas is 2 degrees warmer across the year on average than Taylor’s other vineyard at Terra Feita.
In declared years, wine from Vargellas forms a major part of Taylor’s vintage blend, but it is bottled as a Single Quinta in those years when a bona fide Taylor’s Vintage is not declared. ‘A classic vintage has perfect conditions, and we make a blend from our two properties to produce a more long-lived wine…In other years, when it is very good but the wine won’t be as long-lived, we make a single Quinta wine,’ explained Bridge. With the launch of its Quinta de Vargellas 1958, Taylor’s was the first Port house to release a single Quinta Vintage Port.
In the winery, Vargellas is treated exactly the same as a Vintage Port, but is aged in bottle at the Quinta for several years before release.
Some years ago, the humorist Willie Rushton drew a cartoon of bowler-hatted Englishmen crammed onto the tiny railway platform at the remote Vargellas station in the Douro Valley. The caption read, ‘The last outpost of the British Empire.’ Rushton also wrote a poem in the Quinta’s visitors’ book (which all guests must do):
I could sing out your praises, ’til ill,
Of the Rusty. I’ve had more than my fill
At Vargellas. Oh, blast!
You go downhill so fast
And the bloody walk back’s all uphill.
Taylor's report on the 1995 vintage says, "An unseasonably hot spring resulted in early budding and by mid-April the vines were showing good growth. Conditions for flowering in May were near perfect and once the flowers had set it was obvious that the crop would be larger than usual. A cool early summer was followed by very high temperatures in August. Rain fell on 5th and 7th September and this brought on the grapes to their final ripeness. Picking started at Quinta de Vargellas on 13th September, a week later than most of the region. Conditions were perfect and the highest sugar readings in years were recorded; yields were also high. Due to the cool temperatures the fermentation periods were longer than usual ensuring a great extraction of fruit, flavour and colour."
Quinta de Vargellas was also made in 1988 and 1991 but not shown here. Deep ruby purple, opaque at the core, and very viscous. Not much on the nose…Hibernating at the moment. After 90 minutes in the glass, it started to hint at meat and soy – very weird, and not all that appealing. Less brooding on the palate, though, and more open and generous. Sweet and juicy, with plenty of young fruit, finely textured tannins, and warming length. Just starting to become approachable, though the nose will not unfurl for several years yet.