2011 Extended Vintage Review

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Alex Bridgeman
Graham’s 1948
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2011 Extended Vintage Review

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

The 2011 vintage is remarkable. There is a consistent purity to the fruit, with the fruit coming in two forms - sweet, ripe and lush or sharp acidic and focused. The sweet ports often come with powerful tannins that promise a long life but are so sweet and fruity that they are surprisingly easy to drink today. In this respect they remind me of the 1994 vintage when that was first released. The ports with fruit that is acidic and sour should also have a long life, supported by the acidity that provides a searing focus, almost as you might experience in an aged Madeira.

One or two of the ports tasted had massively over-ripe fruit on the nose, some even going so far as to smell of cheese. Despite the odd smell, these ports provided palates of lovely sweet fruit.

2011 seems to be a vintage where anything that you can buy will reward your purchase. It is a small but fabulous vintage and one which you, your children and your grand-children will enjoy time after time. Potentially it could be the best vintage of a generation.


All of the ports tasted below were tasted blind, in flights of 5, with each flight tasted on 4 successive days, with the wines in each flight tasted in random order on each day. Tasting over an extended period of 4 days allowed the wines to open up and reveal more of their structure, tannins and acidity - or shut down and collapse as has been seen in previous vintages! Independent tasting notes were taken each day and finally a single distilled summarised note was prepared from the 4 independent notes. This is what you see below and should be much more representative of the port’s quality than seen from a single snap-shop tasting. Many of the big producers performed extremely well, but when tasting notes were matched to producers there was one producer that I was astonished to see right up at the top of the quality stakes. Sadly there were no samples available of Graham Stone Terraces or Capela for this extended tasting.
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A quick summary of scores might also be of use to those looking to understand how scores match up against perceived quality:
<79 - wines whose quality means that other wines should be preferred
80-84 - good wines whose quality means these are perfect everyday wines at the right price
85-89 - very good wines which will bring considerable pleasure when drunk
90-94 - special wines that are of top quality
95-99 - extraordinary wines that will only be encountered on rare occasions
100 - an exceptional and perfect wine, something very special indeed


Barros
Stewed fruit on the nose, crushed leaves adding an herbaceous twist. Gentle fruit with a powerful acidity. Lighter in texture than many and with gentle tannins. 88-90.

Burmester
Nose takes a while to show, but after a day or two is full of sharp, fresh-crushed blackcurrants. Balanced on entry, bringing plenty of aromatic fruit and a powerful acidity. A lovely purity to the fruit, which hides the modest tannins. The aftertaste is dominated by the acidity and it is the generous levels of acidity that should provide the support to this port as it ages. 94-96.

Calem
Sweet brambles and sharp blackcurrants on the nose and a lovely mineral edge. Dense and sweet fruit and a big tannic core; air releases a lovely perfume. Good dry finish. An elegant wine; an early maturer. 88-90.

Churchill
One of a handful of ports that have a distinctive nose of super-ripe melons, almost a cheese like smell. The over-ripe melon also features on the palate. Strong dry tannins give good support and accompany some higher alcohol aromatics. Some good acidity shows on the aftertaste before a long finish of chalk and blackcurrants. Unfortunately I find the super-ripeness unexpected and off-putting. 84-86.

Cockburn
The initially dirty nose, cleans up with a couple of days to become attractive and perfumed. Satin smooth entry brings aromatic fruit and cigar ash tannins which are firm and in balance. Lovely sweet blueberry aftertaste and a long, gentle fruit driven finish. A very fine, elegant port in a harmonious and elegant style. 92-94.

Croft
Pronounced fragrant fruity nose which developed more complexity over a few days. Plenty of fruit on the palate, backed up by firm tannins and a lovely structure. Develops a big palate presence with more air, with lots of floral nuances. Big, grippy aftertaste and a long finish. This is great port. 95-97.

Dalva
Delicate fruit nose, with plenty of sour berries. Light to medium-bodied with a sharp edge and bitter espresso tannins with the fruit having an attractive perfume on the late palate. Light honey aftertaste and a soft, dry finish. An early drinking elegant port. 84-86.

Dow
Sweet buised plums and ripe bramble fruit on the nose, which takes a couple of days to develop fully. Arrives beautifully on the palate, with perfect synchonisation between the ripe fruit and punchy tannins. Some heat on the aftertaste then a huge, tannin and fruit aftertaste of considerable length. A long term port, powerful and impressive. 94-96

Duorum
Muted nose, showing some minted fruit. Restrained at first on the palate, but powerful acidity and tannins dominate over the delicate and perfumed fruit. The black chocolate tannins continue to dominate the aftertaste and finish. Rather a blackstrap style of a port that should be long-lived; combining power and balance well. 92-94

Ferreira
A nose which changes significantly over a few days, morphing from being full of really ripe melon to an earthy mineral scent. Thick texture, sweet impact with generous earthy fruit and very dry tannins. Very dry cocoa finish of good length. This is punishingly tannic today and will not be an early drinker! 91-93.

Fonseca
Very subdued nose that comes with a minty or metallic undertone. Violets on the entry, accompanying sweet, ripe fruit; lovely texture with great fruit, tannins and acidity - the fruit coming with a lovely purity. Fruit driven aftertaste and a finish of dry, soft tannin. A complete port in an elegant style, very refined. Took a couple of days to get into its stride, but was well worth the wait. 92-94.

Graham
Modest nose, taking several days to make a proper appearance when it mixed lavender and morello cherries. Velvety texture, full of ripe, lush fruit that is wrapped around powerful iron tannins. A huge aftertaste and a massive finish. This is an immense, complete port with a long life ahead of it. 97-99.

Kopke
Black licorice and blackcurrants on the nose, mixing fuit with spice in an attractive manner. A little subdued on entry with the fruit arriving after the fierce acidity. The finish is built around sour cherry fruit. Probably a long lived port given the levels of apparent dominating fruit acidity. 87-89.

Niepoort
Menthol and mint on a nose full of sweet bramble. Lots of acidity dominates the palate at first, but time allows sweet fruit to come through and the tannins to show. Very long finish full of dry tannins. Mid maturing port. 91-93.

Niepoort Bioma
Tart blackcurrant and cranberries on the modest nose. Silky texture on the smooth and fruity entry. Lovely fruit with a lovely elegance with high levels of acidity in support. Tannins grip and dominate the aftertaste and finish. Elegant and austere. 90-92.

Offley Boa Vista
Nose slightly odd - at first full of applemint and freesias but this deteriorates over the course of 3-4 days to become resinous and unattractive. At first big and balanced on the palate but with more time the tannins become very dry and dominating, promising a long life ahead. Most certainly not intended to be an early drinker this port is one of the most tanninc of the 2011 vintage and packs a real punch. 93-95.

Quevedo
Distinct tone of petrol on the nose, almost like an old German Riesling! Fruit is slow to arrive on the palate, but is sweet and wrapped in powerful tannins but there are some pear drops that could indicate a slight VA. Dry tannins dominate the long finish. A mid-weight, mid-term port. 89-91.

Quinta da Romaneira
A bit subdued on the nose, but with attractive, earthy redcurrant and cranberry. The redcurrants show on entry, concentrated and ripe. Early on the fruit shows some greeness, but this adds to the interest rather than detracts. Plenty of acidity and the reluctant tannins are round and relaxed. Sweet fruit and mild pepperiness on the sweet finish. Delightfully balanced. Possibly a little light? 90-92.

Quinta da Senhora do Convento
Very herbaceous nose, bringing crushed endives and salad leaves along with the fruit. Time blew off some excess sulphur to revewal beautiful pure fruit on the palate in a satin smooth body. The tannins are huge but superbly ripe to give a massive palate presence. The aftertaste is an incredibly complex explosion of fruit salad and leads to an immense and complex finish. This is a stunning port and one of the absolute stars of the vintage. 97-99.

Quinta de la Rosa
Attractive nose, with sweet raspberries and turkish delight. Smooth entry with a nice texture. Sweet, ripe fruit spreads over the palate before the massive dry tannins arrive in force bringing a good balance and matching elegance and power. Terrific fruit aftertaste and a long chewy, licorice root finish. 93-95.

Quinta de Vale da Dona Maria
Nose initially sweet, but later shows stong grapefruit acidity. Soft textured, sweet fruit with a lovely perfume component, vigorous tannins but the fruit always dominates. Fabulous aromatics on the aftertaste and a very long and powerful tannin domianted finish. A very impressive powerhouse of a port that is likely to live a long time. 94-96.

Quinta do Noval
Muted nose, showing only a little red pepper. Ripe fruit on the palate, nicely rounded before a wave of powerful tannins arrive and grab the attention. There is a lovely purity to the fruit with some truffle complexity. The finish is good, fruity and full of dark chocolate. A good port, but lacking some of the depth of the star ports from this vintage. 92-94.

Quinta do Noval Nacional
Pure purple in colour. Lovely ripe nose, full of flower perfumes. Beautiful balance and elegance on the palate with sweet fruit and a powerful acidity. A long finish combining perfectly elegance and power. This is a very fine port. 97-99.

Quinta do Portal
Massively over-ripe fruit on the nose, almost blue cheese-like in its intensity. The fruit on the palate is rich, sweet and lush. Some pear and bananna with powerful tannins. Sweet fruit on the aftertaste and a great length finish of dark chocolate. 90-92.

Ramos Pinto
Lightly tainted by TCA - would be unfair to comment.

Roriz
Nose is smokey and earthy, lots of white currants and dried sage. Silky texture on entry, sweet and ripe fruit. The tannins are gentle, and dry and provide focus to the mid-palate. Long sweet, fruity finish. Perhaps lacking a little acidity for perfection, nevertheless this is fine and elegant. 90-92.

Sandeman
Another port with a hint of petrol on the nose, but this one full of minerals and schist mixed in with the sour cherries. Silky texture with a great balance. A touch austere with huge tannins that grab the mouth and don't let go until the end of a cheek punishing finish of unbelievable length that has a slight greeness to it. A very long lived port. 92-94.

Skeffington
Nose shows fresh and focused blackcurrants at first, but these fade quickly over a few days. Ripe fruit, sweet and with a lovely balance and soft structure; some delightful floral elements appear on the late palate. The rich aftertaste shows the tannins on the fine fruity finish. 91-93.

Smith Woodhouse
Faint on the nose, a little minty fruit. Wonderful texture on the palate, very smooth and luscious. The fruit arrives before the tannins with most of the structure coming from the acidity. The aftertaste is long and cedary. Nicely balanced port. 90-92.

Taylor
Golden syrup and black cherries dominate the nose. Lovely entry with round, mouthfilling tannins and pure fruit. Big mid-palate with lots of sour fruit. Lovely sour cherry and chocolate finish. Great fruit and good elegance, but slightly acidic. 93-95.

Vargellas Vinha Velha
Marzipan and dusty damsons on the nose. Pure fruit, initially lightweight, grows quickly with gentle tannins that gradually grip become dominant and very powerful. Long and dry fruity finish with plenty of tannins. Big and impressively balanced. 94-96.

Vesuvio
Well developed nose, full of sweet lush brambles and a lovely herbaceousness. Lush fruit on the palate, ripe and rich. Smooth and silky texture, wonderful balance and tremendous development of one flavour after another. The balance and complexity hold into the finish and the huge length. A powerful blockbuster of a port in perfect harmony. 96-98.

Warre
Gentle aromatics show on the nose that was at its best on day 3. Satin smooth entry, with powerful mid-palate acidity that swamps the pure and clean fruit and dry tannins. The aftertaste is eye watering in its acidic intensity before a huge complex finish of tremendous length. 92-94.
Last edited by Alex Bridgeman on 08:40 Fri 05 Jul 2013, edited 1 time in total.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
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jdaw1
Cockburn 1851
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Re: 2011 Extended Vintage Review

Post by jdaw1 »

And, sorted by score:
  • N.R. Ramos Pinto

    84-86 Churchill
    84-86 Dalva

    87-89 Kopke

    88-90 Barros
    88-90 Calem

    89-91 Quevedo

    90-92 Niepoort Bioma
    90-92 Quinta da Romaneira
    90-92 Quinta do Portal
    90-92 Roriz
    90-92 Smith Woodhouse

    91-93 Ferreira
    91-93 Niepoort
    91-93 Skeffington

    92-94 Cockburn
    92-94 Duorum
    92-94 Fonseca
    92-94 Quinta do Noval
    92-94 Sandeman
    92-94 Warre

    93-95 Offley Boa Vista
    93-95 Quinta de la Rosa
    93-95 Taylor

    94-96 Burmester
    94-96 Dow
    94-96 Quinta de Vale da Dona Maria
    94-96 Vargellas Vinha Velha

    95-97 Croft

    96-98 Vesuvio

    97-99 Graham
    97-99 Quinta da Senhora do Convento
    97-99 Quinta do Noval Nacional
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g-man
Quinta do Vesuvio 1994
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Re: 2011 Extended Vintage Review

Post by g-man »

interesting on the Croft and Quevedo.

I thought the croft was a very poor showing actually. Completely disjointed.

The VA on the quevedo is equally surprising. Can you drop oscar a note and tell him that?
Disclosure: Distributor of Quevedo wines and Quinta do Gomariz
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Alex Bridgeman
Graham’s 1948
Posts: 14879
Joined: 13:41 Mon 25 Jun 2007
Location: Berkshire, UK

Re: 2011 Extended Vintage Review

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

g-man wrote:interesting on the Croft and Quevedo.

I thought the croft was a very poor showing actually. Completely disjointed.

The VA on the quevedo is equally surprising. Can you drop oscar a note and tell him that?
Will do.

I agree that the Croft started as disjointed but it really pulled itself together over the four days to deliver a really impressive showing.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
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Axel P
Taylor Quinta de Vargellas 1987
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Re: 2011 Extended Vintage Review

Post by Axel P »

When talking to a couple of producers over the last days and weeks some have told me that they physically changed their Vintage Ports from April to now, meaning that the Tasting Notes from the BFT and late tastings can and even should be different.

Axel
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Alex Bridgeman
Graham’s 1948
Posts: 14879
Joined: 13:41 Mon 25 Jun 2007
Location: Berkshire, UK

Re: 2011 Extended Vintage Review

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

Axel P wrote:When talking to a couple of producers over the last days and weeks some have told me that they physically changed their Vintage Ports from April to now, meaning that the Tasting Notes from the BFT and late tastings can and even should be different.

Axel
I wonder if that means the producer needs to resubmit a sample of the new blend? That could explain the delay between the initial samples being available, orders being taken, and then the long gap before bottles are filled and shipped.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
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Alex Bridgeman
Graham’s 1948
Posts: 14879
Joined: 13:41 Mon 25 Jun 2007
Location: Berkshire, UK

Re: 2011 Extended Vintage Review

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

After publishing the first post in this thread, a number of producers sent me some more bottles to taste and review including Ramos Pinto (the orginal bottle was corked) and Quevedo (the original bottle didn't show as well as expected).

The additional producers are:
Quevedo
Pintas
Quinta do Infantado
Barao de Vilar
Maynard
Feuerheerd
Quinta Vale Meao
Ramos Pinto
Quinta do Sagrado
Quinta do Passadouro
Quinta Dona Matilde (which was corked)

Nothing here really changed my view that the 2011 vintage is something quite special.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
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Alex Bridgeman
Graham’s 1948
Posts: 14879
Joined: 13:41 Mon 25 Jun 2007
Location: Berkshire, UK

Re: 2011 Extended Vintage Review

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

The 2014 Big Fortified Tasting gave me a chance to try or retry another 10 of the ports from the 2011 vintage. Dalva - which previously I was not impressed by - showed very well indeed. Ferreira, Offley, Passadouro, Pintas, de la Rosa and Sandeman were consistent with my view last year. Pocas Junior, Rozes and Sandeman Vau were tasted for the first time.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
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