Port-box enclosures

[jdaw1]

Some Port boxes have a written enclosure, describing the product, describing conditions, etc.

These enclosures are the sort of thing that geeks should gather. This thread is to hold such enclosures. Please include:
• What box?
• A picture. If possible, scale to be phpbb sized (so ⪅1k pixels across), but make that a link to a higher-resolution image.
• The text — yes, it can be a hassle to type. Nonetheless, it facilitates searching and copy-pasting, so please do.
• Other juicy info.

[jdaw1]

The following is from an OWC of a dozen Warre 2000.

Warre’s Port

2000 Vintage Port Declaration

It is with great pleasure that we announce the declaration of the 2000 Vintage.

The winter months were dry and mild which led to earlier than usual bud burst. However there was a sharp change in the weather in April, with an unprecedented 635 mm of rainfall at our Quinta da Cavadinha. leading to much damage and erosion of paths and terraces. This was nearly 6 times more than the 10-year average of 108mm, and was accompanied by cooler temperatures. Vine growth was significantly affected and flowering was delayed to late May, coinciding with yet further heavy showers which hit Cavadinha between 20th and 23rd May. Consequently flowering was severely prejudiced and any hopes of a large vintage were dashed.

Our policy at Cavadinha and the adjoining Quintas of Alvito and Andorinhas has always been to pick late when we can. This year, the vintage only began at these Quintas on the 2nd October. Although there are obvious risks associated with this, the weather played in our favour, allowing an extra week of sun to concentrate the sugars and flavours. The grapes were therefore perfectly ripe and in very promising condition when picking began.

We knew that a small vintage was at hand, but we had not anticipated quite how small it would be at Cavadinha; we experienced the lowest yields in living memory. The old mixed plantings, with vine ages of between 50 and 55 years, produced an average of only 420g per vine.

This unprecedented low yield was due to the appalling weather during flowering, and without a doubt contributed to the marvellous concentration of the wines produced. The very low bunch weight and the fact that the berries themselves were very small also meant that there was much less juice than usual relative to the amount of skins. Consequently even more extraction of colour and flavours was possible than in other years. Ideal weather during the vintage, with cool nights followed by hot days added the finishing touch to the variety of factors which culminated in a classic year. Our decision to declare was not difficult.

The specific micro-climate at Quinta do Bom Retiro situated in the heart of the Rio Torto valley allowed the vintage to start on the 18th September, earlier than at Cavadinha. Again low yields and the small size of the berries, combined with the fact that all the wine is made by foot treading in granite “lagares”, produced wines of outstanding quality and concentration with typical “Esteva” aromas.

Johnny Symington
Dominic Symington
Oporto, Portugal, April 2002
www.warre.com www.thevintageportsite.com

[jdaw1]

Roriz 2003 = Rr03. The wooden six-box included an A4 information sheet.

QUINTA DE RORIZ 2003 VINTAGE PORT

João van Zeller and the Symington family, who jointly own and manage Quinta de Roriz, are pleased to announce the declaration of the 2003 Vintage from the acclaimed vineyard, widely regarded as one of the Douro’s finest ‘river quintas.’ The property’s remarkable terroir means that most years produce wines of Vintage quality and the 2003 is the second classic ‘declaration’ (the first was the 2000) since the quinta’s co-ownership came into effect in 1999.

The winter of 2002/2003 was characterised by very wet weather, closely resembling the previous three winters, which also brought above-average winter rainfall. The abundant rain meant the prevalent temperatures were mostly quite moderate, in fact the winter was unseasonably warm with the exception of a couple of cold spells in January and February. The arrival of spring brought a continuation of the wet and mild conditions but by the end of April there was an abrupt end to the rain and May and June were very dry and unusually hot. With the exception of some heaven-sent rain at the end of June, the exceptionally dry conditions prevailed through July and August, during which some of the hottest temperatures in living memory were recorded in Portugal, and indeed throughout Europe.

Although exceptionally hot, however, such conditions are not uncommon in the Douro and the accumulated ground water reserves, combined with occasional refreshing showers, created excellent conditions during the critical ripening period through August and into September, right up until the start of the vintage which began at Roriz on the 15^th. The grapes reached the winery in superb condition, registering average Baumés of 13.5°. Fortunately, all the required grapes had been picked before the weather broke, bringing generous downpours from September 30^th. Charles Symington who heads the winemaking team at Roriz, wrote in his vintage report, “When the vintage finished at Roriz in early October it was deeply satisfying to have harvested such an excellent vintage before the rains began, it was also particularly pleasing to have had conditions for ripening so perfectly a vintage…”

All the wine destined for the Quinta de Roriz 2003 Vintage lot was made in the property’s 7 granite ‘lagares’, trodden by foot in the traditional manner, which continues to produce such excellent results. A sizeable team of treaders, numbering up to 45 people at times, ensured the lagares were thoroughly ‘worked’, an average of over 150 man-hours being put into each lagar.

The principal components of the Quinta de Roriz 2003 Vintage were drawn from the old mixed vines, the Touriga Nacional and the Tinta Roriz, all of these showing impressive concentration and deep purple-black colour in the lagares. Significant contributions were also made by the Tinta Barroca and the Sousão, the latter having been somewhat overshadowed in the Douro although it continues to thrive at Roriz. It offers an extra dimension to the Quinta’s Vintage Ports, contributing great complexity, concentration and tannic structure.

The equivalent of 1,500 cases of the Quinta’s finest production will be bottled as Vintage Port during the spring of 2005. The 2003 holds great promise and has all the makings of a classic.

Oporto, April 2005

Quinta de Roriz was the first Douro vineyard to produce und sell wines under its own name. Over 180 years ago Roriz had already gained international recognition for the quality of its wines. In 1828, Roriz Ports were already fetching the highest prices at Landon auctions. Situated in the heart of the finest vineyard area, Roriz is amongst the most beautiful properties in the Douro. The wine produced on the Quinta reflects the unique soil composition and is made in the traditional stone Lagares. All the wine produced on the Quinta is of outstanding quality, however less than one fourth. the very best, is selected to be bottled as Quinta de Roriz Vintage Port.

In a region famed for its beautiful vineyards, one property stands alone: Quinta de Roriz. Situated in a natural amphitheatre, surrounded by its own hills and 3 kilometres of the unspoilt Douro River, Roriz produces some of the finest Vintage Ports of all.