Taylor Fladgate Taylor Fladgate First Estate Reserve Porto NV 750ml

Dusty, perfumed tannins are suspended in a ripe and fruity wine, its damson skin texture given an extra boost by tannins. Very dark, concentrated wine, full of character.

Forward in feel, with warmed blackberry and boysenberry jam flavors laced with singed vanilla bean and mulling spice hints. Delivers a good shot of tobacco at the end. Drink now. 35,200 cases made, 4,000 cases imported

The NV First Estate Reserve Ruby Porto is a blend of typical Douro grapes from Cima Corgo held for four years in used French oak. It comes in with 93 grams per liter of residual sugar. This is produced “to commemorate the firm’s acquisition in 1744 of its first property in the upper Douro Valley, the Casa dos Alambiques at Lugar das Lages.” It’s pretty tight on opening even though it was from a March 2017 bottling (although unless you can read production stamps, that isn’t so easy to determine). Big, dry and rather powerful, this is rather intense on the finish. It shows both classic flavor and fine structure. It is a bit straightforward, though, tending to make its way with power more than any expression of fruit. Still, with its very reasonable price point, this is certainly a good bargain, seeming very much in the “vintage character” style.