St George’s Day, 23rd April, is when The Fladgate Partnership traditionally announces whether they will make a new Vintage Port release.

 

Revealing this year’s decision, Managing Director, Adrian Bridge said: “I am delighted to say that we will be releasing two Vintage Ports from 2022, making a limited bottling of both the 2022 Taylor’s Quinta de Vargellas and the 2022 Fonseca Guimaraens Vintage Ports.

 

Bridge continues: “The 2022 vintage ports are the result of a very dry and hot growing season which was broken by some very welcome rain at the beginning of harvest. The unique character of the Quinta de Vargellas vineyard is clearly expressed in the 2022 wines, and we therefore considered it appropriate to bottle this year as a single quinta vintage. As for the Fonseca Guimaraens 2022, this is showing the characteristic aromatic opulence and voluptuous ripe black fruit character, that are the hallmarks of the Guimaraens vintage style.”

 

David Guimaraens, The Fladgate Partnership’s Head Winemaker, added: “2022 will stand out for being a remarkably dry year with a series of heatwaves. However, the effects of the drought were offset by a wet March and by rain in early September, with perfect picking conditions at harvest.  It will also be remembered for the year that we were able to reintroduce our foot treading, which due to COVID had not happened for the previous two vintages.

 

Guimaraens continues: “The crop at Taylor’s, Quinta de Vargellas estate was one of the healthiest we have seen for years, and the Ports made on the Fonseca estates were outstanding, allowing us to produce a very fine Guimaraens vintage blend, full bodied and packed with dense berry fruit flavour. A true time capsule of the year.”

 

Taylor’s Quinta de Vargellas and Fonseca Guimaraens Vintage Ports are made in certain years when a classic Vintage is not declared. Quinta de Vargellas is pre-eminent among the wine estates of the Douro and these Single Quinta Ports from Taylor’s are remarkable for their complex fruit, their distinctive scented quality and their well-integrated sinewy tannins.

 

The Fonseca Guimaraens Ports are blended from the best produce of the firm’s Pinhão Valley estates, Cruzeiro and Santo António, and Fonseca’s flagship property, Quinta do Panascal, on the right bank of the Távora.

 

Both wines are approachable and beautiful when enjoyed young, but also have the depth and stamina to mature in bottle and will age superbly in the cellar for many years to come.

 

The Taylor’s Quinta de Vargellas Vintage 2022 and the Fonseca Guimaraens Vintage 2022 will be released later in the year.