Day 3 – Tuesday

After breakfast, we headed down to the São Bento Train Station and boarded the narrow-gauge train for our trip up to the Douro Valley. The train ride is always spectacular, as the tracks hug the curves of the historic Douro River and you can see the urban landscape quickly give way to a rugged, rocky terroir where Port wines are made.

Around noon, we arrived at one of my spiritual meccas in the Douro – Quinta do Vesuvio.

Quinta do Vesuvio

I am not sure that I could ever fully explain my connection to Vesuvio. It is a place steeped in history and was the property of the previously-mentioned Dona Antónia Adelaide Ferreira – the Godmother of The Douro. Historical records mention Vesuvio as early as 1565, and it remained in family hands until it was sold to Symington Family Estates in 1989.

On my very first trip to Portugal in 2006, we visited Vesuvio and participated in a tasting of all of the Vintage Ports they had produced since the Symington’s acquired the property. The vintages ranged from 1989-2004, with only 1993 and 2002 missing, as they didn’t produce a Vintage Port at the Quinta in those years. As we tasting through the Ports, I arrived at the 1994 Vintage Port, took one sip, and the lights went on for me. That was the first Vintage Port that I ever fell in love with, and I think will always remain a sentimental favorite of mine.

Dominic Symington now has responsibility for managing Vesuvio, so it was our pleasure to have him there to welcome us and to act as the host for our afternoon tasting on the veranda of the Quinta.

2015 Altano Douro White, N/R

2014 Pombal do Vesuvio Douro Red, N/R

Graham’s 20 Year Old Tawny, N/R

After lunch, Dominic gave us a tour of the facilities, including the lagars where freshly picked grapes were slowing turning into the Vesuvio 2016 Vintage Port wine. Link many of the traditional Port wine producers, Vesuvio uses granite “lagars” or basins, where they foot trod and ferment their wines.

After the tour of the production facilities, I had the opportunity to grab a quick photo with Dominic and Roy in the lagar where I treaded grapes for the very first time ten years earlier.

After my photo op, we adjourned to the dining room where Dominic led us through an amazing tasting of Vesuvio wines.

1991 Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port – From a very wet winter and hot summer. Semi-opaque. Slight cloudy. Amber in color. Eucalyptus on the nose with some floral notes. Austere fruit, with red notes and some spirit on the palate. 90 points. 9/20/2016

1994 Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port – Dark purple amber in color. Opaque middle with some lightening at the edges. Some tar and violets on the nose. Incredibly concentrated with an intense mouthfeel of black currants. Very long, unctuous finish with noticeable tannins and intensity. Will be in this shape for probably another 10 years, and will go much, much longer. 95 points. 9/20/2016

1996 Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port – Mostly opaque. Dark ruby-purple in color. Violets with some earthy spice on the nose. Expansive mouthfeel with blackberry and black cassis on the palate. Balanced tannins on the midpalate and very long finish. 94 points. 9/20/2016

2001 Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port – One of the wettest years they had in many years. The wine is in a shutdown phase right now. You have to work to get some aromatics. Elegant, but lacks the richness that I would expect from this VP. Clearly it is in its “dumb phase.” 90 points. 9/20/2016

2003 Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port – Very hot year. Dark purple in color with clearing on the edges. Some light aromas of red fruit on the nose. Well-balanced fruit and tannins on the long, balanced finish. 92 points. 9/20/2016

2006 Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port – Impenetrable dark violet in color. Pine and black fruit notes on the nose. Extremely well-balanced, long finish. An outstanding wine with current drinkability and a long future ahead of it. 95 points. 9/20/2016

2009 Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port – Dark purple in color. Some red fruit notes (raspberry and strawberry) on the palate. Extremely balanced and drinkable now, with pleasant spirit, tannins and fruit. 91 points. 9/20/2016

2011 Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port – Impenetrable purple in color. Tight nose, with some mint peeking through the red fruit. Dried fruits, pronounced tannins on the palate. Very long finish with firm tannins. 92 points. 9/20/2016

Vintage House Hotel Restaurant

After we finished the tasting and said goodbye to Dominic, we headed out for dinner at the historic, and newly renovated Vintage House Hotel in the heart of Pinhão. The hotel, which was previously owned by The Taylor Fladgate Partnership, sold, then reacquired by Taylor in 2015 had just gone through some extensive renovations.

We had dinner in the Vintage House Restaurant and tasted through a number of wines from the producer Vasques de Carvalho.

Vasques de Carvalho Special Reserve White Port – Golden amber in color. Fresh orange slices on a subdued (chilled) nose. Very unctuous with orange marmalade and some woody notes. 20 years old. Very unctuous mouthfeel and bright acidity on the very long finish. 93 points. 9/20/2016

2012 Vasques de Carvalho Bardos Douro Red, N/R

2015 Vasques de Carvalho Oxum Douro White, N/R

2014 Vasques de Carvalho Oxum Rose, N/R

2013 Vasques de Carvalho Velhos Bardos Reserva Douro Red, N/R

2013 Vasques de Carvalho Vintage Port – Dark purple in color. Violets and black fruits on the nose. Intense red fruit on the palate. Intense tannins that recede nicely on the mid-palate and finish. 92 points. 9/20/2016

Vasques de Carvalho 40 Year Old Tawny Port – Golden brown in color. Deep, dusty mahogany and cedar on the nose with some underlying vanilla. Unctuous, dusty notes with some orange peel and some caramel on the finish. 93 points. 9/20/2016