Well, I declare!
The Fladgate Partnership has declared a focused 2024 Vintage Port release across the Taylor's, Fonseca, and Croft houses. The first since 2018 for Taylor's, and the first since 2017 for both Fonseca and Croft. Keep reading to find out more about these fabluous wines from those in the Port trade who really are "in the know".
The 2024 release follows a warm growing season balanced by cooler harvest conditions, with the houses highlighting freshness, complexity, fine tannin, and acidity across the vintage.
Taylor's Vintage 2024 is a classic declaration from one of the benchmark Vintage Port houses. The release is notably small, with the house emphasising elegance, poise, firm structure, and a powerful core of dark fruit that should evolve slowly in cellar. The blend draws on Taylor's key Douro properties, including Quinta de Vargellas, Quinta de Terra Feita, and Quinta do Junco.
“I am pleased to announce our decision to dedare the Taylor's 2024 Vintage release. This is the smallest ever release from Taylor's. It has been 6 years since we dedared a classic Vintage Port for Taylor’s and I am very excited about the exceptional quality. In keeping with the house style, the Taylor's Vintage 2024 is showing great elegance and poise, firm strudure and a powerful complex core of flavours that is very enjoyable now but will change and evolve in the cellar, as necessary.”
Adrian Bridge, Managing Director, Taylor Fladgate
“A year with a warm growth period, supported by good water reserves in the soil and balanced by a cooler harvest, has created exceptional wines from our vineyards in the traditional granite largares including those at Quinta de Vargellas. The continued practice of foot treading and co-fermentation have had a significant impact on the house styles remaining unchanged but gaining more intensity. From a small harvest the resulting Vintage Ports show incredible freshness, complexity and a wonderful sense of balance.”
David Guimaraens, Head Winemaker, Taylor Fladgate
2024 Taylor's Vintage Port Tasting Note:
"Opaque purple black colour with a fine amethyst meniscus. Characteristically styish and racy, with a nose of dense blackcurrant and woodland fruit, overlaid with delicate herbal nuances and scents of rose petals and violets. The Taylor elegance and understatement conceal the wine's energy and vigour. On the palate, lean, tightly knit, sinewy tannins, beautifully balanced with vibrant and delineated fruit flavours and herbal notes, produce a stylish wine with the unmistakable Taylor combination of stamina and refinement." Drink 2035-2065
Taylor's Sentinels Vintage 2024 focuses on the Pinhao Valley and draws on estates including Terra Feita, Junco, Casa Nova, and Eira Velha. Traditional Douro field blends including Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Francesa, and Tinta Cao grape varieties.
“I am delighted to announce our decision to release the Taylor's Sentinels 2024 Vintage release. This is only the third time this wine has been bottled, underscoring once again our commitment to producing exceptional Ports that credit the legacy of our historic estates in the Pinhao Valley.”
Adrian Bridge, Managing Director, Taylor Fladgate
"The Taylor’s Sentinels 2024 lays testament to the unique terroir of the Pinhao Valley, resulting in a Vintage Port that is rich, deep, and complex with very generous fruit.”
David Guimaraens, Head Winemaker, Taylor Fladgate
2024 Taylor's Sentinels Vintage Port Tasting Note:
"Deep obsidian purple core with a narrow mulberry rim. The nose bursts with powerful woodland fruit, layered with rich blackcurrant, dark plum and ripe cherries that leap from the glass. Subtle notes of black cherry interwoven with delicate hint of rose petal. The fruit shows elegance and restraint. On the palate, it reveals remarlable freshness and energy with an appealing precision and lift. Lavender and gentle herbal tones all complement the flavours of damson and plums, building steadily to a long and persistent finish." Drink 2032-2055
Fonseca Vintage Port 2024 is the house's smallest and rarest classic declaration to date. The release keeps to Fonseca's hallmark of opulent fresh fruit, depth, intensity, persistence, and a structure built for long ageing. Fonseca's Vintage Port identity is anchored by Quinta do Panascal, with Quinta do Cruzeiro and Quinta de Santo Antonio adding structure, density, and aromatic complexity.
“I am happy that Fonseca will announce its decision to declare a classic 2024 Vintage release, our smallest and rarest Vintage declaration to date. It has been 7 years since Fonseca declared a classic Vintage Port and the wines from 2024 are of exceptional quality. Fonseca is sought after around the world for its opulence and fresh fruit flavours, and the Fonseca 2024 Vintage is in keeping with the style of the house. It has incredible depth, intensity, persistence and the youthful exuberance can be enjoyed today with friends or allowed to mature in the cellar, assuming bottles are still available.”
Adrian Bridge, Managing Director, Taylor Fladgate
"2024 had excellent water reserves for the vines to grow. We could not have asked for better growth conditions, that were typically warm throughout the summer followed by a cooler harvest period for long fermentations. This created beautiful Fonseca Vintage ports that were all made in the traditional granite lagares and with foot treading. The wines have that incredible freshness of fruit and dimension that Fonseca is famous for.”
David Guimaraens, Head Winemaker, Taylor Fladgate
2024 Fonseca Vintage Port Tasting Note:
"Rich, deep purple colour with a fine purple rim. The nose displays very fine and pure black fruit, a fusion of black cherry, cassis and blackcurrant aromas. An ethereal fragrance of violets, hints of tropical fruits and crushed mint fill the glass. Outstanding refinement and purity of fruit showcase the year with complexity of fruit and an attractive minerality. The palate is rich and luscious with taut tannins, texture and polish that coat the palate with hints of exotic wood, wild herbs and Hemingway mint. Succulent, concentrated woodland fruit, pairs wonderfully with the racing acidity and refreshing bright finish." Drink 2035-2065
Croft Vintage 2024 is a limited classic declaration centred on Quinta da Roeda, the estate at the heart of the Croft house style. Using traditional Douro field blends, it combines ripe aromatic fruit, depth, freshness, and poised tannin in a release built to age for decades.
"I am excited to declare our release of a limited amount of classic Croft 2024 Vintage. Quinta da Roeda produced wines in 2024 that clearly stood out for their incredible depth and complexity. The Croft house style that I enjoy so much is clearly present in this wine, with its firm but well integrated tannins, berry flavours and purity of fruit. This wine will shine for many decades to come but can be enjoyed on release to experience the delicious fresh fruit flavours before they evolve in the cellar."
Adrian Bridge, Managing Director, Taylor Fladgate
"A year with a warm growth period, supported by good water reserves in the soil and balanced by a cooler harvest, have created phenomenal wines from our traditional granite lagares at Roeda. Co- fermentation and foot treading of the traditional 6 grape varietals of the Douro played an integral part in improving the complexity and expressiveness of the wines and at the same time maintaining the Croft house style in these exceptional Vintage Ports."
David Guimaraens, Head Winemaker, Taylor Fladgate
2024 Croft Vintage Port Tasting Note:
"Deep purple black with fine magenta rim. The heady, aromatic nose displays a characteristic plentitude of rich plump fruit, ripe strawberry and the exotic notes of rockrose, spice, clove and eucalyptus, signatures of Quinta da Roeda from where the blend heralds. An avalanche of exuberant fruits then coats the palate with discreet and well poised tannins. An elegant and aromatic Vintage Port, perfectly poised with opulence and restraint." Drink 2032-2060
So, there you have it. The 2024 vintage ports are going to be something you need to have in your cellar, cupboard under the stairs, or in your glass in years to come. Just think of all those Christmas dinners in the future made incomparably better by having decent vintage port to drink with the Stilton? You know it makes sense to order some now!
Cases of halves, standard bottles and various large formats are available for all except Taylor's Sentinels (6 x 75cl only). For our full pricing and ordering details, please click here.