Taylor's, located in Portugal's Douro Valley, boasts a history of over 300 years and is one of the oldest Port wine companies. Dedicated entirely to Port production, Taylor's is world-renowned for its legendary Vintage Ports. Renowned wine critic Robert Parker once described Taylor's as the "Château Latour of Port!" Taylor's is considered the benchmark for Vintage Port. Its signature Vintage Port has garnered numerous accolades and is renowned for its elegance, poise, restrained power, and longevity. Even Parker has hailed it as particularly acclaimed. Taylor's is one of only three Portuguese wineries included in Parker's book, The Greatest Wines of the World. In his book, Parker writes, "Taylor's wines are the most expensive vintage ports, for obvious reasons: first, their remarkable longevity; second, their exceptional complexity and richness." Both the 1992 and 1948 vintage ports received a perfect 100 points from Robert Parker!
The winery was originally founded by Job Bearsley in 1692. When Job Bearsley was at the helm of Taylor's, he had little involvement in the port trade. It was his son, Peter, who formally developed the business into a major trading area. Peter later shifted this trade to the Oporto region, which today has become a central port trading area. In 1709, Peter began exporting large quantities of port to the Douro Valley, earning him the distinction of being the first Englishman to explore the region. Exploring such an unfamiliar and distant wine export market was challenging, but fortunately, Peter's exploration was quite successful.
In the late 18th century, the Beardsley family abandoned the port trade, giving lesser-known firms like Webb, Sandford, Grey, and Camo a temporary opportunity to dominate the trade. In 1816, Joseph Taylor joined the firm, changing its name to Campbell Bowden & Taylor. Later, for various reasons, the Campbell and Bowden names fell out of favor, and the firm undeniably became Taylor. With the addition of John Fladgate in 1837 and Morgan Yeatman in 1844, the company became Taylor Fladgate & Yeatman, now shortened to Taylor's.
Taylor's Winery has been family-run for many years, owning its own vineyards and purchasing grapes from generations of cooperative winemakers. The grapes for the company's finest Ports are sourced from the steep, rocky slopes of the Douro Valley, where grape cultivation dates back to Roman times. In its fourth century, Taylor's Winery was considered one of the world's finest Port wine companies, with its products sold in 54 countries worldwide.
Region
Taylor Winery comprises three farm estates with their own vineyards in the Douro region: Quinta de Vargellas, Quinta de Terra Feita, and Quinta do Junco.
Quinta de Vargellas is renowned in the Douro wine region. Considered the finest Port wine region since the 1820s, it is now ranked among the world's top vineyards. The Port wines produced here are elegant and refined, renowned for their complex fruit, distinctive aromas, and well-integrated tannins.
Quinta de Terra Feita is located on the west bank of the Pinhao River, where a narrow tributary winds northward from a winding, steep valley before joining the Douro River at Pinhao. As early as 1756, this area was one of the Douro's most important Port-producing regions. The vineyards are situated on steep, terraced hillsides. Like Vargellas, it forms a key component of the Taylor Vintage Port blend. The wines produced here boast rich blackberry and blackcurrant fruit aromas, along with wild herbal notes, accented by liquorice and smoky tar. The palate is rich, with full tannins and a harmonious, grippy body.
Quinta do Junco's vineyards, mostly south-facing, are situated on steep slopes, almost completely exposed to the sun and wind. While the sun shines throughout the day, the high temperatures during the ripening season are tempered by cool breezes blowing across the open hillsides, especially at higher altitudes, resulting in a favorable diurnal temperature range for grape ripening.
These vineyards are located on the hillsides of prime growing areas. The soils on these slopes are foliated rock, which provides excellent drainage while retaining the small amount of water needed to support the vines during the hot summer months. Furthermore, the vineyards are cultivated using sustainable principles, eliminating the use of chemical fertilizers.
Winemaking
Taylor is a highly regarded Tawny Port distillery. The wine, aged for years in 630-liter oak barrels, gradually acquires its characteristic amber color, slowly developing a complex aroma and a smooth, sweet taste. Tawny Ports of varying ages, aged in the cool, tranquil cellars, are meticulously blended by the distiller to create this exceptional 20-Year Old Tawny. The 20-Year Old Tawny is more aromatic than the 10-Year Old, with riper and sweeter fruit. The extended barrel aging intensifies the spicy and nutty notes. This is the most popular 20-Year Old Tawny in the United States.
James Suckling 95 pts
The aromas to this beautiful tawny port are saturated with burnt orange peel, caramel, candied fruit and hints of honey-coated nuts. Full-bodied, very fruity and dense with intense nut and mahogany flavors. Hints of sultanas, chocolate and coffee. Extremely creamy, long and flavorful. Delicious all the way. Better served slightly chilled.
Wine & Spirits 94 pts
A complex and satisfying Tawny, this sits on the cusp of maturity with freshness continuing to infuse its deepening flavors. That freshness arrives in bold scents of orange zest and juicy citrus flavors, while the maturity mellows those flavors into layers of Marcona almond, date and sweet oak-smoke notes. It finishes with a hint of schist in the tannins. For fruit and cheese at the end of the meal.
