1994 Symington's Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port

This has an ethereal nose, nice lift with secondary aromas beginning to come through, with blackberry leaf, dried orange peel, a touch of walnut and honey. Expressive, if a little too open-knit. There is a hint of glue just in the background but it does not get in the way. The palate is very well balance, quite suave with very fine tannins, with subtle hints of cloves, dried herbs and a touch of capsicum with elegant very supple finish. Excellent. (NM)

Spicy nose and amazingly sweet on the palate – quite treacley. Some tar too. Lots of potential with macerated raisin flavours. Lots of acidity! I seriously misjudged this wine in a big port tasting four years ago. (JR)

Blackish crimson right out to the rim. Less than a fifth of the estate’s production, just 3000 cases, were released. Smells almost like a Douro table wine. Velvety sweet though still a bit raw and definitely very wild! Bit of an exhibitionist. Luscious sweetness, the acidity has to be sniffed out. The Symington ambition was to put this quinta back on the map. Big and burly, but with pretty good muscles too. PDS reckons 1994 was the best vintage he’s seen. Yields not specially small but great weather and great grape health. Also, much better cooling equipment. Vesuvio is the only 100% foot trodden property in the Douro. For those who value mass. (JR)