| Artisan Vineyards recently savored the | | | | on every clamoring aficionados lips. Known as one |
| opportunity to taste through an extraordinary line | | | | of the most beautiful estates for the grounds' |
| up of Ports from the declared 2007 vintage. | | | | massive cedar trees and the stunning views that |
| Chicago hosted eleven of the most celebrated | | | | frame the heart of the Douro, Quinta do Noval |
| Port houses earlier this year to launch the latest | | | | deserves the hallowed reputation that sets it |
| declared vintage and the reception met | | | | apart. Christian Seely, who has looked after Noval |
| resounding enthusiasm. Among the world's | | | | since 1993, was on hand in Chicago to share the |
| longest-lived wines, vintage Port captures the | | | | quinta's latest vintage. Asking after the Noval's |
| senses completely and has duly earned its seat | | | | loftiest bottling, the Nacional, we were told by |
| among the pantheon of the finest wines. | | | | Seely that the 2007 Quinta do Noval is as great a |
| Vintage Port, an exceptional category | | | | Port from 2007 and that he actually preferred it |
| As vintage port is the most exceptional wine of | | | | to the eminent Nacional. |
| the region, a vintage is seldom declared more | | | | Quinta do Noval 2007 stood out among the other |
| than three times in each decade. House styles | | | | titans in the room for its deep, dark fruit, cocoa |
| vary according to their land, production and which | | | | tannins, fresh mulberry and thistle come clover |
| varieties are used of the 80 some permitted. | | | | top notes and yet, despite a round and balanced |
| When it comes to Port, the majority of wine | | | | attack, it seemed to swell to a saturating force |
| drinkers are more accustomed to the more | | | | through the end. For all its feminine balance it |
| familiar styles available: Ruby, Tawny, Reserve | | | | insists on showing you how the Douro can ripen |
| Ruby and to some extent the LBVs. Beautiful in | | | | its fruit so thoroughly even during a more elegant |
| their own right, such styles offer but a glimpse of | | | | vintage. Even though a wine so rich will no doubt |
| the effusive character vintage Port presents en | | | | last decades, it presented heaps of flavors |
| force. When, during the course of a promising | | | | already calling "come hither" without decanting. |
| year, growers recognize the ideal conditions and | | | | Perhaps patience is sometimes overrated. |
| handle the crop accordingly, they may find nature | | | | Further along, we remarked how many of these |
| has blessed that particular harvest with unrivalled | | | | great Ports were already approachable fresh out |
| fruit, balance, depth and complexity. After the | | | | of the gates. One in particular was Noval's Silval |
| harvest, such a crop is often crushed under foot, | | | | 2007 Vintage Port from estate grown fruit. Silval's |
| fermented between 6% and 9% alcohol by | | | | captivating fragrance is generous with a pure core |
| volume and at which point fortified with a grape | | | | of red fruit and lifted cardamom among an array |
| neutral spirit at 77% alcohol by volume at roughly | | | | of other brown spices. It struck us as lighter and |
| one part spirit to four parts wine. It is then | | | | fresher with a lovely approachable style. |
| matured in cask for no more than two years | | | | Possessing ample weight, the Silval has the |
| leaving the rest of the development to evolve | | | | stuffing to last but not so much that you need to |
| slowly behind glass over time -usually reaching | | | | keep it at arms length for another decade -it's |
| their peak between 20 and 45 years old but | | | | simply a happy choice: drink down as you please |
| often lasting well into their eighties and beyond. | | | | or see how beauty evolves. |
| Rich, full, deep and structured, vintage Port stands | | | | Warre's 2007 Vintage Port burst from the glass |
| head-and-shoulders above its peers. | | | | with penetrating aromas of just about every kind |
| Triumphant 2007 vintage declared | | | | red and black fruit, anise, cloves, aromatic |
| With precipitous, vine clad slopes that seem to | | | | hardwoods and lifting floral notes. Since 1670, |
| loom high above and press in against the river, | | | | Warre's name has been synonymous with great |
| the Douro is renowned as a region with | | | | Port and this example surely conveys why. This |
| insurmountable topography, inhospitable schistose | | | | 2007 combines the bold concentration from the |
| and granitic soils and a dry climate known for its | | | | 25 year old vines grown at the Bom Retiro |
| raging sun; just the place for the tough indigenous | | | | estate with the high toned structure from the |
| grapes of Portugal. However, given a little | | | | Cavadinha vineyards that preserve a clean and |
| tenderness, these varietals often find a voice that | | | | focused lift. A glowing texture fills the mouth with |
| speaks of more than just deeply ripened and | | | | rich, bright fruit and then moves you with the |
| rendered fruit. Unlike the opaque concentration of | | | | savory spice of fine grained tannins. Much like |
| the declared 2000 vintage or the ripe qualities of | | | | Dominic Symington who runs Warre's with a |
| the 2003 vintage, 2007 will long be remembered | | | | warm and steady charm, the 2007 speaks |
| as one of the most expressive and elegant Ports | | | | eloquently of the Douro, the benign vintage and |
| declared. According to Dominic Symington, whose | | | | the expressive fruit that wafts up from the glass. |
| family's stable includes Graham, Dow, Warre, | | | | With blackberry low notes checked by taut |
| Smith Woodhouse and Quinta do Vesuvio, 2007 | | | | cherry high notes, Warre's 2007 engages the |
| stood proud as a "classical year," describing the | | | | palate with spiced plums, a bright cranberry |
| Ports as more "feminine" and unique in their | | | | structure and rich and ripe dark fruits sure to last |
| immediate pleasure despite their promise to last. | | | | and evolve beyond measure. |
| Reflecting on the vintage as a whole, Dominic tells | | | | None combine the depth, concentration and |
| us "it was seldom over 105° -a relatively cool | | | | longevity of vintage Port. Such a rich and complex |
| year for us." The weather was quite bad during | | | | fortified can grab you by the collar and pull you in. |
| flowering, and the season "continued with rather | | | | A moment later it might lure you quietly with the |
| difficult conditions and a long rather cool summer. | | | | subtlety of its fragrance. The palate can occupy |
| But then we had a copybook late summer with | | | | your entirety. On the finish, fresh nuances might |
| the odd day of rain, little moisture and a long and | | | | surface just when you thought it had shown you |
| gentle growing season" -one that Symington | | | | everything. It's long lived on the palate, lasting in |
| reckons led the way for a remarkable vintage | | | | the bottle and will surface in your memories years |
| sure capture attention for their breadth, depth | | | | after you enjoyed that bottle's last drop. Are |
| and high toned complexity. | | | | there any things in life greater than ingredients |
| Vintage Ports | | | | that inspire and spark memory; memories of a |
| Noval and Warre are two of the most | | | | rare vintage, of bottles to mark a birth or a |
| distinguished Ports available. We feel extremely | | | | wedding, memories of forgotten friends or the |
| fortunate to carry these houses under our roof | | | | distant past? Vintage Port etches itself in thoughts |
| and even more so to provide you with access to | | | | like no other wine. Thanks to a clement 2007 |
| their glorious Ports. Chuffed to have such an early | | | | these vintage Ports need not rest before their |
| glimpse onto the declared 2007 vintage, we took | | | | corks are pulled and yet they promise to please |
| down our initial impressions with an eye to chart | | | | no matter when they surface from the cellar. |
| their development over time. | | | | Although some of our retailing partners may still |
| Quinta do Noval has made great wine since 1715 | | | | have stock of the Ports listed above, twelve |
| but it was the 1931 declaration that put the | | | | bottles are all that remain (when this was written) |
| house's illustrious name on the map and their Port | | | | of the Noval 2007 Vintage Port. |