Tastingbook.com

Robert Parker

The 2017 Vintage Port is a field blend aged for approximately 20 months in wood. It comes in with 100 grams of residual sugar. Rich, concentrated and often sensational, this is well structured, even better in its fruit profile. While the fruit is terrific, it is also wonderfully fresh. This is arguably a great Taylor's, but it still needs to prove its final case in the cellar. I don't think that will be a problem. As I said when I first saw it, it effortlessly combines brilliant fruit and structure. It does everything right, and it is a formidable competitor to its Vinha Velha sibling in this report. And at half the price.

James Suckling

Complex aromas of tar, wet earth, dark berry and flowers follow through to a full body, medium sweet and amazing compacted concentration. Vertical and so deep. It goes on for minutes. Truly excellent.

Ken Gargett - Winepilot

Taylor’s Vintage Port 2017 – This is even darker than the 2016. Opaque with a hint of deep purple on the very edge of the rim. Seriously tight, even more so than the ’16. More concentrated. Black fruits, cassis, earth notes, spices, and leather. It desperately needs time in a decanter (and a glass) and then you’ll see some early signs of plums and dark chocolate. This port is seamless, powerful, exhibits a pleasant flick of acidity and some serious grip. It is simply far too young at the moment, but it offers such amazing potential. This is a Port that will live 50 or more years, standing on its head. It should outlive even the wonderful 2016, though how many of us will be around to enjoy either at that stage is a question perhaps best not pondered upon. Preference will come down to each individual. 99.

Vinous

Now this boasts a bold and more flamboyant bouquet vis-à-vis the Croft with layers of blackcurrant, blueberries, violet and allspice. Wonderful definition here and as it ratchets up through the gears with aeration manages to maintain impressive delineation. The palate is medium, rather full-bodied. The first impression is one of freshness, completely disguising that summer’s dryness and warmth, a disarming finesse built around the frame of tannins that would have been impossible years ago. It is a silky-smooth Taylor’s, one of the most polished 2017 Vintage Ports with energy and tension flooding through the finish. Aristocratic as ever, totally Taylor’s, yet still translating the growing season with aplomb.

Falstaff

Rather peppery than fruity on the nose, black cherry in the background, but also something enormously fresh, fennel herb, mint, almost petrol, celery. On the palate opening with dominant creaminess, mealy, at first mild, then nevertheless enormously drive and homogeneous, building tannin, much juice, well integrated, rather mild acidity, in the transition to the finish it has grip and a striking tactile mineral crescendo. Completely integrated alcohol, tobacco in the background.

Wine Spectator

Zesty and wild in feel, with a broad range of steeped loganberry, plum, red currant, açaí berry and fig flavors all playing out atop mouthwatering bramble and anise notes. A strong woodsy spine cuts through and drives the finish, which picks up tar and chai spice accents before ending on the drier side. Distinctive. Best from 2035 through 2060. From Portugal.—J.M.

For The Love Of Port

The 2017 required some young and especially old-vine field
blend parcels from the vineyards at all three of Taylor’s quinta properties, to generate this
quantity of high quality grapes. After all there were 11,500 cases produced in 2017, while the
2016 vintage yielded only 6,200 cases, and surprisingly, the average production for Taylor’s VP
during the past 6+ decades exceeded 16,000 cases, (in generally declared vintages). While
we’re examining the numbers, one has to go back to 1880 and 1881 to come up with two
consecutive vintage declarations of Taylor’s VP. That’s more than 135 years ago; so it is safe to
say that it’s a fairly infrequent occurrence. But the ramifications of back-to-back general
declarations is nothing short of a game changer; and traditions aside, the Port trade will never
forget the 2016/2017 duo and their historical significance. This is early to state, but 2017 is a
classic, if not “epic” vintage and my impression of this Taylor’s VP, is that it’s truly “old school”
and masculine in style, more so than 2016; due to the hotter vintage and tannic structure of the Port itself. The fact that picking began at Vargellas on September 1 st is pretty remarkable, and I believe the earliest on record. The bouquet of this Port literally kept my nose in the glass for at least ten minutes before I had my first sip. Filled with floral notes of violets, lavender and carnations, with earthy minerality, esteva and fresh herbs, dominated initially by boysenberry and blackcurrant fruit. Profound! Medium-full weight and not as heavy in terms of sheer density, in comparison to some prior vintages at this same stage, (2000, 2003 and 2016 come to mind). Fresh, lively and far more approachable than one would expect from a hot vintage of Taylor’s; the satin-like texture was flirtatious and enticing. Structurally speaking, the perky acidity provides fine balance, while the shingled overlay of tannins are currently well-concealed, but omnipresent nonetheless; providing the undeniable sense of this Vintage Port’s long term aging potential. In retrospect, the 2016 Taylor had just a scoach more concentration, layers in the mid-palate and slightly greater length. Your mileage may vary. That said, 2017 will easily drink well for 5-6 decades, possibly even longer, as the tannins emerge and play an even larger role.
97+ points 6/24/19

Decanter

A blend from predominantly north-facing Quinta de Vargellas in the Douro Superior and quintas Terras Feita and Junco in the Pinhão valley. This has lovely ripe mulberry fruit on the floral nose, also showing lovely concentration. It's dense and fleshy initially on the palate, displaying silky-velvety damson fruit and broad, fine-grained tannins which rise in the mouth and lead to a big peacock’s tail of a finish. It's a bold wine with great finesse, already beautifully integrated. 11,500 cases produced

Wine Enthusiast

The structure is currently very dominant in this wine. Its dark tannins are concentrated, waiting for the masked black fruits to come through. Everything is there, it just needs an immense amount of time.

Vinbladet

Charmerende og givende frisk frugt med delikat Earl-Grey-krydderi, lakrids og grønne urter. Ambitiøs og kultiveret bærsødme med gennemført delikatesse og finesse. Tæt, blød, sødmefuld mundfrugt med velmaskeret, men betragteligt tanninindhold og betagende saftighed og lettilgængelighed. Tyngde, fylde og længde, hvor tanninen for alvor kommer til udtryk. Gennemført kultiveret vin og teknisk fornemt håndværk. Glat, ultraharmonisk, letdrikkelig i dag og totalt velpoleret. Uden tvivl meget længelevende.
97 | 795,00

Gismondi on Wine

Dry best describes the 2017 vintage. April and May were warm, and June was sweltering, all leading to an early crop that was picked beginning September 1, the earliest since 1945 at Taylor. The excellent news is harvest temperatures were mild with cool nights providing ideal fermentation conditions. Typically opaque at this stage, the nose is at once opulent and polished filled with floral violets, dried wild herbs and hints of black raspberry. On the palate, its power and muscularity are restained, but seemingly ready at a moment's notice to ignite the long, linear finish. Savoury, fruity and dry at once, it is a complex creature in need of 20 more years in the bottle. Again following this and 2016 is going to be fun for decades. You will not be disappointed. (Anthony Gismondi).

Revista Adega, Melhor Vinho

Dense and opulent, with plums and cassis enveloping notes of violets and sweet spices, both on the nose and palate. Impressive for its grainy, beautifully textured tannins and vibrant acidity. Youthful and energetic, with excellent ageing potential, it has a long, rich finish with floral and liquorice notes. A combination of the concentration of 2011 with the fluidity and verticality of 2016. Alcohol: 20%.

Vinum

Very few highlights in the almost black colour. Spicy, fruity nose with medicinal notes, liquorice and tobacco, followed by subtle, slightly sweet red berry fruit. A perfectly supportive tannic structure on the palate, with complex notes of cassis and plum, liquorice and tobacco. Long, multi-layered finish. A very good Taylor’s Vintage Port! The grapes come from Taylor’s Quintas Vargellas, Junco and Terra Feita. With 138,000 bottles produced, this was probably the largest production of any single brand in 2017.

Wine & Spirits Magazine

Jancis Robinson

Deep purple. Dark-fruited, dusky, smoky, full of blackberry and blueberry fruit. Like a bottomless well of fruit, so deep and smooth. Power and polish to the densely layered but welcoming tannins, the power hidden by the fruit depth. As it opens on the nose, there’s a more wild elderberry character and more chocolate on the finish. Amazing length, the tannins creating a paradoxically dry, savoury finish. Even with all this exceptional fruit, it seems more corseted on the palate than some in this vintage.

Vivino

(334 bedømmelser, 07-10-2026)