Tasting Report: Tiny But Excellent 2012 Vintage Ports
Following the fabulous 2011 vintage Ports, the small number of 2012s released on the market this year may seem slightly underwhelming, but I was surprised how good they are. They show solid grip with firm tannins and a serious concentration of fruit. I would suggest cellaring them for five or six years before opening.
Granted, if you taste a 2012 against a 2011 you will see how much more complete the 2011 is. I tasted a 2011 Niepoort Bioma Vintage Port after tasting a small range of 2012s and it was hard to compare. The Bioma had so more concentration of fruit, depth of flavor and intensity. I was amazed how enjoyable the 2011 Bioma was to drink at this stage of its life, showing so much opulent and delicious fruit with intense yet soft tannins.
I noticed everyone at the table was drinking it in quantity. Maybe some of the paradigms of vintage Port, such as drinking them with a decade or more of bottle age, are changing due to better winemaking and more balanced wine styles. They don't need to be aged as long as in the past.
The 2012 vintage was a dry year and relatively small production, according to Johnny Symington of the great Port family that produces such names as Dow, Graham and Warre as well as Quinta do Vesuvio. "Thankfully the summer wasn't stifling hot. Some vineyards suffered from hydric stress. Those that didn't produced some stonkingly good and balanced wines."
Indeed, his single vineyard 2012 vintage Port from Dow's Quinta Senhora da Ribeira was clearly outstanding quality. I loved the aromas to the young Port that showed ripe fruit but also a greenness and wet earthiness. The palate was medium to full-bodied, with firm tannins and a sleek texture.
This light greenness and intense grape skin character with hints of alcohol reminds me of top old vintages I tasted at the beginning of my career in the mid-1980s – a year such as 1977. I remember the then head of Taylor Fladgate, Alistair Robertson, saying that "a bit of the green" was always a good sign in a young vintage Port.
Alas, the 2012 vintage was a small harvest for top quality Ports. For example, Niepoort decided to not bottle a true vintage and opted for a crusted Port, which is bottled after four years in barrel. "I admit that my top vintage Ports from the year are better now than I thought, but I prefer to make my crusted Port." (I included a tasting note of his crusted Port from barrel from a tasting a couple of weeks ago in Oporto.)
Some other Port houses have other vintage Ports from 2012 that will be released later, whether single quinta or farm wines or late bottled vintage Ports. Regardless, production of the top Ports of the vintage will be small.
"The very limited bottling of the 2012s (450 dozen Senhora da Ribeira and 750 for Vesuvio) is reflected in the sheer intensity and vibrance of these wines," said Symington. "Small does not always mean the best, but in this case I would say so."
