Mentzendorff is please to confirm that the three historic Port houses of  The Fladgate Partnership – Croft, Fonseca and Taylor’s – have each announced their decision to declare the 2016. This being the first “classic” declaration since the great success of the 2011 vintage released 5 years ago in 2013. This announcement is made, according to custom, on 23^rd April – St. George’s Day.

The Fladgate Partnership’s Managing Director, Adrian Bridge, described the 2016 vintage ports as follows.  “The keynotes of 2016 are purity and refinement.  The Vintage Ports of the three houses are stylistically distinct but all display elegance and poise, a wonderful purity of fruit and tannins of great quality.”

The 2016 winemakers’ notes at harvest time referred to the fine fruit character and pronounced tannins of the musts. The Fladgate’s Partnership’s Technical Director and Head Winemaker, David Guimaraens explained: “Two factors stand out in 2016. Heavy rainfall in spring meant that the vines had plenty of water throughout the summer. Secondly, the ripening season started relatively late and lasted well into September. This led to very gradual and even ripening of the crop with all elements in perfect balance at the time of the harvest. Picking started later than usual on all of our houses’ estates, particularly those located in the Pinhão Valley.”

Commenting on the wines, David noted: “Harvesting conditions at the end of September and early October were perfect, with cool nights contributing to long fermentations and gentle, complete extraction. As a result the wines are solidly structured with firm, well integrated tannins and display very fine fruit quality.”

The 2016 Vintage Ports from Croft, Fonseca and Taylor’s will be shipped later in the year and will be available in the autumn.