Great deal on Taylor half bottles in the UK + 2003 VPs

[Roy Hersh]

George Rhys
Southwick Court Fine Wines
2 Spice Court, Ivory Square
Plantation Wharf
London, SW11 3UE
Tel : +44 (0)20 7801 2432
Fax: +44 (0)20 7228 6677
Web: http://www.es-finewines.com

April 2006.

We are pleased to be able to offer:Offered lying in bond London.

15 cases Taylor 2000 Half bottles £570:00 case 24 half bottles

Among the most saturated blue/purple/black-colored examples of the vintage, Taylor's 2000 tastes like a young vintage of Chateau Latour on steroids. Aromas of graphite, blackberry liqueur, creme de cassis and smoke jump from the glass. Spectacularly concentrated and enormously endowed, with sweetness allied to ripe tannin, decent acidity, and layer upon layer of fruit and extract, this is the leading candidate for the port of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2040.98/100 Robert Parker

5 cases Taylor 1985 Half bottles £570:00 case 24 half bottles
Extremely understated and closed, it starts out slowly but finishes quickly. Deep ruby-purple, with berry and cherry aromas and flavors, full-bodied, very tannic and hard. Great future.90/100 WS

5 cases Taylor 2003 Vintage Port £450:00 case
The 2003 Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port improved each time I raised it to my nose or mouth. It displays a black color and a salty, graphite-laced nose packed with sweet black fruits that is reminiscent of a stellar vintage of Chateau Latour. With air, notes of molasses, burnt sugar, spices, and jammy plums emanate from the glass. Full-bodied, hugely dense, immensely rich, as well as thick, this behemoth is also amazingly balanced and harmonious. Raisins, molasses, licorice, black cherries, plums, and a distinctive note of violets are found in its complex, seamless character. Its interminable finish reveals additional notes of chocolate, kirsch, red as well as black currants, dark cherries, and rose blossoms. Armed with exceptional power, depth, and purity, this Taylor will proudly stand shoulder to shoulder with the finest ever crafted by the Fladgate Partnership. Projected maturity: 2035-2060. 98/100 RP

5 cases Fonseca 2003 £450:00 case
10 cases Fonseca 2003 Halves £460:00 case

Sporting an opaque, black-colored robe with dark purple trim, the 2003 Fonseca Vintage Port exhibits a nose of profound depth. Its sweet black mass of dark fruit and spice aromas leads to a character of immense depth, richness, and weight. Full-bodied, viscous, and almost impenetrable, this dense, backward port is powerful and exceptionally long in the finish. Possibly the most masculine Fonseca I’ve ever encountered, it coats the taster’s palate with licorice, jammy black fruits, and notes of chocolate that last for over a minute. This blockbuster will require at least three decades to fully blossom. Anticipated maturity: 2035-2060. 96/100 RP

10 cases Graham 2003 £395:00 case
Violets, roses, spices, and candied dark fruits emanate from the glass of the murky black/purple colored 2003 Graham Vintage Port. After four days of air, this wine’s aromatics sweetened further, displaying jammy blackberry and blueberry scents. Bold, full-bodied, and expansive, the Graham benefited the most from extensive contact with air of all the 2003s tasted for this report. This opulently jammy wine assaults the palate with powerful yet soft layers of oily, candied red fruits as well as notes of tar and hints of mocha. A highly concentrated effort, it is creamy textured, suave, and reveals an admirably long finish filled with additional layers of dark fruits intermingled with spices. Projected maturity: 2030-2055.
95/100 RP
6 cases Dow 2003 £395:00 case
The complex aromatics of the opaque, black-colored 2003 Dow Vintage Port display chocolate, dried oak, black cherries, blackberries, copious spices, and a myriad flowers. This fresh, backward wine offers a medium to full-bodied, deeply concentrated core of spice-laced dark fruits. Softly-textured and seductive in the mid-palate, it boasts abundant layers of candied Damson plums, blueberries, black cherries, molasses, and hints of chocolate before revealing its firm structure. Extremely youthful and primary, this exceptional effort demands patience. Projected maturity: 2025-2045+. 94/100 RP


Offered subject unsold and to final confirmation
E&OE
George Rhys/Piers Methuen.