2012 Taylor's Vargellas and Roeda VP's for $40 each

[Andy Velebil]

From an email at K&L Wines
K&L Wine Merchants
http://www.klwines.com
Phone: 877-KLWines (toll free 877-559-4637)
Email: wine@klwines.com
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

2012 Taylor Fladgate "Vargella Single Quinta" Vintage Port ($39.99)

94 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2012 Quinta de Vargellas Port, a typical Douro blend, was aged in large French oak vats for 24 months and bottled in 2014. It comes in at 103 grams per liter of residual sugar. This opens steely and gripping, with fine acidity, firmness on the finish and enough concentration in this lighter-styled vintage. The best of the trio submitted by Taylor Fladgate this issue, it does everything well and mostly exceeds expectations. It more or less combines a bit of the initial power displayed by the Fonseca and the expressiveness of the Croft, and adds silky texture, gloriously fresh fruit and fine flavor. It will need a little patience, but it will also be rather hard to keep your hands off of it. The good news is that it did seem to come around surprisingly fast, becoming a bit less impressive than on first impression. By Day 3, it was quite accessible and it drank fairly well. I still liked it a lot. " (04/2015)

94 points Wine Enthusiast: "Vargellas is always associated with violet aromas as well as the strength and power of its wines inside a velvet glove. The 2012 is concentrated yet soft and smooth on the surface. It’s fruity and fresh, while brooding with inner strength. Drink now for its fruit; wait until 2021 for its power and longevity. " (04/2015)

92-93 points James Suckling: "Typical Vargellas character with flowers such as roses and poppies that turn to dark fruits and spices. Full body, lightly sweet, dusty tannins and a raspberry and blackberry character. Long and flavorful. All in elegance and finesse. Barrel sample. " (09/2014)

2012 Croft "Quinta Roeda" Vintage Port ($39.99)

92-93 points James Suckling: "Lots of ripe and dried fruit aromas with hints of blackberries and schist that give a flinty undertone. Full to medium body, medium sweet, very fine tannins and integrated fruit. There’s a long and plummy aftertaste too. Full of finesse and beauty for a new vintage Port. Barrel sample. " (09/2014)

93 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "Croft's 2012 Quinta da Roeda has a warm, figgy, dark chocolate-scented bouquet that is a bit like getting a big hug from your favourite aunt. It just seems to "envelop" the senses. The palate is smooth on the entry, quite velvety in the mouth with great depth, perhaps more complexity than I was anticipating, especially towards the structured blackberry and Chinese 5-spice finish that lingers long in the mouth. This is one of Taylor Fladgate' best 2012 releases and comes highly recommended. " (11/2014)

93 points Wine Enthusiast: "Wonderfully floral, this wine is rich while also having great fruits, a fresher edge and tannins that caress. From the Croft home vineyard, it shows fullness and structure. The aftertaste is so fruity and fragrant, it’s almost drinkable now. Wait, though, until 2020 " (04/2015)