2016 Warre’s Vintage Port

Pro Reviews

Wine Spectactor (WS)

Gorgeous, with warm plum reduction and gently steeped raspberry, blackberry and boysenberry fruit flavors forming the core, all inlaid with warm ganache and smoldering tobacco accents. Very plush in feel, but has no lack of energy, as everything sails beautifully through the long finish. A late echo of anise completes the seduction. Best from 2035 through 2055. From Portugal. – 10/24/2018

Decanter Magazine (DM)

Nearly 50% is made from old field blend vines, Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca from the Douro Superior. Very pure violet aromas – already utterly charming with lovely, supple and seamless fruit. Fresh and lithe with fine-grained tannins building in the mouth leading to a peacock’s tail of a finish. A beautiful wine with real poise, definition and great finesse. Don’t be deceived by the early charm, this is a wine that will last. Total production of 4,250 cases. 10/2018

James Suckling (JS)

Very complex with dried flowers and roses. Full-bodied, very layered and tightly wound. Chewy and powerful. Firm and off-dry. Needs five or six years to soften. Beauty. Try in 2024. 05/2018

Vinous Media (VM)

The 2016 Warre’s Vintage Port was picked from 19 September, the harvest took 10 days longer than usual in order to gain optimal ripeness. It has a tightly-wound but compelling bouquet with intense black fruit laced with clove, nutmeg and touches of smoke. This is a Warre’s with great precision and detail. The palate is sheer class: saturated ripe tannin that belie the structure underneath. There is a symmetry about this Vintage Port and a tension that keeps you returning for more. Wow. This is one of the finest Warre’s that I have tasted at declaration. Bravo! Production is 4,250 cases. 06/2018

Wine Advocate (WA)

The 2016 Vintage Port is a 46/37 blend from old vines and Touriga Nacional, with Touriga Franca making up the rest. It was bottled in May 2018 with 113 grams of residual sugar. The fruit on this is gloriously expressive and concentrated. It’s classic and delicious, but it doesn’t show the power and structure of the top wines. Charles Symington called it very elegant. Or, say, understated and approachable. It is pretty delicious, though, and I have to give this some props just because it is. Don’t expect it to be the best ager in the group. There were 4,250 cases produced. – Mark Squires – 19-07-2018