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Port News
Article Posted: Monday October 21st
Article last updated on: Monday October 21st
Port News
Taylor's produces 1998 Single Quinta Vintage Ports Taylor's announces that its 1998 Vintage Ports will be bottled as Single Quintas from its two flagship properties, Quinta de Vargellas and Quinta de Terra Feita. The decision to produce a "non classic" vintage Port in 1998 was announced on St George's Day (23 April) which is Taylor's customary date for declarations - this year, Easter Sunday. The directors of the company came to this decision after carefully assessing the 1998 wines against strict standards which have been maintained within the company for over 300 years. Commenting on the announcement, Adrian Bridge, Managing Director of Taylor's, said "Vargellas and Terra Feita, both Grade A vineyards, consistently produce very high quality Vintage Ports. In some years, these are blended to produce the great Taylor classic Vintage Port. In other years, when we feel that the wine will be early maturing, we choose to make Single Quinta wines, as we have just decided to do in 1998, allowing the full expression of the vineyards to show through." The 1998 growing season started extremely wet. The water table was replenished but this in turn caused extensive erosion problems, particularly in old terraced vineyards. A wet winter was followed by a cold spring falling to just above freezing mid April. With May came a burst of warmth with records showing a 40cm shoot growth over the weekend of 8-11 May. A dry, hot summer, with temperatures exceeding 40
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