2016 Croft

The 2016 Vintage Port is a field blend with 104 grams of residual sugar. When last seen this was in good form. Let's check in. Darker in its flavor profile than the 2017, this is more rhubarb, plums and blackberries. The tannins have moderated a bit, but obviously this is not exactly tamed. It is coming along fast enough so you can dive in now (or soon) with some decanting, but it certainly will show better at the end of the decade (or later).

The 2016 Croft Vintage Port has a taut bouquet at first that demands a good 20 or 30 minutes to get into its stride. It eventually reveals scents of blackberry, bilberry, chimney soot, clove, and just a hint of scorched earth in the background. The palate is spicy and vivacious on the entry: black fruit, clove, white pepper and curry powder (almost like a Balti!) I love the personality imbued into this Croft, a Vintage Port that seems to be wearing its heart on its sleeve. Excellent. Production is 3,050 cases.

The key ingredient is Quinta da Roêda with its southwest-facing semicircle of terraced vineyard on the right bank of the Douro close to the village of Pinhão. 2,500 cases made. Blackish mid crimson. Mild, ‘agreeable’, friendly nose. Sweet and lightly spicy. Then the thread is drawn and it’s much drier on the end. Fairly early maturing compared with the greats, I would have thought. Without massive density. (JR)