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Quinta do Vesuvio

Quinta do Vesuvio has rocketed to fame during just a few years of ownership by the Symington family, who are well known to anyone who has more than a passing interest in what comes out of the Douro. Nevertheless, the estate has considerable history, starting with the Ferreira family who established the vineyard in the early 19th century. Of these the most notable is Dona Antónia Adelaide Ferreira, referred to locally as the Ferreirinha; she shaped, terraced and planted the vineyards, a task which reputedly took thirteen years to complete. And with the death of her husband, she continued to build on her success, establishing a domaine which was described by James Suckling, writing well over a century later in Vintage Port, as "The showpiece of the Douro". The quinta she built (is there no end to this woman's talents?) is an impressive building on the south bank of the Douro, midway between Numao and Lavandeira. It contained eight massive granite lagares, each holding twenty-five pipes of wine; not quite big enough for a game of five-a-side, but you could certainly have a good kickabout with a couple of mates.

The wines produced here in the 19th century were very well received. Dona Antónia Adelaide Ferreira developed her domaine, and her empire; she owned thirty separate quintas, and oversaw an expansion in her estate to over 400 ha, of which 100 ha was planted to vines, before her death in 1896. Her descendants managed the estate for the next century, but the property entered a period of slow decline, compounded by a number of disasters along the way. Phylloxera resulted in a loss of many of the vines, and these were replaced by thousands of olive trees which proved to be a bad business decision; they were quite unprofitable. The vineyard area declined, in part because some sites lying along the banks of the Douro were lost when the river was dammed in 1973. By the late 20th century this left the estate ripe for an injection of new capital and new enthusiasm. This 'showpiece' was purchased by the Symingtons in 1989.

The Symington family, the clan responsible for some of Port's greatest names - Graham's, Dow's, and Warre's to name just three - have maintained Quinta do Vesuvio as a separate entity within their portfolio, and have sensitively blended some of the new winemaking techniques available with the traditional practices already in place. Temperature-controlled fermentation equipment has been installed, but the granite lagares, where the grapes are still trodden by human foot, remain. Of the 400 ha, about 100 ha remain planted, mostly with Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), Touriga Francesca and Tinta Barroca. With such a large area of vineyard it is only natural that soils and microclimates vary, but the entire vineyard is classified as grade A. The ancient olive trees are also put to good use; there is Quinta do Vesuvio olive oil, as well as honey, almonds and oranges! The wine is bottled exclusively as a single quinta vintage Port, with quality maintained by strict selection; typically only 20-25% of Vesuvio's output goes into the wine each year. Although the total annual production of the estate is 575 pipes, the quantity of Quinta do Vesuvio released each year stands at a maximum of 50 pipes (it may be less depending on the vintage), the equivalent of 3000 cases. (13/4/05)

Contact details:
Address: Travesa do Barão de Forrester, Apartado 26, 4401 Vila Nova de Gaia
Telephone: +351 22 377 6300
Fax: +351 22 377 6301
Internet: www.quinta-do-vesuvio.com

Quinta do Vesuvio - Tasting Notes

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Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port 2003: Super ripe, perfumed nose here. Feminine and elegant. Seamless, and again a great depth of fresh fruit. Very expressive. Beneath the fruit hides the firm, tannic structure. Great, precise finish. This is simply super - another great vintage from Vesuvio. From a 2003 Vintage Port assessment. 18+/20 (May 2005)

Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port 2000: A very solid, dense hue. A concentrated nose, still showing wafts of unintegrated alcohol. Massive palate. Very creamy, in equipoise with a wealth of tannin. Great fruit and sweetness. Tremendously impressive. This has a super finish. Needs 15-20 years. 18+/20 (November 2004)

Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port 1997: Dense colour, and a depth of fruit to be found on the nose. Rich, creamy, with a svelte balance. There’s a massive firm core of tannins here, more so than the 1996, with sweet, floral fruit. Lots of structure and potential. Lovely. 17.5+/20 (November 2004)

Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port 1996: This is dark and nicely scented, with black fruits on the nose, especially plum, more than matched by a sweetly spiced sandalwood aroma. It is spirity too, but not in too dominant a fashion. The palate is beautifully composed, sweet and svelte at first, and it maintains this composure through the middle, despite slowly revealing more strength and structure from within its core. Although it maintains a very virile, straight and fleshy substance, this weight is more than balanced out by the tannic backbone and firm acidity of the wine. This has a lovely composition, the heat of the spirit only coming through in the very finish. Still youthful, but oh-so enjoyable! Overall this is long and sweet, not a complex wine it has to be said (at least not yet), this is one that is more soft and spicy in character, but there is still good substance and style here. From my 1996 Vintage Fifteen Years On tasting. 16.5/20 (December 2011)

Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port 1996: A vibrant yet deep red hue. The nose is quite enticing; initial notes of toffee and fudge quickly and thankfully yield to reveal dark berry fruits with a chocolate, fig and black pepper overtone. There is a little spirity character also present, but on the palate there is a sense of great freshness, vivacity and balance, There is a creamy richness, but backed up by rather appealing tannins, perhaps slightly brutal but it is not unwelcome, as the texture and pervasive nature of the wine more than compensates. Overall this is quite lovely, more than a little evocative of the vintage ports I used to drink as a student. The tannins noted previously are still providing a lovely backbone, but are not troublesome, and are in fact very attractive part of this wine's masculine composition. Very good indeed. From a 1996 vintage ten years on tasting. 17+/20 (December 2006)

Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port 1996: Slightly less dense than the 1994. Beautiful, floral nose, aromatic and attractive. Moderate concentration, sweet and balanced. Creamy. The most approachable wine here, with appealing elegance, but there is still a wall of tannin at present. Needs 5-10 years minimum. 16.5+/20 (November 2004)

Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port 1995: This wine has a fine colour, a very dark, matt red with moments of impenetrable black. The nose is truly enticing, with an earthy fruit character cut through with some very complex spice tones, starting off with a cigar box-like quality but then broadening out and dominating the palate, with a suggestion of spice bazaar, cloves and turmeric. Although the first taste is a little severe it subsequently (including some held back until the following day) settles down into a very supple and integrated composition. There is firm fruit, spiced as the nose revealed, with plenty of tannic kick and still a little warmth from the alcohol (although not distracting or notably 'spirity'). Creamy, well framed, with fresh acidity behind the bold structure, lifted and yet full of impact. Excellent length too. Approachable now although it still has quite a big style; it has years and years ahead of it in the cellar. From my 1995 vintage Fifteen Years On tasting. 17.5+/20 (December 2010)

Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port 1995: A good, rich, opaque purple colour. Very sweet fruit on the nose, just a little spirity although this does quickly dissipate. Underneath, quite pleasing, with some dark blackberry-like fruit and a faint twist of cigars. Sweet, full, creamy fruit on the palate. Very firm structure still showing, both from alcohol and tannin; this is a still an adolescent. Sweet berry fruits, figs, and more. Very good length. Has potential, but needs time in the cellar. 16.5+/20 (March 2006)

Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port 1994: A beautiful, dense colour. Dark, yet floral aromas. Big, sweet, intense and very impressive palate. Firmly tannic, creamy, plenty of structure with correct acidity. Needs 10 years as a minimum. Great potential. 18+/20 (November 2004)