2002 Vintage Port
2002 Vintage Port
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"Very fruity, elegant and supple for a vintage Port, with waves of
raspberry and mulberry fruit that cascade across the palate. Some dusty
tannins and tart acidity show on the finish, so this does have some
structure, but it’s likely destined for early drinking, not old bones." |
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"An aroma of cherry and morello cherry with a positive chemical touch
in the floral notes. The wine's vigour is evident on the palate, with
some alcohol that will integrate with bottle aging and satiny tannins.
Rounded and dense, ending in a long and potent finish." |
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"Prova de 2004. Extremamente atraente no aroma, cheio de notas de
flores silvestres, de sugestões químicas e muita especiaria.
Perfeitamente bebível desde novo, é o tipo de Vintage a que não se
resiste se se gosta deles jovens e com vigor." |
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"...uma verdadeira estrela na constelação dos vinhos da marca. E
francamente um excelente Vintage que, tendo uma estrutura que lhe
permitirá aguentar bastante tempo em garrafa, pode ser consumido desde
já, porque aroma e sabor se cruzam com uma elegância fora do normal.
(...) O resultado deste Porto Vintage é, por isso mesmo, surpreendente,
até se tivermos em conta a sua juventude. Vai ser um "ex-libris" da
Quinta de Roriz nos anos que aí vêm." |
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"Aroma a cereja, ginja, com toque químico positivo e floral, sentindo-se
algum álcool ainda não completamente integrado. Acetinado na boca, macio,
redondo e denso, termina longo e poderoso." |
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"Aroma com notas elegantes de fruto de cereja e ginja, maduro e
intenso, toque abaunilhado, suave, alguma resina de esteva, fresco e
vivo. Um bombom de fruto na boca, bons taninos, firmes e aguerridos,
fruto e vegetal, tudo arrumado e convincente, termina longo." |
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"Um vintage de 2002, ano tão complicado e adverso é algo que desperta
curiosidade e que levanta de imediato as orelhas. Preto opaco, um
monólito imune e impenetrável à luz, nesta fase a fruta impera, camadas
de cereja preta e ameixa. No entanto, não deixa por mãos alheias as
sugestões vegetais e um lado floral onde brilham as violetas. Contido e
intenso, apesar da enorme juventude, percebe-se que está mais aberto do
que seria previsível, estará acessível mais cedo e será menos
impressionante. Dito isto, será uma boa aposta para ser bebido aos
quinze anos, altura em que deverá proporcionar alegrias a quem o provar.
A menos que o queira beber logo na altura de lançamento, o que não seria
nenhum disparate, até porque nesta fase nem sequer é agressivo para as
gengivas..." |
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"Denso na cor, vivo na presença aromática, claramente pouco
desenvolvido, onde para além da fruta ainda se identificam algumas notas
florais e vegetal. Tem belíssima estrutura, é sólido, embora sem o peso
de outros Vintage, mas está irrequieto, em trabalho de afinação,
denotando já belos apontamentos em termos de equilíbrio e qualidade dos
sabores. Persistência fresca, mineral e frutada. Consumo: 2007-2016" |
 
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João van Zeller and the Symington family are pleased to announce the release of their Quinta de Roriz 2002 Vintage Port in the spring of 2004.
Roriz occupies 200 hectares and is one of the most spectacularly beautiful Quintas in the Douro. All the grapes were picked by hand and trodden by foot in the Quinta's own 7 stone lagares. The wines were then aged in the Quinta's oak vats prior to bottling. Only 750 cases of the very finest Port produced at the property in 2002 have been selected for bottling, all of which will be released En Primeur.
The winter of 2001/2002 brought slightly less than average rainfall to the Douro. Many clear winter nights meant that temperatures dropped, and these lows contrasted with sunny daytime temperatures, which were well above average. The large fluctuations of temperature continued through most of the winter and brought about a later than usual bud burst in mid March at Roriz. April is typically a wet month in the Douro, but in 2002 gave little rain. Flowering took place at the Quinta in mid May under dry but cloudy conditions, leading to reasonable fruit set.
The summer was mild, which was fortunate because low levels of rainfall continued throughout this period. The vines resisted the dry conditions surprisingly well partly due to sporadic showers. August was not excessively hot with an average of 34° centigrade for the month, and only two days at 38°.
At Roriz, we approached the harvest with confidence, and when more rainfall came on 24th and 25th August our optimism was reinforced. These heavy showers were heaven-sent; the grapes swelled, the sugar readings rose and the skins softened. Everything indicated that we were building up to what might be a classic year: low yields, a little hydric stress, grapes in near perfect condition, and mild weather conditions for balanced ripening.
A little rain fell on the 7th and 8th of September but not sufficient to cause alarm. However on the 15th the weather broke and we endured heavy showers through to the 21st September, after which the weather improved for a week. Following the regular maturation studies that we undertake at Quinta de Roriz, we fixed the picking dates for the 9th September (some eight days earlier than 2001), and the vintage began with the grapes looking exceptional. The vintage at Roriz ended on the 14th September, thus avoiding the damage suffered by many other vineyards in the Douro valley by the rains that came from the 15th September onwards. The unique microclimate at Roriz, means that typically the vintage starts earlier than at other properties and in 2002 this clearly worked to our advantage. The excellent quality of the Ports made at Roriz in 2002 is in large measure due to the early start of the vintage, which avoided the worst effects of the rainfall from the 15th Sept.
Grape Varieties
| Variety | % | Rent. Kgs/Vine |
Baumé |
| Old Vines | 25% | 0.9 | 12.5 |
| Touriga Nacional | 40% | 1.2 | 12.8 |
| Sousão | 20% | 1.4 | 13.1 |
| Tinta Barroca | 15% | 1.6 | 13.6 |
Vinification
Fermentation with natural yeast.
Fortification at 8° Baume.
All the grapes were picked by hand and foot trodden in the Quinta's own stone lagares. On the night after picking and filling the lagares, the grapes were trodden for three hours by a team of 20 men. The following day treading was resumed by a smaller team of about 10 men for a further three hours during the day and then another three in the evening. Once the cap rose, the lagares were worked with 'macacos' by groups of between 4 and 6 men.
The musts were characterised by above-average initial baumes allowing for prolonged fermentations. This no doubt contributed to the concentration of the wines.
Tasting Note
Deep red colour with purple tints. On the nose excellent plummy fruit aromas with hints of ceddar wood and floral scents. The palate is smooth, with elegant floral flavours and good acidity. The wine has plenty of tannins and structure, ensuring excellent bottle age potential.
Technical Specifications
Alcohol by volume: 20% v/v (20º)
Total acidity: 5.2 g/l
Baumé: 3.8
Each component of the blend was held in the Quinta's wooden vats for one year after which it was racked and blended. Bottling will take place in May/June 2004. The wine has had no filtration or fining whatsoever.
Wine Makers
Peter Symington, Charles Symington and Miles Edlmann.
Oporto, Portugal
April 2004
