PRODUCER NOTES:TASTING: “Intense ruby colour, now just beginning to open out. Rich, complete, multidimensional nose, displaying elements of both youth and maturity. Aromas of ripe berry fruit, liquorice and butterscotch with scented violet notes. The palate is now quite smooth and round with velvety well integrated tannins and masses of rich figgy fruit flavour. Warm mellow finish full of rich jammy fruit.”VINTAGE OVERVIEW: “Classic Vintage; The Vintage of 1985 was preceded by an exceptionally cold, wet Winter. Bud burst took place early in April and flowering around the end of May. The Summer was hot throughout and the harvest started on 26th September. By the close of harvest it was apparent that the year had produced Port wines of exceptional quality.”CRITICAL ACCLAIM:“The nose is deep and still rather reticent in this size, reluctantly offering up a fine mix of cassis, black cherry, tobacco, a bit of tar, violets, smoke and spicy wood. On the palate the wine is full-bodied and very well-delineated, with a rock solid core of fruit currently buttoned up tight behind a wall of ripe tannin. The finish is long, complex and palate staining, with more than a bit of firm tannin perking up at the close. This is a bigger wine than the 1983 Taylor, and should ultimately prove to be a significant step up from that fine wine. Give it a bit of time.” - 93 PTS, JOHN GILMAN, VIEW FROM THE CELLAR (02/2007)“Impressively deep, intense, plumy; rich, figgy concentrated nose, fairly sweet, full bodied, rich, good length, still hard but with that extra Taylor after taste. Great potential.” - 5 STARS, POTENTIALLY OUTSTANDING, MICHAEL BROADBENT
