Quinta do Vesuvio, 1998

Vintage Port, Douro

Description and Reviews:

1998 Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port

Overview:
The 1998 Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port is a powerful and concentrated single-quinta Port from one of the Douro Valley's most highly regarded estates. Produced in a warm growing season that delivered ripe, healthy fruit, the wine displays the depth, richness and structure for which Vesuvio is renowned. Now with over 25 years of bottle age, it is entering a rewarding stage of maturity, combining youthful fruit with developing secondary complexity. Well-stored bottles still have many years of evolution ahead.

Appearance:
Deep garnet-ruby in colour with only moderate bricking at the rim, retaining impressive density and concentration.

Nose:
Intense and expressive, with aromas of blackberry, black cherry and damson layered with notes of dried fig, dark chocolate and sweet spice. As the wine opens, hints of tobacco, cedar, liquorice and dried flowers emerge, adding complexity and maturity.

Palate:
Full-bodied and richly textured, offering concentrated flavours of blackcurrant, plum compote and dark cherry. Layers of cocoa, spice and dried fruits add depth, while firm but well-integrated tannins provide structure and balance. The wine remains remarkably vibrant, with freshness supporting the generous fruit and creating a harmonious palate.

Finish:
Long and persistent, with lingering notes of dark fruits, chocolate, spice and a touch of espresso, carried through on a refined and well-balanced structure.

Decanting:
Stand upright for 48–72 hours before opening to allow sediment to settle. Decant carefully through a fine strainer and serve at 16–18°C. The wine will benefit from several hours of aeration before serving.

About Quinta do Vesuvio:
Quinta do Vesuvio is one of the Douro Valley's most iconic estates and a flagship property of the Symington family. Known for its traditional foot-trodden lagares and exceptional vineyard sites in the Upper Douro, Vesuvio consistently produces some of the finest and longest-lived single-quinta Vintage Ports, combining concentration, power and elegance with outstanding ageing potential.