Winemaker Notes
The Vesuvio 2016 was made from a combination of the property’s choicest vineyards, carefully selected by Charles and his team. The Vale da Teja vineyards, on the western extremity of the Quinta provided the principal structure. The mature plantings, all dating from the early 1970s, of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca and Tinta Amarela brought fantastically floral aromas to the wine. To enhance the aromatic profile, these grapes were cool-fermented in the Quinta’s historic lagares where the usual team of up to 50 treaders worked tirelessly. The Vinha do Pombal vineyard, gracing the terraced slopes of the central valley at Vesuvio, contributed Sousão for the acidity which brings freshness to the wine. The Castelos section contributed Alicante Bouschet for its substance and structure. The union of these three distinct areas of the estate resulted in this extraordinary 2016 Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Showy and vibrant, with stunning, pure waves of açai berry, blackberry, blueberry and boysenberry confiture flavors spilling forth, barely harnessed by a mouthwatering anise note and a long briary spine. Just as this nearly teeters from its fruit, this is reined in by terrific drive and cut though through the extremely long finish, thanks to a wellspring of acidity. Best from 2035 through 2060.
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Decanter
Only the third Capela vintage to be released, from 90-year-old vines as well as co-fermented Touriga Nacional, Alicante Bouschet, Touriga Franca and Sousão from neighbouring plots. More sullen and brooding on the nose than the straight Vesuvio wine and it’s deliberately drier in style, although there is a similar underlying ripeness. As well as rich, fleshy cherry and plum fruit notes with dark chocolate intensity, backed by powerful, ripe, broad tannins.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2016 Capela da Quinta do Vesúvio Vintage Port is principally a field blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Sousão and Alicante Bouschet, coming in with 109 grams of residual sugar. It shows even drier. If the regular Vesuvio was pretty terrific, this is even better. Not quite as lush and sexy, it is tighter, better textured and more intense. Bursting with flavor too, this has rich chocolate-cherry nuances and a long, long finish. This is pretty super, one of my favorite wines in this vintage. Yes, everyone talks about The Stone Terraces (including me; if this isn't my favorite of the vintage so far, The Stone Terraces is). Let's talk more about Vesuvio and Capela, though. The Symingtons struck gold with this Quinta and this bottling. This is unsettled, but it may yet merit an uptick in score. It seems like a superstar in the vintage.
Rating: 97+ -
Wine Enthusiast
The wine is dense, packed with great fruits and tannins, dark and concentrated, and full of perfumed black fruits. It is a wine that makes a great statement of ripe fruits and tannins for long-term aging. Drink from 2028.
Cellar Selection -
James Suckling
This a tiny-production vintage Port from old vines planted in a particular parcel near the winery that are at least 60 years old. Full-bodied, tight and linear with beautiful dark fruits and intense tannins. Very focused and beautiful. The splendid tannins show through here. Drink in 2023.
Port is a sweet, fortified wine with numerous styles: Ruby, Tawny, Vintage, Late Bottled Vintage (LBV), White, Colheita, and a few unusual others. It is blended from from the most important red grapes of the Douro Valley, based primarily on Touriga Nacional with over 80 other varieties approved for use. Most Ports are best served slightly chilled at around 55-65°F. To learn more, see our full Port Wine Guide
The home of Port—perhaps the most internationally acclaimed beverage—the Douro region of Portugal is one of the world’s oldest delimited wine regions, established in 1756. The vineyards of the Douro, set on the slopes surrounding the Douro River (known as the Duero in Spain), are incredibly steep, necessitating the use of terracing and thus, manual vineyard management as well as harvesting. The Douro's best sites, rare outcroppings of Cambrian schist, are reserved for vineyards that yield high quality Port.
While more than 100 indigenous varieties are approved for wine production in the Douro, there are five primary grapes that make up most Port and the region's excellent, though less known, red table wines. Touriga Nacional is the finest of these, prized for its deep color, tannins and floral aromatics. Tinta Roriz (Spain's Tempranillo) adds bright acidity and red fruit flavors. Touriga Franca shows great persistence of fruit and Tinta Barroca helps round out the blend with its supple texture. Tinta Cão, a fine but low-yielding variety, is now rarely planted but still highly valued for its ability to produce excellent, complex wines.
White wines, generally crisp, mineral-driven blends of Arinto, Viosinho, Gouveio, Malvasia Fina and an assortment of other rare but local varieties, are produced in small quantities but worth noting.
With hot summers and cool, wet winters, the Duoro has a maritime climate.