Krohn 2003 Vintage Port is a high-quality vintage port, with a deep and youthful colour. Intense aromas of black fruit, sweet spices, liquorice, and vanilla lead to a powerful palate of ripe plums, cherries, and firm tannins. Enjoy this port now, or cellar it for years to come. Perfect with a board of blue and mature cheeses and a side of assorted salted and unsalted nuts.

About the Producer

Wiese & Krohn was founded in 1865 by two Norwegians - Theodor Wiese and Dankert Krohn - shipping initially to Scandinavia and Germany. In the century and a half since its foundation, Krohn has built up an outstanding reputation. Long renowned for the quality of their sublime Colheitas (single vintage tawnies), they produce a remarkably complete range for a small house, and each wine excels in its category. Much of the secret lies in the high quality of their vineyards - the magical combination of terroir, locality, aspect, incline and low-yielding vines. Their Quinta do Retiro Novo estate in Sarzedinho, in the Rio Torto valley (where vinification takes place), is all A grade vineyard. Indeed Krohn only work with grapes from A-graded vineyards across all of their ports, and their top wines are still trodden by foot. Since 2013 Krohn has been part of the Fladgate Partnership - alongside Taylor's, Fonseca and Croft.

Vineyard and Winery

Traditional grape varieties are sourced from the Quinta do Retiro estate and neighbouring growers in the Rio Torto Valley. Here old vines are planted in schistous soils. Fermentation is in open granite tanks called 'lagares', where the grapes are trodden by foot. Fermentation is interrupted by the addition of grape spirit to preserve a certain degree of natural sweetness. Aged for around 2 years in 547 litre oak barrels (the traditional 'pipe') and larger casks. Then bottled (unfiltered) and aged for several more years before release.

Wet weather in winter and spring of 2003 was followed by a very hot August. Grapes showed high concentration and sweetness but relatively low acidity. The result is this award-winning Port - rich, powerful and complex.