St George's Day, Shakespeare's 449th, and a port declaration

Born in Portugal; made in England?

Uncharacteristically, port producers have never made a secret of their intention to declare 2011 a vintage year. From the first treading the aromas rising from the vats and the colour and structure all indicated that here was something very special. Given the traditional domination of the 'English' port lodges and their influence in defining the style of the wine, those declarations are made around St George's Day.

Dry and warm are the two words that sum up the 2011 port growing season. Yields were very low at less than three pounds of fruit per vine. But large winter rains filled the aquifers and provided the vines with reserves of water, so quality is right at the top of the scale. But there are wines of great freshness as well as the super ripe examples as the heat was tempered by perfectly timed rain at the end of August.

The first of the big companies to release is Symington Family Estates, which comprises a collection of some of the world's toughest vineyards. The firm has been working hard to regain its position at the top of the vintage port game, and again this year proves that it can produce some of the most sublime, complex and longest-lived wines, albeit in much smaller quantities than previously. /CW

Offered subject to confirmation for shipment early 2014