David was born on 13th October, 1965, in Oporto, Portugal. He represents the sixth generation of Guimaraens to be involved in the Port business. David has a number of extraordinary wines to his credit and is regarded as one of the most gifted wine makers in the Port industry.
This style of Port is fully matured in seasoned oak casks each holding about 630 litres of wine. Over many years of ageing, the wine gradually takes on its characteristic amber ‘tawny’ colour, slowly developing the complex mellow flavours and the smooth luscious palate which are the hallmarks of Tawny Port.
Taylor’s blends its magnificent 10 Year Old Tawny Port from its extensive reserves of old cask aged Ports matured in the firm’s cool and tranquil cellars (known as ‘lodges’) in Oporto on Portugal’s Atlantic coast.
Tasting notes: Taylor’s 10 Year Old Tawny is a superb example of the aged tawny style. Mellow and elegant, combining delicate wood notes with rich aromas of mature fruit, it is bottled for immediate drinking.
How to serve: A glass of chilled 10 Year Old makes a delicious aperitif, but is equally good matched to a hard, nutty cheese or a pudding such as apple pie, tarte tatin, baked figs, orange tart, caramel tart, or cooked strawberries with pepper.
Source: Taylors
Our final day brings us to Croft's Quinta da Roeda in Pinhao, the "diamond of the Douro". We discover how phylloxera almost turned it into a silk farm, taste Croft's Vintage Ports, hear the story of a river of Port, and finish with lunch by the river alongside Adrian Bridge.
Day 2 takes us from the city into the heart of the Douro. We taste Fladgate's still wines from across Portugal, see harvest in full swing at Taylor's Nogueira winery, and spend a rare night at Quinta de Vargellas, the family's Douro home, with dinner alongside head winemaker David Guimaraens.
Our three-day journey with The Fladgate Partnership and Mentzendorff begins in Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia. From the story of how Portugal got its name to Adrian Bridge's World of Wine, a 13-wine tasting at Taylor's Lodge and a mystery Port over sushi, it was quite a first day.
