Symington's Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port 2016

Symington's Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port 2016 is a full-bodied vintage port from Portugal's Upper Douro Valley, bottled at 20% ABV in a standard 750ml format. Scored 95 points by James Suckling and 18.5 points by Jancis Robinson, this vintage stands among the most concentrated and structured releases from one of the Douro's most storied estates.

Quick Facts: ABV: 20%  |  Origin: Upper Douro Valley, Portugal  |  Vintage: 2016  |  Producer: Symington Family Estates (Quinta do Vesuvio)

Production & Heritage

Quinta do Vesuvio sits roughly 120 kilometres east of Oporto in the Upper Douro and has been producing port since its cellar was built in 1827. Under Symington Family Estates ownership, the property remains the last major Douro quinta to produce all of its port wines exclusively through traditional foot treading in granite lagares — a practice that has continued virtually uninterrupted since the estate's founding, with around 50 treaders working the lagares each vintage. The 2016 blend is composed of 43% Touriga Nacional, 25% Touriga Franca, 17% Alicante Bouschet, with Tinta Amarela and Sousão filling out the remainder, yielding a wine of serious density and muscular structure.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Dense black-purple in the glass, the nose opens with lifted dark fruit — blackberry and blueberry — layered over black cherry undertones. Tobacco leaf, black olive, and a subtle mineral edge emerge as the wine breathes.

Taste: The entry is rich and jammy, with luscious cassis and blackberry liqueur flavors commanding the mid-palate. Dark chocolate ganache and worn leather develop alongside firm, fully integrated tannins that provide serious structural backbone. There is an almost early sweetness that balances the considerable concentration and power.

Finish: Long and authoritative, the finish showcases both power and finesse in equal measure. Lingering notes of sous-bois, minerals, and dark berry fruit carry the wine to an almost fresh aftertaste that suggests great potential longevity.

How to Drink Quinta do Vesuvio 2016

Serve slightly below room temperature, around 16–18°C, in a proper port glass to concentrate the complex aromatics. Given its tannic structure and density, this vintage rewards patient sipping neat and will continue to develop in bottle for decades. A classic Port and Tonic highball works surprisingly well with the wine's dark fruit intensity cutting through the quinine bitterness. A Porto Tonico — Vesuvio 2016 over ice topped with tonic and a twist of orange — highlights the blueberry and chocolate notes against a refreshing backdrop. For a decadent twist on a Negroni, substituting this port for sweet vermouth amplifies the cocktail's dark, bitter-sweet character.

Best For

• Cellaring as a long-term investment port with decades of aging potential
• Gifting a serious port or wine collector a critically acclaimed vintage
• Serving as the centerpiece of a formal cheese or dessert course
• Adding a benchmark Douro vintage to a curated port collection

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Quinta do Vesuvio 2016 taste like? It delivers rich, jammy layers of blackberry, cassis, and dark chocolate ganache supported by firm, integrated tannins and a long, mineral-laced finish. The overall impression is one of muscular concentration balanced by an unexpected freshness.

How does Quinta do Vesuvio 2016 compare to Graham's Stone Terraces? Both sit in the super-premium vintage port tier under the Symington Family Estates umbrella, but Graham's Stone Terraces is sourced from a single plot of old-vine Touriga Nacional and commands a higher price point. Quinta do Vesuvio 2016 offers a broader field blend and its own distinct estate character shaped by exclusive foot treading in granite lagares.

Is Quinta do Vesuvio 2016 good for sipping neat? Absolutely — its 95-point James Suckling score and 18.5-point Jancis Robinson rating reflect a wine built for contemplative drinking. The tannic structure and layered complexity reward slow, focused sipping at cellar to cool room temperature.

Where is Quinta do Vesuvio 2016 made? It is produced at Quinta do Vesuvio, located in the Upper Douro Valley approximately 120 kilometres east of Oporto, Portugal. The estate is owned and managed by Symington Family Estates, one of the Douro's most prominent port-producing families.

What foods pair well with Quinta do Vesuvio 2016? Stilton or aged Roquefort cheese provides a classic salty contrast to the wine's dark fruit sweetness. Rich dark chocolate desserts mirror the ganache notes on the palate. Slow-braised beef cheeks echo the wine's depth and tannin. Roasted walnuts and dried figs complement the sous-bois and berry liqueur character. A charcuterie board featuring aged salami bridges the savory leather and tobacco notes.

What sizes does Quinta do Vesuvio 2016 come in? The standard release is a 750ml bottle, which is the most widely available format for this vintage port.

Is Quinta do Vesuvio 2016 worth the price? It positions as a premium single-quinta vintage port, sitting below ultra-premium bottlings like Nacional or Stone Terraces but well above entry-level ruby and tawny offerings. With dual high scores from James Suckling (95 points) and Jancis Robinson (18.5 points), plus decades of aging potential, it represents strong value within the declared vintage port category.

Why Quinta do Vesuvio 2016?

The defining distinction here is authenticity of method: Quinta do Vesuvio is the last major Douro property where every drop of port is still made by foot treading in granite lagares, a tradition maintained without interruption since 1827. The 2016 vintage channels that heritage through a powerful Touriga Nacional-led blend that James Suckling called one of the most muscular wines in the Symington stable that year, awarding it 95 points. Jancis Robinson's 18.5-point score further confirms the wine's standing among the top vintage ports of the year. For collectors and serious port drinkers, this is a wine that bridges nearly two centuries of unbroken tradition with a modern vintage of exceptional concentration and longevity.