16°C to 18°C
Bottle standing upright
Not necessary
DOURO
The wines used to blend Croft LBV were drawn from a reserve of some of the best full-bodied red Ports produced at the 2014 harvest. These wines were aged in wood and then blended after six years. The blending process ensures that the wine is balanced and complete and that there is continuity of style in relation to previous Croft LBVs.
Tasting Notes: Dark ruby black with a narrow brick coloured edge. The nose is wrapped around a core of dense woodland fruit infused with fresh prune, pungent herbal scents and notes of cedar and leather. Although beginning to reveal some opulent spiciness, the nose is still tight and focused. The palate is crammed from beginning to end with powerful, berry fruit flavour which lingers into the long finish. Racy and elegant, it is gripped firmly by wiry, linear tannins. This stylish LBV displays the luscious fruitiness and scented herbal quality which are at the heart of the Croft house style with an attractive touch of understatement and restraint.
The cycle started with a wet and warm Spring, resulting in strong vegetative growth. Bud burst and flowering took place in optimal conditions. The Spring rainfall and a relatively cool June and July meant that the ripening season started with abundant water reserves in the soil and very healthy leaf canopies, leading to a very even and complete maturation of the crop. Hot weather in early September, followed by a brief spell of rainfall, rounded off the ripening. The grapes were reported to be very healthy and the wines as having excellent phenolic ripeness, sugar levels and colour.