The 2012 Late Bottled Vintage Port is a traditional LBV, unfiltered and classic. Romaneira does a fine job with this category. It is a go-to producer for fine LBVs. Its elegant 2012 is lovely, with expressive and seemingly rich fruit. For all of the initial impression of richness, the fruit is nicely supported and well defined. It seems fresh, with finesse, too. It is graced with velvet for texture and finishes with hints of chocolate, baked strawberry and herbs. If it seems light and understated on opening, that is misleading. It puts on weight and shows its power with aeration. The backbone is impressive. Real steel comes out as this sits in the glass and tightens. Four days later, it was still expressive and intense, both in flavor and power. The fruit was gorgeous at that point. Overall, it was much improved. It is not the most concentrated ever LBV, but it has more than enough. It is actually on the impressive side there, in the context of the vintage. It should have the wherewithal to improve over the next decade and drink well for 20+ years. It is approachable now, but a couple of years in the cellar would help it. It is terrific value.
Drinking range: 2018 - 2035
Rating: 93
Mark Squires, robertparker.com (Jun 2017)
