Producer Profile
Taylor's
Taylor’s have a long-established history, dating all the way back to 1692. They are one of the oldest, and most famous producers of Port. They have remained independent throughout their history, thriving on quality, legacy and a pioneering spirit. They have continued this through successive generations of family involvement. Their Ports are noted for their elegance, poise and longevity.
Their story began with the arrival of English merchant Job Bearsley into Portugal. He was one of the first traders of ‘Portuguese, austere red wine’, but little else is known about his start in the business. The family continued to become involved in the trade; with Bartholomew Bearsley being the first to purchase property in the Douro. Later, the arrival of Joseph Taylor, John Fladgate, and Morgan Yeatman saw the expansion of the company as they established themselves as a top-ranking producer in the region.
Noted for their elegance and poise, as well as for their restrained power and longevity, Taylor’s Vintage Ports are blended from the finest wines of Taylor’s own quintas: Quinta da Vargellas, Quinta de Terra Feita and Quinta do Junco. These three iconic properties, each with its distinct geographic location and character are the source of Taylor’s inimitable house style. Taylor’s is also respected as a producer of wood aged ports and holds one of the most extensive reserves of rare cask aged wines. The house is also known as the originator of Late Bottled Vintage, a style which the firm pioneered. Taylor’s pioneered Chip Dry White Port which has been an industry leader since its introduction in 1934.
At Vargellas, and at Taylor’s two other Douro Valley estates, protection of the environment and the ecological well-being of the region are paramount. New terraces are planted specifically to avoid topsoil erosion. The absence of herbicides allows natural vegetal growth on the banks to encourage biodiversity, and the distribution of vines throughout the vineyard is critical to ensure they can thrive naturally. These efforts saw Taylor’s awarded the BES Biodiversity Prize in recognition of their conservation and sustainability efforts.
Taylor’s iconic properties in the Douro are classed as Grade A quality vineyards. The company is a quality benchmark for premium Port. Renowned for their refined structure and elegance.
