With Constellation Wines in their (lack of) wisdom, deleting the Reynella Vintage Port from their portfolio, it has robbed us of one of our two Vintage ‘Port’ icons. This week we present a truly great vintage of the other, Stanton & Killeen Vintage Port 2002. Arguably the best vintage of Australia’s best VP style, it has been rated 96 points by James Halliday and has a capital city Gold Medal. It is near on impossible to find, more so now given we have purchased remaining stocks. If found, it is generally at its retail price of $39.99. This really is a case of, if you only buy one vintage port this year…

Careful blending of separate parcels of shiraz, durif and a host of Portuguese grape varieties has resulted in a wine of perfect balance. Lifted brandy spirit and dark cherry fruit dominate the bouquet.

Spicy blackberry and black cherry flavours combine to round out a wonderfully soft finish on the palate. Once again balance is the key word with an harmonious combination of fruit tannin and acid. Drinking well now yet has the potential to age gracefully for another 20 years or more.

Stanton & Killeen Wines Rutherglen Vintage Port 2002; Excellent hue, still red-purple; a totally delicious vintage port style, with an elegance no other young Australian vintage ports approach; spicy black fruits, and a long finish. Cork. 18.1% alc. Rating 96 Points Drink 2022 Date Tasted Mar 07 James Halliday Wine Companion

Gold Medal - Hobart Wine Show 2006

Supple, elegant and harmonious, this silky-fine port has a restrained but delightfully perfumed bouquet of brandied morello cherries, dark chocolate, cinnamon and cloves backed by notes of fresh spirit and floral aromas. It opens slowly, with intense flavours of dark cherries, plums, briar and spices lifted by warm, fresh spirit and a modest sweetness. Underpinned by smooth, fine tannins, it finishes with a delightful length of flavour, refreshing spirit and acidity. (Rutherglen, 93 points, drink 2010-2014) Jeremy Oliver