2011 Smith Woodhouse, Port, Portugal

2011 Smith Woodhouse, Port, Portugal

Product: 20111107856
Prices start from £268.00 per case Buying options
2011 Smith Woodhouse, Port, Portugal

Buying options

Available by the case In Bond. Pricing excludes duty and VAT, which must be paid separately before delivery. Storage charges apply.
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6 x 75cl bottle
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Description

Smith Woodhouse has been a long-standing Berry Bros. & Rudd favourite, always reliable, always very keenly priced and always cellaring well. You will not be surprised to hear that the 2011 does not break with this tradition.

The vines, predominately Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca, are located at the Madalena Vineyard, in the Rio Torto region, where maturation is traditionally a little later than that for properties located further to the north and east. The style is typically generous and forward, the concentrated sweet fruit and notes of licorice, mocha and chocolate supported by finely-etched tannins and a savoury grip.
Simon Field MW, Port Buyer


One of the most expressive Ports at this very early stage of evolution, this exudes generous, sweet and rich fruit. It is very luscious with floral hints delicately intertwined; it is an uncomplicated, fruit forward Port, and is all the more attractive for it. It may be less heady and serious than some but the admirable accessibility is the character to which Smith Woodhouse enthusiasts always return. Like welcoming an old friend, this is an easy and eminently enjoyable experience.
Martyn Rolph, Private Account Manager

wine at a glance

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Critics reviews

Wine Advocate92-94/100
Perpetually underrated, the 2011 Smith Woodhouse, which is founded upon very old vines at Quinta da Madalena in the Torto Valley, has a broody but intense bouquet of blackberry, kirsch, Oriental spices and a slight resinous note. It is very well-defined but serious. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, fine acidity, and a lovely spice note at the side of the mouth that leaves the mouth tingling long after it has departed. Very harmonious and long, this is a wonderful Smith Woodhouse. Excellent. 1,000 cases declared. Tasted May 2013.
Neal Martin - 28/06/2013 Read more

About this WINE

Smith Woodhouse

Smith Woodhouse

Smith Woodhouse was founded in 1784 when Christopher Smith, Lord Mayor of London, created a small company to ship Port from the Douro valley. Shortly after, he was joined by the Woodhouse brothers. The amalgamation of the Smith and Woodhouse families over 200 years ago gave this highly reputable company its name.

Another brand in the Symington family portfolio and, while it might not have top-flight status, it is without doubt a pretender with five members of the Symington family currently engaged in the management of Smith Woodhouse.

Smith Woodhouse Port comes from the Upper Douro in the Rio Torto district. The majority of the Port is still produced using the ancient tradition of treading the grapes by foot in stone lagares. Smith Woodhouse Port is mostly sourced from the Madalena vineyard producing smooth, well balanced and delicate fruit flavours.

Through the last 200 years, this small Port Company has built a reputation for outstanding Vintage Ports. Young Smith Woodhouse Vintage Ports show all the immense depth and concentration of one of the top half-dozen brands but, with its more modest name they represent superb value.


Their Ports have outstanding length and structure and are drier than most. Its Vintage Ports show a characteristic opulent rich style, balanced by firm hard tannins. Ageing gives these wines an unmatched elegance.

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Vintage Port

Vintage Port

Vintage Port accounts for only a small percentage of the total Port production - which includes Tawny, Ruby, Late Bottled Vintage, Single Quinta Vintage styles, among others - but is the finest, longest-lived and most expensive style that is produced. The best are as good as any wine in existence.

With the exception of legendary vineyards like Quinta do Noval Nacional and Quinta do Vesuvio, Vintage Port is made from a blend of wines from a producer's finest plots. It is aged for around 18 months in wooden casks before bottling; from then on the watch-word is patience. At least 15 years ageing – and for the top wines it will be significantly longer – is required before the tannins, spirit and fruit are fully integrated. Indeed, the finest examples can last well over 50 years. 

Vintage Port is only made in exceptional years (normally around three times per decade) with considerable stylistic variation between different years and shippers. However, they all share a sweet, warming, spicy richness, power and complexity. In other good but not great vintages, many shippers produce a  Single Quinta Vintage Port from their finest vineyard. These are made in the same way and have the same style as Vintage Port but tend to mature faster and are less profound. All Vintage Port throws a sediment as it matures, and thus requires decanting.

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Port Blend

Port Blend

There are around 40 different grape varieties permitted in the production of Port - however the vast majority of Ports are produced from a blend of 5 grapes - Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesca, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz, and Tinto Cão.

Touriga Nacional produces small, dark-skinned grapes that produce opaque black wines of great extract and high tannins - it gives grip, body, and structure to the blend.

Touriga Franca has a thinner skin and consequently produces wines lighter in colour and tannins than Touriga Nacional. It contributes fruit, aroma, suppleness and roundness.

Tinta Roriz is the Portuguese name for Tempranillo and its high sugar content and low acidity contribute colour and fruit.

Tinta Barroca which is normally grown at highish altitudes and on north-facing slopes, is prized for producing wines of delicacy, finesse and with smooth, velvety fruit. It brings elegance and sweet, ripe fruit to the final blend.

Finally Tinto Cão produces fine and complex wines, though it is probably the least important of the 5 grapes as its painfully small yields have reduced plantings to almost insignificant levels.

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