Taylor's Scion 75cl

In 2008 Taylor’s wine maker David Guimaraens became aware of the existence of a very old and rare cask-aged port dating from before the arrival of Phylloxera in the Douro Valley. The wine belonged to a distinguished Douro family and was stored in a lodge in the village of Prezegueda in the Corgo Valley. A treasured heirloom, passed down from one generation to the next, it was maintained as a private family reserve, with the exception of one pipe said to have been acquired by Winston Churchill. In 2009 the sole surviving direct descendant of the family died, leaving no children. Her heirs, not all family members, decided to sell the wine. Taylor’s acquired samples and, amazingly in view of its age (harvest of 1855), the wine was found to be in faultless condition. Taylor’s successfully negotiated the purchase of the wine which was moved in two casks to the firm’s lodges in Oporto on 13th January, 2010. In view of its extraordinary quality, rarity and remarkable historical interest, it was decided by the firm’s Managing Director Adrian Bridge that the wine should not be blended but should be offered by Taylor’s as a unique collector’s item.

In addition to the wine itself, several other items included in the box are collector’s items in their own right. The wine will be presented in a hand-blown limited edition crystal decanter specially produced for SCION. Set into the lid of the box is a booklet telling the story of the wine with original drawings by the illustrator and typographer Sarah Coleman. The Port and Douro Wines Institute (IVDP) has kindly made available some rare guarantee seals from a limited remaining stock.

"This exceptional wine, which dates back to the time of the Crimean war, may be one of the only wines in the world to survive in faultless condition since Phylloxera ravaged the vineyards in the 1860s. We believe that this rare offer will be the last significant quantity of cask-aged Ports to be offered to collectors and Port enthusiasts from this era.Scion may be one of the last great representatives of a lost viticultural era. The Douro vineyards in pre-Phylloxera days were ungrafted and a different mix of varieties planted from those used today. This Port represents a rare piece of history and is an exciting and very unique offer for consumers." Adrian Bridge, Taylor's MD

Please note: As no stock is held in the UK, there will be a slight delay in delivery for this Port. We will contact you to arrange a suitable delivery date.