A powerful and beautifully structured Vintage Port from one of the most celebrated Douro vintages of the modern era, Maynard’s Vintage Port 2011 combines concentrated dark fruit, firm tannins and impressive depth. Produced from traditional Douro grape varieties and crafted by winemaker Álvaro van Zeller, this cellar-worthy Port offers richness and intensity along with the structure for continued development in bottle.
The 2011 vintage produced remarkably concentrated and age-worthy Ports throughout the Douro. Maynard’s expression captures the character of the year with generous fruit, substantial body and a firm tannic backbone balanced by freshness.
Region & Style
Country: Portugal
Region: Douro Valley
Appellation: Porto
Wine Type: Fortified Red Wine
Style: Vintage Port
Vintage: 2011
Bottle Size: 750ml
Alcohol: 20% ABV
Winemaker: Álvaro van Zeller
Grape Varieties
Maynard’s Vintage Port 2011 is produced from traditional indigenous Douro varieties, including:
- Touriga Nacional
- Touriga Franca
- Tinto Cão
- Old-vine Douro varieties
These grapes provide the intense fruit concentration, color, tannic structure and aromatic complexity essential to a fine, long-lived Vintage Port.
Winemaking & Aging
The grapes are harvested by hand at full ripeness and partially destemmed before crushing. Extended skin contact and maceration help extract the deep color, concentrated flavor and tannic structure characteristic of the wine.
During fermentation, grape spirit is added at the appropriate moment to stop fermentation and preserve the wine’s natural sweetness, aromatic intensity and structure.
The Vintage Port is then matured in oak vats in the Douro under controlled temperature and humidity conditions before bottling. The wine is not stabilized before bottling, allowing it to continue its slow evolution and development in bottle. As a result, natural sediment may form with age.
Tasting Notes
Deep and nearly opaque in color, Maynard’s Vintage Port 2011 displays impressive structure, concentration and body. Aromas of ripe red and dark fruits lead into a rich palate dominated by blackberry, blackcurrant and concentrated berry fruit.
The texture is notably creamy and generous, yet the wine possesses a substantial framework of firm tannins that provides definition and excellent aging potential.
Rich fruit continues through the palate into a persistent, concentrated and beautifully structured finish.
94 Points — Wine Enthusiast
Wine Enthusiast awarded Maynard’s Vintage Port 2011 an outstanding 94 Points.
Reviewer Roger Voss noted the wine’s rich opening, firm tannins and substantial weight, emphasizing the solid structure surrounding its generous blackberry fruit. The combination of abundant fruit and powerful tannins points to excellent long-term development.
The Exceptional 2011 Vintage
2011 is regarded as an outstanding year for Vintage Port, producing wines of remarkable fruit concentration, tannic structure and freshness throughout the Douro Valley.
The finest wines from the vintage were built for extended aging, and Maynard’s 2011 shows exactly those qualities: concentrated fruit, substantial structure and the balance necessary for graceful development over many years.
Serving & Decanting
Vintage Port naturally develops sediment as it matures in bottle. Stand the bottle upright for approximately 24 hours before opening, allowing the sediment to settle, and then decant carefully before serving.
Serve at approximately 16–18°C / 61–64°F in a generous Port or red-wine glass to allow the aromas and flavors to fully develop.
Food Pairing
Maynard’s Vintage Port 2011 is an outstanding after-dinner wine and pairs beautifully with Stilton, aged sheep’s milk cheese, blue cheese and other intensely flavored cheeses.
It is equally compelling alongside dark chocolate, chocolate truffles, walnuts, dried fruits and rich chocolate desserts, or simply enjoyed by itself as a contemplative finish to a meal.
Cellaring
This is a serious Vintage Port with the concentration and tannic structure for extended bottle aging. Store horizontally in a cool, dark location with a stable temperature, ideally around 12°C / 54°F.
Although already developing additional complexity with bottle age, the 2011 has the structure to continue evolving beautifully for many years.
About Maynard’s
Maynard’s is the flagship Port brand associated with Fernando and Álvaro van Zeller, continuing the van Zeller family’s centuries-old connection to the Portuguese wine trade.
The Maynard’s name honors Walter Maynard, born in 1652, an ancestor of the van Zeller family and one of the early merchants associated with exporting Port wine from Portugal to England. Today, Maynard’s produces a distinctive collection of Vintage Ports, aged Tawnies and rare single-harvest Colheitas.
A superb 94-point Vintage Port from an exceptional year, Maynard’s 2011 combines concentrated blackberry fruit, formidable structure and impressive aging potential—a compelling bottle for the cellar, gifting or a special vintage-year celebration.
Maynard’s Vintage Port 2011 750ml
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