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Smith Woodhouse, Smith Woodhouse - Symington Family Estates 2003

Tasting Notes

The structured, ungenerous dark ruby-colored 2003 Smith Woodhouse Vintage Port offers a nose of tobacco, smoke, and black fruits. Its tannic character exhibits flavors of stones, black plums, blackberries, boysenberries, and hints of cigar box. Appealingly expressive yet firm, this wine softened slightly over a 4 day period, revealing notes of spicy molasses. It will be at its best between 2018 and 2028.

87
Pierre-Antoine Rovani, Wine Advocate (161), October 2005

This smells like crushed grapes with hints of leaves and earth. Full-bodied and very chewy, medium-sweet, with a mouthpuckering finish. This Port house always overachieves its reputation. Almost 95-100.

92/94
James Suckling, WineSpectator.com

Purplish crimson. Vigorous, savoury, not especially sweet. Grown-up vintage port. Lovely weight and integration. Already hints at complex flavours to come. Great charge of all the elements needed. Later note: Very fresh and vigorous - even slightly green. A little bit simple. Not quite enough tannin or concentration. Symingtons' less famous but often high achieving label.Date tasted 20th May 05.

18
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, August 2005
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.