Warre’s 2009 Vintage Port: marking the bi-centenary of the liberation of Oporto & raising money for Help for Heroes

Recently I picked out Warre’s 2009 Vintage Port as one of my highlights of this month’s Big Fortified Tasting (see my tasting note here).  I also promised a bit more background about this very limited release wine, not least because I’d been given the heads up that the Symingtons wanted sales to benefit the Help for Heroes charity (see bold type below).

And here it is, hot off the press release as it were!

“Warre’s, the oldest British port house and part of Symington Family Estates, has declared the 2009 Vintage. 

2009 was a very dry and warm year in the Douro and the Symington family feels that the unique location of the Warre’s quintas at higher altitudes expresses the vintage with the balance and elegance that characterises all Warre’s ports.
2009 is the Bi-centenary of the liberation of Oporto by the Anglo-Portuguese army led by the Duke ofWellington, for actions during which Major William Warre was awarded Portugal’s highest military honour, the Order of São Bento d’Aviz.

To commemorate this action and the liberation of William Warre’s native city, Warre’s have bottled 500 cases (6,000 bottles) of the 2009 Vintage Port. Each bottle will be numbered and will be offered on a strictly limited basis.

Warre’s and the Symington family consider that this date merits due recognition and that the young Oporto-born soldier William Warre, would be pleased to think that 2 centuries after these memorable events, his efforts would help wounded soldiers from desperate battles in another era. 

Therefore for every case sold in the UK, Warre’s and the Symington family will donate £48.00 to the British Charity ‘Help for Heroes’ and for every case sold in Portugal, €55.00 will be donated to the ‘Liga dos Combatentes’, the organisation that helps old soldiers in Portugal. It is expected that over £20,000 will be raised in this way.

Charles Symington, winemaker and member of the 5th generation currently working in firm says of the wine: “The Warre’s 2009 has lifted floral aromas, it’s very perfumed and fragrant – typical Warre elegant femininity; tones of roses and violets. It has a fine minty/eucalyptus edge with mouth-filling, gorgeous blackberry fruit and peppery tannins, quite forthright – finishing with a hint of dark chocolate”