Roses 2017 Vintage Porto
Roses 2017 Vintage Porto — the 2017 declared vintage from Rozès (Rozes) — is a fortified Douro wine (19.5–20% ABV per listing sources; see flag) in a 750mL bottle, built for decades of cellaring. Sourced from estate vineyards across all three Douro sub-regions, it blends Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinto Cão, and Sousão (about 40% Touriga Franca / 35% Touriga Nacional per the Wine Advocate's Mark Squires), trodden in traditional stone lagares and fermented in stainless steel before fortification with neutral grape spirit. Rozès, founded in 1855 in Bordeaux and the first port shipper to settle in the Douro, declared 2017 — a widely declared Douro vintage. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 19.5–20% (listing sources differ — bottle read recommended)
- Size: 750mL
- Vintage: 2017 — declared vintage, Douro Demarcated Region, Portugal
- Grapes: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca (~40%), Tinto Cão, Sousão — estate vineyards across all three Douro sub-regions
- Making: traditional lagares treading, stainless fermentation, fortified with neutral grape spirit, brief neutral rest before bottling
- House: Rozès — founded 1855, first port shipper to settle in the Douro; part of Vranken-Pommery Monopole since 1999
A Declared Vintage From Port's First Douro Settler
Vintage port is only declared in exceptional years — 2017 was one of them across the Douro — and Rozès has been working the valley longer than almost anyone: founder Ostende Rozès set up in 1855, and the house was the first port shipper to settle in the Douro itself. Nine quintas and 230 hectares of A-rated estate vineyards feed the vintage blend, with fruit drawn from all three Douro sub-regions for completeness. Extended skin maceration in shallow stone lagares gives the wine its structure; a brief rest in neutral stainless (no oak) keeps the fruit primary. At 103 g/L residual sugar with firm tannin, this is a wine designed to evolve for thirty years or more.
Tasting Notes
Dense and primary in youth: black cherry, blackberry, and violets over dark chocolate and crushed rock. The palate is full and structured — ripe black fruit, fig, and baking spice with firm, fine tannins — finishing long with warmth and grip. Expect dried fruit, walnut, and tertiary complexity with a decade-plus in bottle.
How to Enjoy
Decant 2–3 hours if opening now; ideally cellar 10–20+ years. Serve at cool room temperature in a large glass. Pair with Stilton or aged cheddar, walnuts, dark chocolate desserts, or a fine cigar.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "declared vintage" mean for port?
Port houses only declare a vintage in exceptional years; 2017 was widely declared across the Douro, meaning this wine comes entirely from that single harvest.
How long will the 2017 Rozès Vintage Porto age?
Built for decades — vintage ports of this structure routinely evolve for 20–40 years in good cellaring conditions.
What grapes are in it?
Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca (about 40% per the Wine Advocate), Tinto Cão, and Sousão, from estate vineyards across the Douro.
Is Rozès the same as Rozes?
Yes — Rozès (with the accent) is the historic house; US listings commonly render it "Rozes."
Browse more Rozès ports and our wine collection. Declared vintages from historic houses appreciate with age — order the 2017 online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.