Graham’s 20 Year Old Tawny Port 75cl

Product Information

Both Ruby and Tawny Port wines undergo a period of aging, from moderate to extreme, depending on the type. Where Tawny is all caramel and nuts, Ruby has more berry flavors. We asked Charles for his tips on choosing the best bottle of port, and explain what we found when we tested supermarket ports.

A tawny port aged in the Douro ages differently and more rapidly than that aged in the cooler conditions of Vila Nova de Gaia where most of the shippers’ lodges are to be found. Here, annual evaporation tends to be no more than 1% or 2%, whereas in the Douro the figure is around 3%. One single quinta making 10-year-old tawny estimates that by keeping the wine up in the Douro, the ageing process is accelerated by around 30%. A higher rate of evaporation serves to concentrate the natural residual sugars and the higher temperature produces wine with a distinctive toasted richness, known as ‘Douro bake’. This port would go quite well with chocolate truffles or Gianduiotti, the hazelnut-flavored chocolates of Turin. But you could go for sweet-salty-creamy-funky gorgonzola and some hand-sliced Jamón Ibérico. Rosé port – Just like rosé wine, here you can expect to find notes of strawberries and raspberries, alongside a caramel sweetness. Cheese, chocolate, fruity puddings and sorbet are all excellent pairings – serve ice cold for maximum enjoyment.Desserts with eggs and flour generally aim for 20-year Tawny; fruit or cream based desserts tend to go better with basic Tawny. Try different things, including cheeses, and trust your palate. You can tell this tawny is old by its brownish tinge. But it has shiny transparency that makes it appear quite lively. When you reach the realm of forty, the wine becomes timeless. Keep one thing in mind: as with all the Tawny aging categories, a 40-year-old Tawny Port is a blend of wines with an average of forty years. Some components are less than forty, while others may be significantly older.

It’s an easy mistake to think that older is always better, but at each point along the life-span of a Tawny Port there are different characteristics. For this article we explored a line up of Quinta do Noval port wines. BTW, they also make a 40-year Tawny, which is very rare. Both tawny and ruby ports could benefit from a slight chill, and white ports should be kept at fridge temperature.

Producers/Shippers

You can find a range of ports at most major supermarkets, as well as specialist retailers. Supermarkets that sell port wines include: The aromas tend more to tire-tread, burnt orange peel, and nutty toastiness, which opens up on the palate with a fanfare of honeyed fruits and nuts, a lean silky texture, and a long finish. Basic Tawny has a barely transparent body, with scents of slightly dried cherry, toasted nuts, and a touch of leather, followed by a light creaminess on the palate and a cacao powder finish. Read on for our full guide including what the difference is between red and tawny ports, decoding the label, and the best way to serve it for maximum flavour.