No Christmas is complete without Port. It's the ultimate festive treat, whether you're enjoying a glass by the fire, serving it with cheese, or giving a beautiful bottle as a generous gift. In the countdown to Christmas, Amy McCudden explores the world of Port to help you find the perfect bottle.
A fortified wine, Port hails from the stunning Douro region in Portugal. There are several styles of Port and it can feel overwhelming knowing which bottle to pick. This is by no means an in-depth or technical dive into the world of Port, but more of a useful shopping guide to help you find the perfect bottle this Christmas.
Ruby Port: The Young and Fruity Classic
Ruby Port is typically the youngest and most fruit-forward of the Port styles, often serving as a fantastic introduction to this fortified tipple.
A blend of different vintages and named after its captivating colour, this style will typically have entry-level prices which makes it a great bottle to have on stand-by for last-minute guests or post-dinner tipples.
Aromas and Flavours: Juicy raspberry, black plum, red cherry
Decanting: Ruby Port is ready to pour with no need to decant.
Try: Tanners Patrono Fine Ruby Port
Reserve Ruby: Rich & Ripe
A Reserve Port is often a Ruby Port that has been aged slightly longer. It will therefore have more depth and concentration than the standard Ruby Port so it’s a superb choice for pairing with fruit-filled Christmas pudding.
Aromas and Flavours: More complex ripe red berries, red plum, black cherry.
Decanting: No need to decant
Try: Churchill's Reserve Port - 20cl – it’s the perfect stocking filler!
Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) Port: Superb Value Port
LBV Port often has a little more structure and complexity than a Ruby Port. The grapes are from a single vintage rather than a blend and the wine has been bottled typically between four to six years after the harvest. It’s a great value bottle to purchase if you know someone who likes Port, but you still have a reasonable budget in mind.
Aromas and Flavours: Concentrated dark berries, black cherry and hints of chocolate.
Decanting: Typically, this style will not need decanting.
Try: Tanners Late Bottled Vintage Port 2019
Crusted
This style is a blend of vintages, benefitting from some maturation in barrel and followed by several years in bottle. The date you see on the label will be the year of bottling. The complex flavour profiles make this style superb value for money.
Aromas and Flavours: Dark fruits, raisins and gentle, sweet spice.
Decanting: As the name suggests, there will be sediment in the bottle so the Port will need careful decanting.
Try: Tanners Crusted Port, bottled 2016
Single Quinta Vintage Port: A Single Estate Gem
This type of Port is made from the grapes of a single estate ('Quinta'), often produced in a year when a general Vintage declaration was not made. These are fantastic options for people who want an impressive Port without the higher price tags that some of the Vintage Ports carry.
Aromas and Flavours: Silky blackberry, black plum and soft baking spices.
Decanting: Typically, a single quinta will need decanting.
Try: Graham's Quinta dos Malvedos, Vintage Port 2018
Vintage Port: The Pinnacle of Port
A Vintage Port is seen as the best of the best. It’s made from exceptional vineyards from the finest quality grapes under optimum growing conditions in a single year. The process of declaring is rigorous and is a testament to the quality of the grapes. A special board, or committee, called the IVDP (Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Porto), oversees all vintage declarations which take place two years after the chosen harvest. You can see that it is by no means a quick decision! Not every year is declared as a vintage and it’s up to each Port house to decide when they propose a harvest to be selected for Vintage status. So, if you are drinking a Vintage Port this Christmas, you’re experiencing quality, love and a taste of tradition at its finest.
Vintage Port is designed to age in the bottle for decades, where it slowly matures, developing complex aromas and flavours.
Aromas and Flavours: The profiles can vary depending on the length of age and the individual Port house, but typical flavours can include dark red fruits, tobacco, leather and sweet spice.
Decanting: Due to its long bottle ageing, Vintage Port will have a sediment in the bottle and must be carefully decanted before serving.
Try: Smith Woodhouse Vintage Port 1980
Tawny Port: Complex and rich
Tawny Port is defined by its long ageing in small oak barrels, which allows for gradual oxidation and evaporation, fundamentally changing its colour and flavour profile. It can be labelled with an age statement which indicates the average age and character of the blend - the older the age, the more mellow, concentrated, and nutty the flavour can be.
Aromas and Flavours: Nutty, caramelised flavours with layers of dried fruit, butterscotch and toffee
Decanting: Generally, Tawny Ports do not need decanting.
Try: Manoella 10 Year Old Tawny Port, Wine & Soul
Colheita
This is a rare style of Tawny that is from a single vintage and has spent many years ageing. It must be aged in wood for at least seven years but often remains in the barrel for decades before bottling.
Aromas and flavours: Soft spices, dried fruit, caramel and warm toffee.
Decanting: If the Colheita is very old, you may wish to decant it.
Try: Niepoort Colheita Port 2004 - Half
White Port
White Port is made exclusively from white grapes grown in the Douro Valley. It’s aged in oak casks for two to three years before being bottled, although some can be aged for much longer. It’s great for pre-dinner Christmas cocktails or an alternative partner for a cheeseboard.
Aromas and flavours: Citrus, honey, stone fruit and often with a nutty undertone.
Decanting: Not needed
Try: Churchill's White Port, Dry Aperitif
From the juicy aromas of Ruby to the complexity of a Tawny or the powerful and impressive flavours of a Vintage, there are so many delicious Ports to uncork and enjoy this Christmas. Which one will you choose?