Fonseca Terra Prima Organic Reserve Ruby

Fonseca Terra Prima Organic Reserve Ruby

Lovely deep plummy purple ruby. Slight fruitiness on the nose with a hint of almond. This port was a big fruity mouthful with lots of sweet grapiness and a warming hint of oak. It was characterised by its smoothnees, depth and long aftertaste.

Quinta de Ventozelo Vinzelo

Quinta de Ventozelo Vinzelo

A straightforward pleasant enough ruby.

Dow's Trademark Finest Reserve

Dow's Trademark Finest Reserve

Deep bright ruby with a plummy fruity nose. Rather dry taste with strong tannins and lacking in fruit. I bought this one as it was on special offer in the supermarket. I think I'll be stearing clear of it in future.

Churchill's Reserve

Churchill's Reserve

Bright ruby colour with a soft fruity nose. This had a fruity softness being pleasantly fresh and sweet but without a lot of depth.

Porto Cruz Tawny 10 Year Old

Porto Cruz Tawny 10 Year Old

Golden brown colour with a red tinge. Smelled of sweet fruit cake. The taste was sweet, fruit and nutty with oak in the aftertaste.

Barros Tawny 10 Year Old

Barros Tawny 10 Year Old

The colour was deep brownish red. The nose was distinctively like fruit cake consisting of cooked dried fruit with woody tones. Tasting revealed a sweet fruitiness with mature complexity including nuts and wood like a mature, well respected older gentleman.

Real Companhia Velha Quinta das Carvalhas Tawny Reserve

Real Companhia Velha Quinta das Carvalhas Tawny Reserve

Red colour with a noticeable brown component. The nose was fruity but not complex. The flavour was mellow and grapey with a hint of butterscotch and just a little nuttiness.

Quinta da Prelada LBV 2000

Quinta da Prelada LBV 2000

Surprisingly light ruby colour but there was bags of fruit on the nose, which was unexpected given the colour. This port has an enjoyably full bodied grapey fruitiness giving it a harmonious and satisfying taste with no niggling nuances.

Quinta Seara D'Ordens Fine White

Quinta Seara D'Ordens Fine White

The colour was surprisingly brown for a white port. Nosing revealed a strong measure of fruitiness. This was borne out in the full rounded sweetness, sultana like grapiness, and complexity.

São Pedro das Águias Ruby

São Pedro das Águias Ruby

Deep plummy purplish red. Very fruity nose of fresh berries. Lots of fruit to taste but this is a youthful wine without a lot of complexity. There was a measure of pepperiness and tannins as a result.

Dalva Golden White 1952

Dalva Golden White 1952

Deepish tawny colour for this really old white port. Can you remember chewing on your wooden lolly stick when you were a kid? Well this has so much wood flavour mellowed by the sweetness that it triggers that memory whenever I have tasted this unique port.

Quinta São Leonardo Tawny 20 Year Old

Quinta São Leonardo Tawny 20 Year Old

The appearance was a clear light brown and the nose was strongly nutty. This had a smooth rich taste of dried fruits and nuts but didn't have as much depth as some other ports of this age.

Quinta Seara D'Ordens Reserva

Quinta Seara D'Ordens Reserva

Deep plummy purple and red colour. Strongly fruity nose. The taste consisted of lovely fresh grapey fruit without being too sweet or overly tannic.

Quinta do Javali Special Reserve

Quinta do Javali Special Reserve

Good deep red colour with a light fruity nose. This port had a big fruity flavour with lots of fresh berry tastes without being mawkishly sweet.

Quinta Nova de Nosa Senhora do Carno Ruby Reserve

Quinta Nova de Nosa Senhora do Carno Ruby Reserve

Good deep ruby colour. Warm fruitiness on the nose. This was pleasantly fruity to drink but quite light in character.

Quinta da Romaneira Colheita 1985

Quinta da Romaneira Colheita 1985

This had a quite cloudy deep brown appearance with a strong nutty nose. The wine was sweet with oak predominating over dried fruit and nut flavours.

Quinta da Romaneira Colheita 1988

Quinta da Romaneira Colheita 1988

Clear deep brown colour with the characteristic nutty nose. This port was smooth and mellow but not as full bodied as the 1989.

Quinta da Romaneira Colheita 1989

Quinta da Romaneira Colheita 1989

Deep brown colour with a nutty nose. This port was mellow and smooth with a sweet nuttiness predominating.

Quinta da Romaneira Colheita 1992

Quinta da Romaneira Colheita 1992

The appearance was of a slightly cloudy brown liquid. The nose was marked by its nuttiness. This had a full sweet taste which was both nutty and warm.

Taylor's Tawny 20 Year Old

Taylor's Tawny 20 Year Old

Dark reddish brown colour with warm toffee coming through on the nose. This smooth port was fruity and nutty being well rounded and pleasantly harmonious. There was a measure of oak in the aftertaste but the finish wasn't as long as I had anticipated.

Taylor's Tawny 10 Year Old

Taylor's Tawny 10 Year Old

Reddish brown colour with a nutty nose. This port was characterised by its sweet mellow nuttiness and good body.

Taylor's Quinta de Terra Feita 1988

Taylor's Quinta de Terra Feita 1988

Deep ruby colour. Big fruity scents. Immediate mouthful of sweet grapey fruit flavours followed by a long plummy aftertaste. They know how to serve vintages at Taylor's.

Taylor's LBV 2001

Taylor's LBV 2001

Rich ruby colour with a hint of purple. Mildly fruity nose. This has a consistent sweet fruity flavour but is not particularly spectacular. A competent port but lacking character.

Taylor's Fine White

Taylor's Fine White

Light yellow colour with a gentle fruity nose. This was a good example of this type of port having sufficient sweetness to allow good grape flavours to come through.

Krohn Governador Reserva Tawny

Krohn Governador Reserva Tawny

There was a deep reddish brown colour and a fuity, nutty nose. It was pleasantly sweet and smooth combining nuts with the fruit flavours. A good tawny port but really I should have tried it before the ten year old as the latter was much the better port as one would hope.

Krohn Tawny 10 Year Old

Krohn Tawny 10 Year Old

This had a clear reddish brown colour with a striking nose combining marzipan and cherries. The flavour was complex, sweet, fruity and nutty with a warming after taste.

Krohn LBV 2003

Krohn LBV 2003

This had a deep purplish red colour with a fruity nose. There was a big mouthful of fresh berries in this young and lively port.

Krohn White

Krohn White

Light yellow colour with a hint of brown. Honey and fruit on the nose. This had pleasant depth combining sweet honey and grape flavours.

Ramos Pinto Quinta de Ervamoira Tawny 10 Year Old

Ramos Pinto Quinta de Ervamoira Tawny 10 Year Old

Clear brownish red colour with a fruity, nutty nose including a hint of chocolate. The flavour confirmed the promise of the nose combining a sweet fruitiness with nuts and chocolate followed by a long nutty aftertaste.

Ramos Pinto Tawny Reserva Adriano

Ramos Pinto Tawny Reserva Adriano

Brownish red colour with dried fruits and almonds noticeable on the nose. This wine was sweet, fruity and nutty having a good balance and some wood complexity in the aftertaste.

Ramos Pinto Tawny

Ramos Pinto Tawny

Brownish red colour with dried fruits and nuts on the nose. Dried fruits with hints of nuts marked the flavour in this competent port.

Ramos Pinto LBV 2001

Ramos Pinto LBV 2001

Deep purplish red colour with a plummy fruity nose. Big fruit flavour with hints of blackberries. Well mellowed into a stylish and satisfying port.

Ramos Pinto Collector Porto Reserva (Unfiltered)

Ramos Pinto Collector Porto Reserva (Unfiltered)

Plummy red colour with a fresh fruity nose reminiscent of a bunch of grapes. This port was sweet with fruity blackberry flavours. Although young it was quite smooth and approachable.

Ramos Pinto White

Ramos Pinto White

A light yellow colour with a lightly fruity floral nose. This was sweet and fruity combining sultana flavours with some complexity.

Burmester Tawny 10 Year Old

Burmester Tawny 10 Year Old

Deep rich reddish brown colour. There was a warm nose reminiscent of Christmas cake cooking in the oven. The combination of sweetness and dried fruits was warming and mellow complimented with a long complex finish marked by an oaky contribution.

Burmester White

Burmester White

Pale yellow with fresh gentle floral hints on the nose. This was a good example of a white port combining honey and sultanas with a little complexity.

Cálem Lagrima

Cálem Lagrima

Lightly straw coloured with little nose. This was quite sweet and grapey althought not as overpoweringly sweet as some lagrimas can be.

Cálem White and Dry

Cálem White and Dry

This was a pale yellow colour with a light fruity nose. This was served a bit warm to appreciate but the overall impression was that it was not as dry as some dry white ports and therefore it felt warmer and smoother.

Cálem Velhotes Tawny 10 Year Old

Cálem Velhotes Tawny 10 Year Old

Predominantly red in colour with a hint of brown. Just a hint of dried fruits on the nose. This was sweet with some dried fruit flavours but disappointingly lacking in body. Càlem don't market their 10 year old under the Velhotes brand anymore although a basic tawny is available.

Cálem Velhotes White

Cálem Velhotes White

Very pale yellow colour. Slightly grapey nose. Being pleasantly sweet and fruity this was an enjoyable basic white port.

Quinta de la Rosa Finest Reserve

Quinta de la Rosa Finest Reserve

Deep plummy red colour. Lots of fruit on the nose. A good mouthful of fresh fruit flavours in a harmonious, smooth and approachable combination. This wine has body and is the one against which I judge other ruby reserves.

Quinta de la Rosa LBV 1998

Quinta de la Rosa LBV 1998

A deep ruby red with hints of plum purple. Big fruity nose. Lots of berry flavours in the mouth brought forward by the sweetness with some tannins adding to the overall texture.

Quinta de la Rosa Tonel No 12

Quinta de la Rosa Tonel No 12

Pale and clear slightly red brown colour. Sweet nutty nose. Full tasting, sweet and warm combining dried fruits and nuts like Christmas mincemeat. A good example of a reserve tawny.

Quinta de la Rosa Ruby Lote No 601

Quinta de la Rosa Ruby Lote No 601

Deep red colour with a purple tinge. Grapey nose. This was a straightforward good young port being typical sweet and fruity.

Quinta de la Rosa Tawny

Quinta de la Rosa Tawny

Brownish red colour with a sweet fruity nose. The taste was a combination of fruitiness and nuttiness in this youthful but satisfying port.

Quinta de la Rosa White

Quinta de la Rosa White

Pale golden colour with a lightly floral nose. This is a noticeably dry white port and so comes across warm and honeyish without much contribution from fruit flavours.

Quinta de la Rosa Draft Tawny

Quinta de la Rosa Draft Tawny

This was a gloriously rich and thoroughly enjoyable port that we were given to help us on our way during the treading in the lagare. We are convinced it came straight from the barrel and a very old barrel at that judging by its complexity and robustness.

Pastelaria Reserve Tawny

Pastelaria Reserve Tawny

When we asked for a second tawny at the pastelaria it must have looked like we meant

business. This one was fetched from the cupboard under the window and came in a plastic 1 gallon wine bottle. It had a deep brown colour and was less turdbid than the ordinary one. It was smooth, rich and warming combining butterscotch and oak. In my ignorance I tried to find out where it was made but all I learned that the proprieter was called Gloria. The next day I tried again during the day when the place was busier; after a prolonged debate in Portuguese I was proudly informed that it was, "port wine"! Henceforth we have fondly referred to this offering as Gloria and remember a jolly evening spent sharing a bottle of it in the Avenido dos Aliados  with some American friends we met along the way.

Pastelaria Tawny

Pastelaria Tawny

We asked for a tawny port so it looked like a communication issue when a bottle of Burmester White Port was reached down from the shelf. We were assured that we needn't worry and sure enough a tawny port emerged. It was quite turbid and brown but had an enjoyably complex sweet nutty taste. This was our first experience of a local wine that shouldn't really be called port as it wasn't produced under the control of the Institute of Port Wine.

Quinta do Banheiro White

Quinta do Bacheiro White

Golden colour with light floral nose. This was a pleasant balance of honey and sultana: a typical basic white port.

Rozés Tawny

Rozés Tawny

Light red colour with a brown tinge. Fruity and nutty nose. This port had a good balance of sweetness, nuttiness and fruit flavours augmented by a slight dry contribution from the oak.

Royal Companhia Velha Dom Jose Ruby

Royal Companhia Velha Dom Jose Ruby

Deep red colour with plummy fruits on the nose. This was pleasantly fruity but not spectacular.

Royal Companhia Velha Malvasia White

Royal Companhia Velha Malvasia White

Light golden colour with a floral nose. Very sweet and sultanary. This was a young wine with no complexity.

Casa de Santa Eufémia LBV 2001 (Bottled 2006)

Casa de Santa Eufémia LBV 2001 (Bottled 2006)

Deep ruby with a purple tint. Fruity nose. Good deep flavour and lots of body including some tannins. Blackberry fruits and smooth rather than syrupy.

Martinez Fine White

Martinez Fine White

Light golden colour. Slight floral nose. Typically sweet, smooth and fruity. Suitable for everyday drinking.

Quinta do Castelinho Tawny 10 Years Old

Quinta do Castelinho Tawny 10 Years Old

Light brown colour with very little redness. Complex woody and nutty nose. The warmth of this port was lovely being derived from its complex and full nuttiness with just a hint of woody astringency.

Quinta do Castelinho Tawny

Quinta do Castelinho Tawny

Lightly oxidised with just a hint of tawny in the predominantly red colour. The nose was light with floral hints. This port was satisfyingly warming with the sweetness balanced by a marked nutiness with some fruit flavours. A pleasant if not complex wine.

Quinta do Castelinho White

Quinta do Castelinho White

Deep golden colour with a warm honey nose. This wine was rich and warm with sultana and honey flavours complimenting the berry flavours. It was more complex than most whites so that the the sweetness was well balanced by an oakey component derived from some ageing in wood. This has become one of my favourites.

If you find yourself in Peso da Régua it is well worth spending some time at Quinta do Castelinho's showrooms at Quinta de São Domingues, which is a short walk to the East from the railway station. I particularly enjoyed the grainy black and white sequences of Barcos Rabelos navigating the Douro in the video presentation.

Porto Poças Tawny

Porto Poças Tawny

Strong ruby colour with little oxidation. This was a good example of a basic tawny port being pleasantly nutty yet still having some fresh berry flavours.

Lopes White

Lopes White

Pale straw colour. A typical medium sweet white had as an appetiser in a restaurant. Quite sweet really with berry flavours coming through.

Ferreira Dona Antonia Reserva

Ferreira Dona Antonia Reserva

Slightly oxidised brownish red colour. A good young tawny having a nutty fruitiness. Approachable and ideal as a late afternoon drink.

Ferreira Branco

Ferreira Branco

Golden colour. This was a medium dry but not so dry that as to kill the fruit flavours. There was also a hint of oak in the mix.

Ferreira White Lagrima

Ferreira White Lagrima

Light golden colour. Fruity nose. Very sweet and the fruit flavour was more sultanas than grapes.

Graham's Tawny 40 Years Old

Graham's Tawny 40 Years Old

Pure brown colour. This port was very mellow withouth huge complexity. It had a well balanced combination of dried fruits and nuts. Very approachable.

Graham's Six Grapes

Graham's Six Grapes

Good deep ruby colour. Pleasantly fruity with a little complexity but not challenging to drink. I can never put my finger on why I enjoy this port so much. It's relatively expensive for a reserve ruby but I am happy to pay for it although I can't pinpoint any particular outstanding quality except that it is lovely to drink.

Dow's Quinta Senhora de Ribeira Vintage 1999

Dow's Quinta Senhora de Ribeira Vintage 1999

Deep ruby red colour. Bags of fruit, youthful but no harsh tanins and little complexity. Possibly a little too much like blackcurrant cordial for some.

Graham's Quinta dos Malvedos Vintage 1998

Graham's Quinta dos Malvedos Vintage 1998

Slightly oxidised reddish brown colour. Nicely balanced fruitiness with some complexity.

Dow's Quinta do Bomfim Vintage 1995

Dow's Quinta do Bomfim Vintage 1995

Slightly oxidised brownish red colour. There was a pleasant light fruitness but not a lot of complexity.

Graham's Fine White

Graham's Fine White

Golden colour. Slightly sweet grapey nose. This port was typical of its style being moderately sweet and grapey with a honeyish warmth.