Rozés Infanta Isabel Tawny 10 Year Old

Rozés Infanta Isabel Tawny 10 Year Old

Deep reddish brown colour with fruity nutty nose reminiscent of Christmas pudding. On tasting there was a lovely rich mixture of dried fruits and old wood. There wasn't as much depth as some ten year olds but nevertheless this was a very pleasant port.

Graham's the Tawny

Graham's the Tawny

Well oxidised clear brown colour with nuttiness on the nose. The taste was satisfyingly complex combining sweet dried fruits with dry woody textures.

This has to be one of the best tawny reserves around. It easily stands up well against a number of ten year olds. For once the distinctive marketing in its dumpy bottle is borne out by the quality of the product contained therein.

Quinta do Portal Vintage 2003

Quinta do Portal Vintage 2003

Intense deep purple colour with a plummy fruity nose. There was a deep rich fruity flavour which was smooth with a hint of softness.

Taylor's Vintage 2007

Taylor's Vintage 2007

Intensely deep plummy purple overiding the ruby colour with a strong fruity nose. This port gave a big satisfying mouthful of fruity flavours and was surprisingly soft and smooth considering its youth.

There are a few bottles of this ageing gently in the cellar. I'll have to give you an update in 10 or so years time.

Taylor's Quinta de Vargellas Vintage 1988

Taylor's Quinta de Vargellas Vintage 1988

Slightly oxidised red colour with a fruity flavoured nose. This had a very mellow but full soft fruit flavour making it both enjoyable and quaffable.

Cálem Colheita 1983

Cálem Colheita 1983

Palish mid brown colour with a deliciously nutty nose. On tasting a lovely rich mixture of old fruits, vanilla and oak balanced with the sweetness of the fruits was revealed.

I don't think you often get given this one when visiting the caves in Vila Nova de Gaia. However after ordering a quantity for shipment and having a good chat we were invited back for this sample. Muito obrigado Sergio Laranja.

Cálem Tawny 10 Year Old

Cálem Tawny 10 Year Old

Mid brown colour with a nutty dried fruit nose. This was sweet and caramelly combined with old fruits and a dry woodiness. An excellent winter warmer.

Cálem Old Friends Ruby Reserve

Cálem Old Friends Ruby Reserve

Deep rich plummy ruby with an equally plummy nose. This was a pleasant straightfoward ruby with a good balance of sweetness, fruit flavours and tannins.

This one must have had the English label on it as the "Old Friends" brand is found in Portugal as "Velhotes". I liked this so much I had a few bottles shipped home.

Offley White

Offley White

Pale yellow with a honey nose. This was a particularly sweet white port with honey flavours predominating over the fruit ones.

Royal Oporto White

Royal Oporto White

Pale yellow colour with a honey nose. This one was quite sweet having a fresh fruity flavour.

Porto Messias Tawny 10 Year Old

Porto Messias Tawny 10 Year Old

Rich brown colour with a nose of fruits and nuts. This was a full bodied rich port giving a satisfying experience of well balanced sweet dried fruits and oak.

Quinta do Noval LBV 2003

Quinta do Noval LBV 2003

Good deep ruby colour with a fruity nose. This port was of the rich and soft type allowing the sweet berry flavours to predominate. This was an excellent example of this type of port.

Rozés LBV 1997

Rozés LBV 1997

Deep ruby colour with fruit on the nose. There was a good well balanced grapey flavour.

Dalva Tawny 10 Year Old

Dalva Tawny 10 Year Old

Mid brown colour with a typical nose of old oak and dried fruits. This carried through to the flavour of this port, which was a competent example of its type.

Gilbert's Tawny 10 Year Old

Gilbert's Tawny 10 Year Old

Deep brown colour with a rich nose of old fruits. This was typical of its type being sweet and warming however it didn't have a lot of complexity. Whereas its balance of dried fruits and oak was pleasant enough it wasn't particularly outstanding.

Croft Tawny 10 Year Old

Croft Tawny 10 Year Old

Mid brown colour with a nutty and fruity nose. This port was of acceptable quality combining oak nuttiness with the sweetness of dried fruits.

Croft Ruby

Croft Ruby

Good plummy ruby colour with a youthful fruity nose. This port was an acceptable example of its type without being outstanding with sweet young berry flavours predmoninating.

Kopke Rose Port

Kopke Rose Port

Bright pink colour with a slightly grapey nose. This port was refreshingly on the dry side of sweet coming across like rose wine on steroids. The main impression was of fresh summer berries especially strawberries.

In fact we took a bottle of this home with us and my good wife used some in a strawberry and port ice cream that was scrumptious.

Lopes Tawny 10 Year Old

Lopes Tawny 10 Year Old

This had a deep brown colour but little nose. However this could have been due to the bottle having been open in the restaurant for a while. On tasting it was remarkably sweet with lots of vanilla and oaky notes to the dried fruit flavours.

Ferreira Ruby

Ferreira Ruby

Deep ruby colour with a fruity nose. This was not a bad example of basic ruby that was characterised by a good rich and fresh fruitiness.

Quinta do Noval Tawny 10 Year Old

Quinta do Noval Tawny 10 Year Old

There was a deep brown colour with a good nutty nose. On tasting this proved to be a smooth deep rich port combining the sweetness of dried fruits with a nutty oakiness.

Valriz Porto Tawny 10 Year Old

Valriz Porto Tawny 10 Year Old

Rich amber colour with a woody fruity nose. The taste was disappointing lacking in both depth and fruitiness. This would be one for someone who prefers their ports lighter than I do.

Quinta do Portal Tawny 10 Year Old

Quinta do Portal Tawny 10 Year Old

The deep reddish amber colour was married with a nose that was distinctively reminiscent of Christmas fruits. The taste was smooth and fruity. As well as being grapey there was complexity derived from the wood flavours.

Quinta do Vallado Tawny 10 Year Old

Quinta do Vallado Tawny 10 Year Old

Pale amber colour with a suggestion of burnt wood in the fruity nose. This was lovely being sweet and smooth with good depth. Along with the dried fruit flavours there were hints of wood smoke.

Cálem Fine White

Cálem Fine White

Pale yellow with a honeyish nose. This port was pleasantly grapey and fresh.

You used to be able to buy this in Safeways/Morrisons but sadly no more at it was a good example of a straightfoward white port.