Vintage & LBV Port

Vintage Port is the pinnacle of the Douro. It is made only in the finest years, when a producer "declares" a vintage, and typically that happens just a few times a decade. After around two years in wood, the wine is bottled unfiltered, where it slowly evolves over decades. Young Vintage Port is dense and powerful, bursting with blackberry, plum, violet and firm tannins, while mature bottles soften into something silky and complex, with notes of dried fruit, spice, cedar and leather. Single Quinta Vintage Ports, made from a producer's top estate in non-declared years, offer a similar style and are often excellent value.

Late Bottled Vintage, or LBV, is also the wine of a single year, but spends longer in wood before bottling, usually between four and six years. This extra time softens the wine and makes it ready to enjoy on release, with the same rich, dark fruit character in a more approachable form. Most LBVs are filtered, while traditional unfiltered examples will continue to develop in bottle much like Vintage Port.

Vintage Port and unfiltered LBV throw a natural sediment, so it's worth standing the bottle upright for a day and decanting before serving. Once opened, Vintage Port is best enjoyed within a few days, while LBV will keep a little longer. Both are classic partners for Stilton and other blue cheeses, dark chocolate and rich fruit-based puddings.