“In this series we bring you our #FavouriteThings Holiday Gift Suggestions which we personally recommend”
My first real introductiion to Port was at the Master of Port Canada 2022 competition. The results of the Master of Port was announced in grand form at a dinner held at the Vancouver Club. Read the review here.
These Ports will make fabulous gifts during the holiday season.
Taylor Fladgate Late Bottled Vintage Porto 2017
FULL BODIED & FRUITY
Late Bottled Vintage
Late Bottled Vintage, or LBV, is the most popular premium Port style in both England and Canada, representing one in five purchases of Port in the UK and over a quarter of all Port enjoyed by Canadians.
Vintage Port and LBV both present a selection of very fine full bodied red ports from a single year. The fundamental difference between the two styles lies in the way each is matured. Vintage Port is kept in wood for only twenty months or so before being transferred to the bottle where it will continue to age. Late Bottled Vintage, as the name suggests, is bottled later, remaining in wood between four and six years. During this relatively long period of wood ageing, an LBV matures and settles down – it is ready to drink when bottled, does not need to be decanted and can be served by the glass for several weeks after the cork is drawn.
LBV was developed as a high quality but more affordable and immediately drinkable alternative to Vintage port to be enjoyed by the glass on everyday occasions. It was first launched in 1970 by Taylor’s current Chairman, Alistair Robertson, with the Late Bottled Vintage 1965.
Although many other houses now offer this wonderful style of wine, Taylor’s LBV – the original Late Bottled Vintage – remains the benchmark in the category; the first choice of the knowledgeable Port drinker.
Deep ruby colour. The elegant and stylish nose combines fresh, intense blackcurrant and cherry aromas with subtle notes of liquorice and spice. On the palate the rich and concentrated black fruit flavour is supported by firm but well integrated tannins. True to the Taylor’s style the wine shows great balance and finesse.
92 Points, Decanter World Wine Awards: “Dense with a hint of dark chocolate concentration on the nose; similarly rich and well defined on the palate with firm ripe tannins on the finish. A rather lovely LBV.” (June 2022)
$26.99 available at BC Liquor Stores currently on sale for $24.99 until December 31st
LBV Port is aged four to six years in wood, and ready to drink when bottled. Deep ruby, with aromas of dark plum and minerally, smoky notes. Sweet, with medium body, supple tannins and balanced acidity. Enjoy flavours of plum with smoky tones, to herbal, chocolatey finish. Serve with rich cheese or chocolate desserts.
$19.95 available at the LCBO currently on sale for $17.45 sale ends January 1st
Taylor Fladgate 10 year Tawny Port
RICH & MELLOW
10 Year Old Tawny
Although best known for its legendary Vintage Ports, Taylor’s is also one of the most respected producers of 10 Year Old Tawny Port.
This style of Port is fully matured in seasoned oak casks each holding about 630 litres of wine. Here, over many years of ageing, the wine gradually takes on its characteristic amber ‘tawny’ colour, slowly developing the complex mellow flavours and the smooth luscious palate which are the hallmarks of Tawny Port.
Taylor’s blends its magnificent 10 year old tawny from its extensive reserves of old cask aged Ports matured in the firm’s cool and tranquil cellars (known as ‘lodges’) in Oporto on Portugal’s Atlantic coast.
Taylor’s 10 Year Old Tawny is a superb example of the aged tawny style. Mellow and elegant, combining delicate wood notes with rich aromas of mature fruit, it is bottled for immediate drinking.
It is the best selling 10 Year Old Aged Tawny Port in the UK.
Tasting Notes:
Deep brick colour with amber rim. Rich and elegant nose combining aromas of ripe berry fruit with a delicate nuttiness and subtle mellow notes of chocolate, butterscotch and fine oak wood. Smooth and silky on the palate and full of ripe figgy, jammy flavours which persist on the long finish.
90 Points, Wine Spectator – “The colour is garnet orange showing its barrel age the nose a nutty spicy, fig, brown sugar affair with flecks of pipe tobacco, nutmeg and orange peel. The palate is aromatic with almonds, toffee and spice that finishes long and sweet. Serve fireside with friends or a great book.” (June 2018)
$41.99 available at BC Liquor Stores currently on sale for $38.99 until December 31
One of the world’s most versatile dessert wines, Port was made for mellow winter evenings. This one would pair perfectly with a platter of walnuts, dark chocolate, dried cherries and figs. A scrumptious gift.
$36.95 available at the LCBO
Taylor Fladgate 20 year Tawny Port
RICH & MELLOW
20 Year Old Tawny
Taylor’s is one of the most highly respected producers of aged tawny Port wines. 20 Year Old Tawny Port is fully matured in seasoned oak casks each holding about 630 litres of wine. Here, over many years of ageing, the Port wine gradually takes on its characteristic amber ‘tawny’ colour, slowly developing the complex mellow flavours and the smooth luscious palate which are the hallmarks of this style of port.
Taylor’s blends its magnificent 20 year old tawny Ports from its extensive reserves of old cask aged Ports matured in the firm’s cool and tranquil cellars (known as ‘lodges’) in Oporto on Portugal’s Atlantic coast.
In the 20 Year Old tawny, the fruit has mellowed further than in the 10 Year Old, and the spicy, nutty aromas of ageing are more powerful and intense.
The most popular 20 Year Old Aged Tawny Port in the United States of America.
Tasting Notes:
Intense amber tawny colour. Opulent and voluptuous nose of complex spicy, jammy and nutty aromas, hints of orange flower and a fine oakiness coming from the long period of aging in cask. The palate is full of very rich and concentrated flavour and has a long mellow finish.
95 Points, James Suckling: “Full-bodied, very fruity and dense with intense nut and mahogany flavors. Hints of sultanas, chocolate and coffee. Extremely creamy, long and flavorful. Delicious all the way.” June 2019
$72.99 available at the BC Liquor Stores
A fabulous after-dinner treat that will last several weeks once opened, this well-aged Tawny features Taylor Fladgate’s trademark rich dried fig, floral touch, citrus peel and roasted nut flavours with nutmeg note. Sings with crème brûlée, hazelnut torte or blue-veined cheeses.
$70.95 available at the LCBO
Buying Advice
No serious wine collection can be said to be complete if it does not contain at least some Vintage Ports from the top Port houses.
Vintage Port can be said to be the ultimate collector’s wine. Its ability to age is legendary and it will outlive most other wines in the cellar. This resilience and longevity means that – at least in the case of Vintage Port from a well known house such as Taylor’s – it will keep its value and indeed appreciate provided it is properly stored. Vintage Port also has another characteristic which is important to any collector: Its rarity.
Vintage Port is only made in the best years and represents a very small proportion of the crop. It is selected from the very finest wines from a handful of famous estates, most of which belong to the Port houses themselves. In the last few decades only about three years in ten have been declared.
On average, Vintage Port represents no more than 1% of all Port sold. The amount of Vintage Port bottled by each of the top houses is also relatively small. With the passage of time, a Vintage Port will become progressively rarer as bottles are consumed. The tendency to drink Vintage Port younger means that the wines become rarities much more quickly than they did in the past.
As would be expected, Vintage Ports from the famous Port houses are of necessity quite expensive. However they are much more affordable than most iconic wines from other classic wine regions including many which attract lower scores and ratings. Vintage Ports are particularly good value when purchased on release, when special ‘declaration’ prices and conditions apply.
Because Vintage Port has an extraordinary capacity to age, it represents a secure buy as an investment and will tend to increase in value as it ages, particularly if it has been made by one of the top houses such as Taylor’s and is from a good year.
The tradition of laying down a pipe of port for each child is no longer very common, but buying a case of Vintage Port from the birth year of your children, or indeed for your god children is still very popular – particularly in countries with a long tradition for Vintage Port, such as the United Kingdom.
When buying Vintage Port, provenance of the wine is very important. If possible, always try and buy through a reliable and well established wine merchant. Long established wine merchants generally have a direct relationship with Taylor’s extensive chain of worldwide distributors, guaranteeing the provenance of the wine and hence the quality.
The same decision making should apply when buying Vintage Port at auction.
Who are we?
For many, Taylor’s is the archetypal Port house and its wines the quintessential Ports. Established over three centuries ago in 1692, Taylor’s is one of the oldest of the founding Port houses. It is dedicated entirely to the production of Port wine and in particular to its finest styles.
Above all, Taylor’s is regarded as the benchmark for Vintage Port. Noted for their elegance and poise as well as for their restrained power and longevity, Taylor’s Vintage Ports are blended from the finest wines of the firm’s own quintas or estates, Vargellas, Terra Feita and Junco. These three iconic properties, each occupying a distinct geographic location and with their own unique character, are the cornerstone of the company’s success and the main source of its unique and inimitable house style.
Taylor’s is also respected as a producer of wood aged ports and holds one of the largest reserves of rare cask aged wines from which its distinguished aged tawny Ports are drawn. The house is also known as the originator of Late Bottled Vintage, a style which the firm pioneered and of which it remains the leading producer.
Above all, Taylor’s is an independent company in which some family members play a leading role in all areas of the firm’s activity. The firm’s long and unbroken family tradition has provided continuity and clarity of purpose, essential attributes of any great wine house. It has also allowed the skills and knowledge required to produce the finest ports to be constantly refined and added to in the light of experience as they are passed down from one generation to the next.
Based in Oporto and the Douro Valley the company is closely involved in all stages of the production of its Ports, from the planting of the vineyard and the cultivation of the grapes to the making, ageing, blending and bottling of the wines. The family’s commitment to the future of Port is demonstrated in its single minded dedication to the highest standards in Port production, its continued investment in all aspects of the firm’s operations and its determination to preserve the unique environment of the Douro Valley through the promotion of sustainable and responsible viticulture.
Notes and information courtesy of Taylor Fladgate, notes in italics courtesy of BC Liquor Stores and the LCBO respectively. Images: MyVanCity. I received complimentary product to facilitate this feature.
