Hand-picked at the optimum time, the grapes are then destemmed, crushed and
converted
into wine through a process of careful maceration to extract their colour,
tannins and aromas,
enhanced by constant churning during fermentation. This takes place in vats
(lagares) at a
controlled temperature (between 28-30°C) until the right degree of sweetness
(baumé) is
achieved. At this point, grape brandy is added to create the final fortified
wine. A wine of high
quality, made by blending wines of different harvests to achieve the array of
sensory qualities
that are typical of these aged tawny Port wines. These wines have each matured
in oak casks
for varied periods of time, with the average age of all the wines in the blend
defining the age
on the label. The resulting blend expresses the characteristics given by the
ageing in wood. Time well spent in barrel.
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