Fonseca Porto 20 Years Old Tawny Port

Fonseca, a Fladgate Partnership house of long Douro standing, releases this 20 Year Old as one of its age-dated Tawnies, the average age of the blended wines set at two decades. It represents a more mature, complex tier than the house's 10 Year and unaged Tawnies.

Made from the classic red port grapes and fortified with grape spirit, the wine matures oxidatively in small seasoned oak casks. The high ratio of cask surface to volume means intense contact with wood and air, so over twenty years the colour fades to deep amber with russet highlights and the flavour concentrates toward dried fruit, nut and warm spice.

The bouquet is a complex marriage of ripe plummy fruit, warm cinnamon and butterscotch over subtle oak. The palate is smooth and layered, with raisin, toffee and toasted nut carried by fresh acidity into a long, gently spiced finish. Serve lightly chilled in a small glass as a digestif, or pair with dark chocolate, dried fruit and nuts, or a good cigar.