Ramos Pinto Adriano Tawny Reserva Porto

Ramos Pinto built the Adriano name into a byword for Tawny Port, and this Reserva shows why. It is a blend of Douro varieties, among them Tinta Cão, Tinta Roriz and Touriga Franca, grown on the steep schist terraces of the Douro Valley. The region's poor, heat-retaining schist soils and hot dry summers ripen the grapes to high sugar, which is why the wine is fortified: neutral grape spirit is added during fermentation to stop the yeast, leaving natural sweetness and lifting the strength. What sets Tawny apart from Ruby Port is the ageing. The wine matures for years in seasoned oak casks, where slow oxygen exchange through the wood gradually fades the colour from deep red to amber and develops nutty, dried-fruit and caramel character. The source notes a light red colour, a nose of dried and soft fruits such as plum and walnut, and a dense palate of fresh plum and blackberry over a warming structure. Expect flavours of plum, fig, toffee and walnut with a spiced edge. Serve lightly chilled at around 14C in a small glass. It is a natural partner for nutty desserts and hard cheese.