Ramos Pinto Quinta Ervamoira 10 year old tawny

Ramos Pinto draws this Tawny from Quinta Ervamoira, a single estate in the Muxagata area of the Upper Douro, where 234 hectares of vineyard climb from 110 to 350 metres and the older vines average around thirty years. The blend is built from native Douro grapes, principally Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca and Tinta Barroca, grown on the region's schist soils. As with all Port, grape spirit is added during fermentation to stop it early, retaining sweetness and raising the strength. The wine is then aged for an average of ten years in oak casks, where slow oxidative contact through the wood softens the colour from deep red towards orange-red and replaces primary fruit with developed flavours. The result has an orange-red hue and a spicy, exotic nose, with fruity hints of orange, apricot and plum alongside the aromas of old Port casks. The palate is smooth and warming, with dried fruit, walnut and a toffee sweetness over a long nutty finish. Serve lightly chilled or at cool room temperature in a small glass, after dinner with nuts and dried fruit or alongside almond and caramel desserts.