Royal Oporto Tawny Porto

This is a standard Tawny Port from Royal Oporto, the brand of Real Companhia Velha in Vila Nova de Gaia. It is blended from the classic Douro red varieties, chiefly Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca and Tinto Cao, grown on the company's own vineyards and fortified during fermentation.

The house ages this Tawny for an average of around five years in seasoned oak casks, longer than the three-year legal minimum. That extra cask time begins the oxidative shift that lightens the colour toward a blondish red and softens the young red fruit into a mellower, rounder wine carrying gentle wood and vanilla tones.

In the glass it shows a warm reddish-amber hue, with red-fruit jam, raisin and fig on the nose and subtle nut and caramel notes behind. The palate is soft, sweet and balanced with a fine oak and vanilla lift on the finish. Serve lightly cool at around 14 to 16C after a meal, or pair it with milk chocolate, dried fruit or a wedge of nutty cheese.