Region: Portugal
I failed to take a picture of this tawny port before I recycled the bottle. Somehow, I think you’ll make do. What you won’t do with is not recognizing what tawny means, which I just discovered while researching this post. Tawny ports are ports aged for long enough in wood that their coloring changes from red-purple to more of an orange-yellow shade that is called tawny. I had no idea! I thought tawny meant they used a method similar to white wine, leaving out the skins, to achieve the different color, and I didn’t like the first few I tried so I swore them all off until now. Luckily, this wine taught me that tawny is a port style I can embrace, even though I’m still confused that it was closer to purple in color than that tawny shade.
Its nose was typical for a port, full of fig, spice, and alcohol bite. The taste was also typically port with lots of that ripe, juicy, seedy fig. It was thin-bodied with some coffee notes and fleeting dark chocolate. There was perhaps a little tamarind in the mix as well. One might call that an odd combination of flavors, but it worked quite well.
Other than the potential tamarind note, it was . . . typical. Because I enjoy port a great deal, typical means rather good in this case. In fact, I’ve had a bad string of cheap ports lately, so I was impressed by this bottle that the husband brought home from our wine shop for Christmas. I look forward to sipping it again!
Other Bloggers’ Thoughts
Deep garnet color. Nice nose with black plum, caramel, and toffee aromas. Black plum, toffee, caramel, honey, and raisin come through on the palate. Medium sweet and medium to full-bodied. Well-balanced with good complexity and a long, smooth finish.
The less expensive Taylor Fladgate 10 Year Old Tawny also has lots of personality, with some fig notes and nutty tones.
Prunes and play-doh. If it weren’t for the cigar I just finished, there would surely be more to say.
Reviewed 23 Jan 12.
