Although styles of Port wine from blue grapes seems complicated, it can be divided into 2 main categories.
In terms of harvest, they are divided into age indicated – indicating the year of harvest, and undated – without indicating the year of harvest.
From the point of view of the method of ageing, they can be divided into Port maturing in a wooden barrel and Port maturing in a bottle.
Styles of Port wine without indicating the year of harvest
Ruby Port wine
Port wine Ruby is the most produced and widely available style of Port, named after its youthful, bright red color. For many consumers, this is the first Port to taste.
Unlike Vintage Port, most Ruby is blended from young wines of more harvests. It matures for 2 – 3 years in concrete or stainless steel tanks to prevent oxidation and retain a fresh, fruity aroma.
Read more about Ruby Port wine
Tawny Port wine
Tawny in Port wine means basic wine, aged for 3 years in oak barrels.
Here, intentional oxidation occurs through the pores of the wood, which affects its sensory properties.
In its taste we find nuts, the color is most often red-brown.
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Ruby Reserve Port Wine
Greater complexity in taste and deeper color, this is Ruby Reserva Port. It means a blend of wines aged for 4 – 7 years without access to air.
It excels in deep red color and fruity aroma. It is filtered before bottling, so you do not have to decant it before consumption.
Until 2002, it was referred to as „Vintage Character“. However, there were frequent confusion with the classic Vintage, so its current correct designation is „Ruby Reserve“ or „Ruby Reserve“.
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Tawny Reserve Port Wine
Port wine Tawny Reserve is a combination of selected wines, aged for 4-7 years in wood.
This gives it its structure and balance. The color is usually brick red with an amber shade. It is distinguished by the aroma of caramel, raisins and cloves.
The taste of Tawny Reserva shows signs of spices, black currants or walnuts.
Do you like Tawny Reserve? Go to its main page.
Tawny 10, 20, 30, 40 Years Old Port wine
Dated Tawny, or Tawny with an indication of age, is a Port wine aged in a oak casks. You will find the name „Tawny 10 Years Old“ or other numbers 20, 30 or 40 on the label.
These mean the average age of the wines used in the resulting coupage. For example, Tawny 20 Years Old can contain both five-year-old and 30-year-old wines.
Their color changes during maturation, from brick red in 10-year-old Tawny to amber or mahogany. The aroma is slightly fruity at the beginning, rather cinnamon for older wines. In the taste you will find undertones of oranges, nuts or roasted almonds.
Everything about the Tawny with the age mark can be found here together.
Crusted Port wine
Crusted is now a relatively rare type of Port wine, especially popular in the UK. It is usually a blend of full wines that mature in large wooden barrels for at least 4 years, then bottled without filtration and stored for another 3 years before traveling to the market.
As the name suggests, they form a „crust“ or sediment in the bottle, which is a natural process that occurs in Port wines that have matured for a long time.
Port wine Crusted must therefore be decanted before serving.
It is characterized by a purple color, elegant, discreet and complex taste of apricots, plums or forest fruits. Although usually austere at first, it gradually releases the delicate scents of exotic wood or leather.
Crusted are Port wines with good potential for aging in the bottle. The year of bottling is indicated on the label.
You can find out more about Crusted port wines on the main page
Styles of Port wines with indicating the year of harvest
Portské víno Colheita
One-year-old port wine Colheita matures for at least 7 years in oak casks, however, it is not uncommon for them to spend 50 years or more in wood. Individual vintages may differ from each other, which makes them more attractive among consumers. It is bottled gradually based on the requirements of consumers on the market. It no longer improves in the bottle.
The main information on the label is the year of harvest, but it should also include the year of bottling.
Colheita is a relatively rare type of Port wine produced only by some large producers, such as Kopke or Quinta do Noval.
Gourmets value them for their structure, mahogany-amber color and the taste of spices, almonds or smoke.
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Garrafeira Port wine
Garrafeira Port wine is a specialty of the family producer Niepoort. These are rare vintage wines and their properties are unconventional.
Garrafeira matures for 3 – 6 years in oak barrels and then for at least another 8 years in 11-liter glass demijohns.
Gourmets describe that Garrafeira tastes similar to bacon, due to the oils that can form in the wine during long aging in the glass.
Taste Garrafeira Port wine on this page
Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) Port wine
Late Bottled Vintage Port wine, or LBV, is an alternative to Vintage Port, created for informal and more relaxed occasions.
Like Vintage Port, LBV is a quality Port wine from grapes of one vintage. Unlike Vintage, which is bottled according to the rules after 2 years of aging in a cask, LBV travels to bottles after 4 or 6 years. Then it is immediately ready to drink.
Most Late Bottled Vintage manufacturers filter before bottling, so it usually does not need to be decanted.
The date of bottling is marked on the label.
Taste the Late Bottled Vintage Port wine on this page
Single Quinta Vintage Port wine
An interesting style of Port is undoubtedly Single Quinta Vintage. It is made from blue grapes of one year and one specific vineyard.
Unlike the classic Vintage Port, it is not subject to a declaration and can be afforded by smaller producers who do not have more vineyards.
They are aged for two to three years in barrels, then bottled. They are ready to drink in 8 – 10 years. They usually need to be decanted as they contain light sediment.
Famous are the vintage Vintage from the vineyards Quinta dos Malvedos from Graham’s or Quinta da Vargellas by Taylor’s.
Taste the Port wine Single Quinta Vintage on this page
Classic Vintage Port wine
Only in the best years is the Vintage Port declared. The announcement is approved by the IVDP.
Vintage are exceptional, the most recognized Vintage Port wines.
As a rule, they are aged for at least 18 months in wooden barrels, after which they are bottled. In the bottle, they are improved, ie the structure and complexity are strengthened.
They are red in color with sparkling reflections, in the taste of raspberries, strawberries or black currants.
It is usually ready for consumption in 15 years of maturation in a bottle, however, the most valued are Vintage Ports aged 50 and 100 years. It is necessary to decant them before serving.
Everything about Vintage Port wine can be found on a separate page
