Port wine... to the cask or to the bottle ?

Posted by C.daSILVA / at Sunday, September 08, 2013 / /

There are two different families thanks to the hand of the winemaker, the Port wines that age in the cask and the ones that age in the bottle.

Very few common characteristics between these two categories, although they are both Ports, they may present superior quality but distinct styles.

This organization of Port wine is the result of the historical evolution of Port wine. It was not from the very beginning (XVIII century) that has been made this option of the different types that we now nowadays.

Curiosly, in the beginning of the Port wine history til the end of the XIX century, the importance of old Port wine aged in barrel was really low, the market was focused on young Ports, the Vintage Port, known in that time as "Novelty".

DALVA Vintage 2011

The old Ports were not appelatives for the bulk business and massive exportation, of course that the baseline of quality, the younger Ports, are the ones that offer a higger income for the Houses, in the other side of the scale we have the Ports that ensure the reputation and prestige, the Vintage and the old Tawnies and Colheitas with over 20 years old.

For instance the Tawny 10 years old, if you carefully check the price per bottle that most of the Port Houses sell it, we realise that the investiment on casks, the room space, the evaporation lost during that time and the costs with coopers are farway from reaching a considerable income.

Nowadays, a good still wine can easily reach a price of a Tawny 10 years old, however, the Aged Tawnies categorie is a "must have"... a mandatory type.

It is common to say that each Company has its own flagship, some opted for Ruby Reserve, others LBV combining the good relationship quality/price.

The old Tawnies will always have their niche of the market, especially the 20, 30 and over 40 years old, produced/bottled in smaller quantities.

In average, for a 30 years old Tawny, the anual bottling is about one to two casks of 550 liters.
This small quantity (when comparing with the White/Ruby/Tawny) ensures a great quality and reliability to the consumer.

Despite the price payed, it is clearly justified by the quality and enjoyment that this Ports must offer.


The unique old White Colheitas from DALVA

The last but not the least, the Colheita, a Single Harvest Tawny that is currently the other king of Port wines, representing 0,5% of the market, less than the Vintage (about 2%) it has gain a status that nowadays, some Houses are more focused on using it on Colheita than keeping it only for
the blend of 30 or over 40 years old Tawnies.