Producer: Dow’s
Wine: 20-Year-Old Tawny Port
Vintage: NV
Country: Portugal
Appellation: Douro
Wine Type: Fortified – Dessert
Primary Varietal: Touriga Nacional and other Port varieties
Grade: A-
Designation: Must Drink
Price: $47

I would happily drink Port any time of year, but as evenings get cooler and the holidays approach, I crave this delectable Portuguese fortified wine more than ever. Produced from grapes grown in the Douro valley of northern Portugal, Port can be made in many different ways, ranging from the very expensive vintage Ports to the drier tawny styles. I love the juicy, red berry fruitiness of ruby Ports, but I’m also a huge fan of the nutty tawny Ports, especially the Dow’s 20-year.

Tawny Port is gradually oxidized in wooden barrels over a period of years – most common are 10, 20 and 30 year tawny Ports. These wines are ready to drink as soon as they are released and because they’ve been exposed to oxygen so long, they generally last longer in the bottle when opened than any other type of Port.

Each Port house tends to have its own house style, and Dow’s tends to be on the drier side of the scale. With aromas and flavors of dried apricot, walnut and burnt sugar, this 20-year tawny is a rich, medium-bodied Port that is luscious, with a moderate level of sweetness. Delicious with blue cheese, nuts and dried fruit, this is also a treat to drink all on its own.

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