les Caves de Bacchus : le Vin de Porto

Special Categories of Port Wine.

"VINTAGE" Port
DEFINITION :
A Port Wine produced from a single harvest in a year of extremely favourable conditions. The declaration of Vintage Port is authorized by the Port Wine Institute only when the wine submitted displays outstanding quality.

AGEING PROCESS :
Vintage Port is bottled two to three years after the harvest, after a period of maturation in wood, continuing then its evolution in the bottle. As it tends to throw a sediment during maturation, Vintage Port should always be decanted prior to consumption.

CHARACTERISTICS :
As a result of tha ageing process in the bottle, maily through reduction phenomena, Vintage Port distinguishes itself from exclusively wood-aged Ports by its deep colour and fruity taste. Full bodied and with a long after taste, Vintage Port has both a complex bouquet and exquisite taste. -Back -

Late Bottled Vintage(L.B.V.)
DEFINITION :
The term L.B.V. means "Late Bottled Vintage" and refers to a Port produced from a single harvest mentioned on the label.

AGEING PROCESS :
L.B.V. Port matures in cask for between 4 to 6 years (and not 2 as is the case of Vintage) and then bottled.

CHARACTERISTICS :
This special category can be considered as being half way between the two great families of Port : it is reminiscent of a Vintage although it matures for longer in cask and has less colour; on the other hand it is fruitier and more colour and body than a tawny. - Back -

Port with date of harvest - "Colheita"
DEFINITION :
A wine made from a single harvest : indication of the date on the label is compulsory.

AGEING PROCESS :
Despite the indication of the date of harvest, it should not be confused with Vintage as it matures in a very different way. It ages in cask due to long term oxidation. The date of bottling is indicated on the label, as is the case of Port with an indication of age. It is a wine blended with Ports of the same year.

CHARACTERISTICS :
The classic bouquet and taste so characteristic of Ports with date of harvest depend o, the quality of the particular harvest. -Back -

"10 YEARS old"Prot
DEFINITION :
Made from wines of diferent harvests but an average age of 10 years.

AGEING PROCESS :
In 550 litre oak casks.

CHARACTERISTICS :
Lighter in colour than an average Tawny, it has a golden hue. Both in taste and bouquet it is fruitier (prune, stewed fruit), although the latter slowly chages to dried fruit (hazelnuts). - Back -

"20 YEARS old"Port
DEFINITION :
A wine blende from different harvest which, on average, are 20 years old. Just as with other Ports with an indication of age, the average age of the blend is mentioned on the label (20 year old Port).

AGEING PROCESS :
In 550 litre oak casks.

CHARACTERISTICS :
Wine with a topaz coloured hue. Less fruity in both taste and bouquet, it acquires the typical characteristics of an old wine : dried fruit (walnuts, Smyrn a grapes), roasted coffe, caramel, chocolate. - Back -

"30 YEARS old" and "Over 40 YEARS old"Port
DEFINITION :
A Port made up of a blend of differnent harvest whose average age is either 30 years or over 40 years old.

VIEILLISSEMENT :
In oak casks with a 550 litre capacity.

CARACTERISTIQUES :
As the wine grows older and due to oxidation, it loses its clour thus gainingan orange colourd hue, gradually reaching a golden brown colour which is characteristic of older wines.
The bouquet and taste are similar to those of a classic wine, where the alcohol contents is well matched with the smoothness of a well rounded Port. - Back -

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