Dalva 40 years old Dry White Portugal Port Wine 75 cl 20%

Few white Ports ever spend a full decade in cask before being poured as a fresh aperitif. This one has spent forty – an almost extinct style, where time alone has turned white grapes into something deep amber and complex.

Expert's Description

Dalva 40 Years Dry White is a Portuguese, dry, age-indicated Port made from white grapes from the Douro Valley, bottled at 20% – not to be confused with a sweet dessert-style Port, since the wine is deliberately vinified dry.

The wine is aged in very old French oak barrels for forty years, where the slow oxygen contact has turned the pale grapes a deep amber-gold colour and developed a complexity usually associated only with the very oldest Tawny Ports.

Behind the bottle stands Dalva, the brand of the Port house C. da Silva in Vila Nova de Gaia, founded in 1862. The house has made this exact style of long-aged white Port one of its core specialities, alongside its aged Colheita Ports.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is deep and complex, with ripe mandarin, exotic resin tones and toasted almonds.

Palate

The palate is full-bodied and dry, with a silky structure and layers of nuts, dried citrus and a light honeyed warmth.

Finish

The finish is very long and dry, closing with a light burning warmth and a final note of toasted nuts.

Specifications

Name: Dalva 40 Years Dry White
Winery: Dalva
Region/Country: Douro, Portugal
Type: Dry White Port, dry, 40 years
ABV: 20%
Size: 75 CL
Ageing: Oak casks
EAN no.: 5603003110803

Flavour Profile

Nutty · Amber-gold · Dry · Complex

Investment Potential

Most white Ports are drunk young as a fresh aperitif, making a 40-year-old Dry White an extremely rare exception within the category. The combination of extended cask ageing and the low production of this particular style makes the bottle highly sought after among collectors interested in Port's lesser-known side.

Did You Know?

While the vast majority of white Ports are consumed within a few years of bottling as a light, chilled aperitif, Dalva's Dry White range is one of the few cases where white grapes are allowed to rest as long as the finest aged Tawny Ports – a style almost no other house practises to this extent.

See our full range of Dalva

Frequently Asked Questions about Dalva 40 Years Dry White

Is Dalva 40 Years Dry White worth it?

Yes – a Port made from white grapes and aged forty years is an extremely rare style that only a handful of houses produce, making the bottle a genuinely unique addition to any collection.

Is Dry White a sweet Port?

No, unlike most Port styles, Dry White is deliberately vinified dry, giving a quite different, nuttier and less sweet character than a classic Ruby or Tawny.

Why is a 40-year-old white Port so unusual?

Most white Ports are drunk young as a fresh aperitif shortly after bottling, so a bottle that has spent forty years in cask represents a style almost no other house practises.

At what temperature should it be served?

Serve it at 12-14°C in a white wine or Port glass, ideally enjoyed on its own as an afternoon dram rather than with food.

How should the bottle be stored?

Store it upright, cool and dark. Because the wine is already deeply oxidatively matured, it stays fresh for several months after opening.

What defines Dalva as a Port house?

Dalva is part of C. da Silva, founded in 1862 in Vila Nova de Gaia, and the house has specialised in exactly this kind of rare, long-aged white Port.