Only a small share of what is laid down in Baixo Corgo ever makes it all the way to a 20 Year Old Tawny. The rest is sold along the way or blended into younger bottles. What remains after two decades is one of the house's most ambitious wines.

Expert's Description

Martha's 20 Year Old Tawny Port is a Portuguese age-declared Tawny Port from the Douro Valley, matured in oak casks for an average of 20 years and bottled at 20%.

After two decades in wood, the wine has lost most of its original fruit sweetness and instead developed deep complexity of dried fruit, nuts and spice. A significant portion of the volume has also evaporated through the wood along the way, concentrating the flavour further.

Martha's Wine & Spirits traces back to 1727 in the Baixo Corgo district, where the family has grown grapes for six generations and later built its name on precisely these age-declared Tawny series. 20 years is one of the levels the house has won the most awards for.

The designation is approved by the Portuguese regulator IVDP after an official tasting that confirms the character in the glass lives up to the 20 years on the label.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Rich aromas of honey, fig and toasted walnuts, with a hint of cigar box.

Palate

Complex and elegant, with ripe dried fruit, caramel and a fine spiciness.

Finish

Long and warm, with lingering notes of nuts and dried fruit.

Specifications

Name: Martha's 20 Year Old Tawny Port
Winery: Martha's Wine & Spirits
Region/Country: Douro, Portugal
Type: Age-declared Tawny Port
Grape varieties: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinto Cão
ABV: 20%
Size: 75 CL
Ageing: Oak cask (average 20 years)

Flavour Profile

Complex · Nutty · Elegant · Spiced

Investment Potential

A 20 Year Old Tawny is a recognised category among Port collectors, since it requires official age approval and is typically produced in smaller volumes than the house's younger series. The bottle suits anyone looking for a Port with a degree of rarity beyond the drinking experience itself.

Did You Know?

During those 20 years in wood, a significant part of the wine evaporates through the cask, what cellar masters call the angels' share. It is one of the reasons an old Tawny becomes more concentrated year after year, but it also means only a fraction of the original volume ends up in the bottle.

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When this wine was first laid down, an entirely different generation of the Martha family was running the cellar. 40 years later, the result is one of the house's rarest bottles, a Port that has spent a working lifetime becoming what it is.

Expert's Description

Martha's 40 Year Old Tawny Port is a Portuguese age-declared Tawny Port from the Douro Valley, matured in oak casks for an average of 40 years and bottled at 20%.

After four decades in wood, only a fraction of the original volume remains, concentrated into a deep, golden wine of enormous complexity. Only a small part of what the house lays down each year is ever allowed to rest for that long.

Martha's Wine & Spirits traces back to 1727, when the family settled as grape growers in Baixo Corgo. Across six generations the family has refined exactly this discipline, and 40 years is the top level of the house's age-declared Tawny series.

The designation is approved by the Portuguese regulator IVDP after an official tasting, and the bottle has earned international recognition along the way.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Opulent aromas of dried fruit, honey and a hint of oak, with a deep golden character.

Palate

Enormously complex and velvety, with layer upon layer of caramelised fruit, nuts and spice.

Finish

Very long and elegant, unforgettable in its balance between sweetness and dryness.

Specifications

Name: Martha's 40 Year Old Tawny Port
Winery: Martha's Wine & Spirits
Region/Country: Douro, Portugal
Type: Age-declared Tawny Port
Grape varieties: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinto Cão
ABV: 20%
Size: 75 CL
Ageing: Oak cask (average 40 years)

Flavour Profile

Opulent · Complex · Velvety · Golden

Investment Potential

A 40 Year Old Tawny sits at the very rare end of the Port spectrum and is highly sought after among collectors and Port enthusiasts. The volume that ever reaches this age is very limited, making the bottle a genuine collector's item rather than an everyday pour.

Did You Know?

Only a vanishing share of what is laid down in a given year ends up as a 40 Year Old Tawny. The rest is sold along the way as younger categories, while the best casks are left untouched for decades as generations of cellar masters hand over the watch.

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Dark as night over the Douro Valley, with violets and blackcurrant breaking through, as if the wine has not yet decided to settle down.

Expert's Description

Martha's Black Label Vintage Port 2016 is a classic Vintage Port from the declared 2016 harvest in a 75 cl bottle with an alcohol content of 20%.

Unlike LBV and Tawny, a Vintage Port is bottled unfiltered already in its second year of life, which gives it enormous ageing potential and means it should be decanted before serving.

Martha's Wine & Spirits only declares a vintage in years when the grapes from the family's vineyards in Baixo Corgo reach a truly special ripeness and concentration, and 2016 was exactly such a year.

Black Label Vintage Port 2016 has earned considerable recognition from international wine magazines and is regarded as one of the house's most important recent releases.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Opulent aromas of ripe, dark fruit and forest flowers, with a clear burst of violets and blackcurrant.

Palate

Fresh and intense with firm yet velvety tannins showing enormous potential, accompanied by a beautiful acidity.

Finish

Long, powerful finish where dark fruit and tannins continue to develop in the glass.

Specifications

Name: Martha's Black Label Vintage Port 2016
Winery: Martha's Wine & Spirits
Region-Country: Douro (Baixo Corgo), Portugal
Type: Vintage Port
ABV: 20%
Size: 75 CL
Vintage: 2016
EAN no.: 5600328291026
Serving suggestion: Decant before serving and serve at 16-18°C in a large port glass.

Flavour Profile

Blackcurrant · Violets · Dark fruit · Velvety tannins

Investment Potential

As a young but genuinely declared vintage year from a respected family house, Black Label Vintage Port 2016 belongs to the category port collectors often follow closely with a view to future bottle ageing. The potential is assessed as Medium, since the vintage is still relatively young and will only show its full potential after many more years of ageing.

Did You Know?

A house only declares a vintage in the very best years, and Black Label Vintage Port 2016 has received high scores from several respected international wine magazines.

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A full bottle of dry white Port can lose its freshness long before it is finished. That is why Martha's Fine Dry White Port also comes in this smaller 37.5 cl bottle, just enough for a couple of good aperitifs without any waste afterwards.

Expert's Description

Martha's Fine Dry White Port is a Portuguese Dry White Port from the Douro Valley, matured in oak casks and bottled at 20.5% in a 37.5 cl bottle.

The wine is made from pale-skinned Douro grape varieties, pressed without skin contact to keep the colour light and the character clean, with the spirit added later so more sugar first ferments into alcohol. That produces the dry, less sweet style that sets it apart from a classic white Port.

Martha's Wine & Spirits was founded in 1727, when the family settled as grape growers in the Baixo Corgo district of the Douro Valley. The half bottle is meant for those who want the same quality in a smaller portion.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Citrus peel and almond, with a hint of dried herbs.

Palate

Dry and crisp, with green apple and a touch of honey, carried by fresh acidity.

Finish

Short and clean, with a slightly bitter almond note.

Specifications

Name: Martha's Fine Dry White Port
Winery: Martha's Wine & Spirits
Region/Country: Douro, Portugal
Type: Dry White Port
Grape varieties: Malvasia Fina, Viosinho, Gouveio, Rabigato
ABV: 20.5%
Size: 37.5 CL
Ageing: Oak cask
EAN no.: 5600328291347
Serving suggestion: Serve well chilled at 6-8°C, over ice with lemon or as a Port Tonic

Flavour Profile

Dry · Fresh · Nutty · Citrus

Did You Know?

The 37.5 cl format is a half standard bottle and is especially popular for dry white Port, precisely because the wine tastes best fresh. With a smaller bottle in the fridge, there is no risk of the remainder sitting open too long and losing its edge.

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In Porto, the dry white style is drunk cold, often over ice with a slice of lemon, a world away from the image of Port as a heavy after-dinner liqueur. Martha's Fine Dry White Port is the house's answer to the crisp, refreshing side of the Douro Valley.

Expert's Description

Martha's Fine Dry White Port is a Portuguese Dry White Port from the Douro Valley, matured in oak casks and bottled at 20.5%.

The wine is made from pale-skinned Douro grape varieties, fermented without skin contact to keep the colour light and the character clean. Unlike sweeter white Ports, the spirit is added later in the process, allowing more of the natural grape sugar to ferment into alcohol first, which produces the dry, less sweet style.

Martha's Wine & Spirits was founded in 1727, when the family settled as grape growers in Baixo Corgo, one of the oldest sub-regions of the Douro and known for its white grape plots close to the river, where the family still grows the varieties behind this Port today.

After pressing, the wine rests for a period in oak casks, adding a touch of roundness and spice without stripping away its fresh fruit character.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Citrus peel and almond, with a hint of dried herbs.

Palate

Dry and crisp, with green apple and a touch of honey, carried by fresh acidity.

Finish

Short and clean, with a slightly bitter almond note.

Specifications

Name: Martha's Fine Dry White Port
Winery: Martha's Wine & Spirits
Region/Country: Douro, Portugal
Type: Dry White Port
Grape varieties: Malvasia Fina, Viosinho, Gouveio, Rabigato
ABV: 20.5%
Size: 75 CL
Ageing: Oak cask
EAN no.: 5600328291095
Serving suggestion: Serve well chilled at 6-8°C, over ice with lemon or as a Port Tonic

Flavour Profile

Dry · Fresh · Nutty · Citrus

Did You Know?

Unlike red Port, the white grapes for this style are pressed with no contact with the skins at all. It is a deliberate choice that keeps tannin and colour out of the must, and it is the main reason a dry white Port can taste almost like a regular white wine, just with a higher alcohol content.

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While the house's Tawny range is known for years spent in wood, Ruby takes the opposite path: a short spell in tank, bottled while the fruit is still at its ripest and juiciest. Martha's Fine Ruby Port is the most direct bottle in the range, deep cherry-red and built without detours.

Expert's Description

Martha's Fine Ruby Port is a Portuguese Ruby Port from the Douro Valley, matured in stainless steel and bottled at 19.5%.

The grapes are pressed and fermented quickly, after which the wine rests in stainless steel for typically two to three years, far shorter than a Tawny. That halts the slow oxidation that would otherwise give amber tones, keeping instead the deep, near-opaque red colour and fresh berry fruit.

Martha's Wine & Spirits traces back to 1727, when the family settled as grape growers in the Baixo Corgo district of the Douro Valley. Across generations the family has farmed the terraced slopes, and Ruby is the house's most accessible and direct expression of that legacy.

The wine is a blend of traditional Douro grapes such as Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz and Tinto Cão, harvested from vineyards around Baixo Corgo, where the warm, dry climate produces ripe, powerful berries.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dark cherry and blackberry, with a light touch of black pepper.

Palate

Juicy and full-bodied, with dark berry fruit and a gentle sweetness carried by fresh, clear acidity.

Finish

Short to medium, clean and fruity, without heavy oak notes.

Specifications

Name: Martha's Fine Ruby Port
Winery: Martha's Wine & Spirits
Region/Country: Douro, Portugal
Type: Ruby Port
Grape varieties: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinto Cão
ABV: 19.5%
Size: 75 CL
Ageing: Stainless steel
EAN no.: 5600328290036
Serving suggestion: Serve lightly chilled at 12-14°C, with dark chocolate or berries

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Full-bodied · Berry · Young

Did You Know?

The name Ruby comes from its colour, reminiscent of the gemstone. To keep that deep red hue and fresh berry character, this style is deliberately bottled early, the shorter the time in tank, the more the flavour resembles freshly pressed grape juice rather than the dried fruit of an aged Tawny.

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Tawny is the style Martha's is best known for; the house's older vintages have picked up awards for years. Fine Tawny is the entry point into that world, a young, round Port with the first hints of the toasted character the family is famous for.

Expert's Description

Martha's Fine Tawny Port is a Portuguese Tawny Port from the Douro Valley, matured in oak casks and bottled at 19.5%.

Unlike Pink and Fine White, this Port spends time in wood, where it slowly shifts from deep ruby toward amber and picks up toasted, nutty notes from the oak. It is the same process behind the house's award-winning older Tawny releases, just in a younger, more accessible form.

Martha's Wine & Spirits traces its roots back to 1727 in the Baixo Corgo district, and Tawny is the house's specialty. Fine Tawny is meant as an easy way into that character, without the long ageing and the price tag that come with the older vintages.

The wine is a blend of several years rather than a single vintage, so it carries no age statement, but the time in oak is unmistakable in both colour and flavour.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Amber-toned aromas of dried apricot and lightly toasted nuts.

Palate

Round and soft, with caramel, dried fruit and a warm spice from the wood.

Finish

Medium length and nutty, with a gentle sweetness that fades slowly.

Specifications

Name: Martha's Fine Tawny Port
Winery: Martha's Wine & Spirits
Region/Country: Douro, Portugal
Type: Tawny Port
ABV: 19.5%
Size: 75 CL
Ageing: Oak cask
EAN no.: 5600328290012
Serving suggestion: Serve at 14-16°C, with blue cheese or nutty desserts

Flavour Profile

Nutty · Round · Dried Fruit · Spiced

Did You Know?

Tawny Port's amber colour does not come from the grape variety at all, but purely from time spent in oak. The longer the wine slowly oxidises through the wood, the deeper the colour and the nuttier the flavour become, exactly the process behind Martha's celebrated older Tawny vintages.

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White Port lives in the shadow of its red sibling, but in Baixo Corgo the Martha family has made it for generations. Fine White is the house's young, pale expression, made for drinking cold, ideally with tonic and plenty of ice.

Expert's Description

Martha's Fine White Port is a Portuguese White Port from the Douro Valley, matured in stainless steel and bottled at 19.5%.

The wine is made exclusively from white grape varieties grown in the Douro and fermented briefly in stainless steel, which preserves its pale straw colour and fresh fruit. Unlike Tawny Port, which spends years maturing in wood, Fine White is made to be drunk young.

Martha's Wine & Spirits traces its roots back to 1727, when the family settled as grape growers in Baixo Corgo. Fine White is the house's entry point into the white category, a Port with no age statement, built on fresh fruit rather than wood character.

The style is delicate compared to the house's older Tawny range, but carries the same craftsmanship, minus the years spent in barrel.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Honey and ripe apple, with a hint of citrus peel.

Palate

Fresh and lightly sweet, with honeyed, orchard-fruit notes carried by a pleasant acidity.

Finish

Medium length, clean, with a light honeyed sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Martha's Fine White Port
Winery: Martha's Wine & Spirits
Region/Country: Douro, Portugal
Type: White Port
ABV: 19.5%
Size: 75 CL
Ageing: Stainless steel
EAN no.: 5600328290029
Serving suggestion: Serve chilled at 6-8°C, with tonic and ice, or as an aperitif

Flavour Profile

Fresh · Delicate · Honeyed · Light

Did You Know?

White Port is one of the oldest styles in the Douro, but today it is best known for Port Tonic, a simple mix of white Port, tonic water and plenty of ice that has become a summer classic across Portugal.

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2019 was a year when the Douro sun gave the grapes exactly the concentration needed to carry a whole bottle on its own – dark, juicy and ready to drink now.

Expert's Description

Martha's LBV Port 2019 is a Late Bottled Vintage Port from the 2019 harvest in a 75 cl bottle with an alcohol content of 19%.

The style comes from a single, selected harvest and is bottled in the fourth year after picking, giving a Port with the concentrated power of a vintage year but without the need for long bottle ageing or decanting.

Martha's Wine & Spirits has roots as grape growers in Baixo Corgo dating back to 1727, and the LBV style shows the house's ability to balance maturity and freshness in the same bottle.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Intense aromas of ripe, dark fruit in harmony with fresher hints of plum and a light balsamic tone.

Palate

Powerful flavour dominated by dark berries, supported by mature, well-developed tannins and fitting acidity.

Finish

Excellent length with a lingering, fruity finish.

Specifications

Name: Martha's LBV Port 2019
Winery: Martha's Wine & Spirits
Region-Country: Douro (Baixo Corgo), Portugal
Type: LBV Port
ABV: 19%
Size: 75 CL
Vintage: 2019
EAN no.: 5600328291835
Serving suggestion: Serve at 16-18°C, ideally with dark chocolate, dried fruit or a strong cheese.

Flavour Profile

Dark berries · Plum · Balsamic · Mature tannins

Did You Know?

LBV Port is deliberately bottled four years after harvest, specifically to make a vintage-like Port ready to drink immediately, without decanting.

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Double the amber calm on one table – a bottle that does not just take up more space, but also catches the eye long before the cork is pulled.

Expert's Description

Martha's MAGNUM 10 Year Old Tawny Port is an aged Tawny Port in the unusual magnum format of 150 cl with an alcohol content of 20%.

The wine is blended so that the youngest component is at least 10 years old, and has rested in oak barrels in the family's lodges in Baixo Corgo, with the grape varieties Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca, Tinto Cão, Tinta Amarela and Tinta Roriz making up the blend.

The magnum format is rare for an aged Tawny Port and makes this bottle a striking centrepiece at larger dinners or as an unusual gift.

Martha's Wine & Spirits is today run by the sixth generation of the family, who have been part of Baixo Corgo's wine history since 1727.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Aromas of roasted nuts, caramel and dried figs, with a hint of roasted coffee.

Palate

Full-bodied and warm with flavours of nuts, honey and ripe, dried fruit.

Finish

Long, soft finish with lingering nutty notes.

Specifications

Name: Martha's MAGNUM 10 Year Old Tawny Port
Winery: Martha's Wine & Spirits
Region-Country: Douro (Baixo Corgo), Portugal
Type: Tawny Port
Grape varieties: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca, Tinto Cão, Tinta Amarela, Tinta Roriz
ABV: 20%
Size: 150 CL
Ageing: Oak barrels, average age 10 years
EAN no.: 5600328291484
Serving suggestion: Serve at 15-18°C in a port glass, ideally with nuts or a cheese board.

Flavour Profile

Nuts · Honey · Dried fig · Coffee

Did You Know?

Magnum bottles of 150 cl are a rare sight among aged Tawny Ports, as most houses bottle this style mainly in standard 75 cl bottles.

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A decade in wood costs volume, part of the wine simply evaporates through the cask along the way. That makes every drop of a 10 Year Old Tawny worth a little more, even when it comes in a bottle as small as this one.

Expert's Description

Martha's Miniature 10 Year Old Tawny Port is a Portuguese age-declared Tawny Port from the Douro Valley in a 5 cl format, matured in oak casks for an average of 10 years and bottled at 19.5%.

The wine is identical to the house's 75 cl bottle of the same name, just in miniature format. The "10 Year Old" designation is an average of the casks in the blend, approved by the Portuguese regulator IVDP after an official tasting.

Martha's Wine & Spirits traces back to 1727 in Baixo Corgo, where the family has grown grapes for six generations and built a name on precisely these age-declared Tawny series.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Creamy caramel and dried figs, with deep nutty tones.

Palate

Full and dense, with orange peel, pepper and a warm, well-integrated sweetness.

Finish

Long and nutty, with a fine bitterness that balances the sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Martha's Miniature 10 Year Old Tawny Port
Winery: Martha's Wine & Spirits
Region/Country: Douro, Portugal
Type: Age-declared Tawny Port
Grape varieties: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinto Cão
ABV: 19.5%
Size: 5 CL
Ageing: Oak cask (average 10 years)
EAN no.: 5600328290401
Serving suggestion: Serve at 14-16°C, with nutty desserts or creamy cheese

Flavour Profile

Nutty · Full-bodied · Caramel · Spiced

Did You Know?

Part of what is laid down in wood never makes it into the bottle. Evaporation through the cask, what cellar masters call the angels' share, means that after ten years only a smaller part of the original volume remains, but with a far higher concentration of flavour.

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A drop of amber autumn in a tiny bottle – nuts, caramel and a hint of warm spice, captured after two decades of quiet ageing.

Expert's Description

Martha's 20 Year Old Tawny Port is an aged Tawny Port in a 5 cl bottle with an alcohol content of 20%.

The wine is blended from several vintages, the youngest component being at least 20 years old, and the whole batch has rested in oak barrels in the family's lodges in Baixo Corgo, where slow oxidation gives the characteristic amber colour and nutty tone.

Behind the bottle stands Martha's Wine & Spirits, a family of grape growers who have farmed in Baixo Corgo since 1727 and are known today for award-winning aged Tawny Ports.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Rich aromas of roasted nuts, coffee and dried figs, with an underlying hint of warm spice.

Palate

Full-bodied and warm with dried fruit, honey and a touch of caramel, carried by a fine acidity.

Finish

Long, balanced finish with lingering nutty notes and a hint of butterscotch.

Specifications

Name: Martha's 20 Year Old Tawny Port
Winery: Martha's Wine & Spirits
Region-Country: Douro (Baixo Corgo), Portugal
Type: Tawny Port
ABV: 20%
Size: 5 CL
Ageing: Oak barrels, average age 20 years
EAN no.: 5600328290418
Serving suggestion: Serve at 15-18°C in a small port glass, ideally with nuts or dark chocolate.

Flavour Profile

Nuts · Caramel · Dried fruit · Spice

Did You Know?

The Martha family has grown vines in Baixo Corgo since 1727, long before they began bottling Port under their own name.

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Three quiet decades in oak have given this small bottle a depth that only fully unfolds in the last, long pull of the finish.

Expert's Description

Martha's 30 Year Old Tawny Port is an aged Tawny Port in a 5 cl bottle with an alcohol content of 20%.

The wine is a carefully composed blend in which the youngest component is at least 30 years old, and the long ageing in oak barrels in Baixo Corgo has produced a deep amber colour and a pronounced concentration of aromas.

Martha's Wine & Spirits has bottled Port under its own name since 1956, though the family's history as grape growers in Baixo Corgo dates back to 1727.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Complex aromas of walnut, dried apricot and a touch of roasted coffee, with a hint of forest floor.

Palate

Full-bodied and silky with flavours of fig, caramel and a light bitter nuttiness that balances the sweetness.

Finish

Very long, warm finish with lingering notes of dried fruit and old wood.

Specifications

Name: Martha's 30 Year Old Tawny Port
Winery: Martha's Wine & Spirits
Region-Country: Douro (Baixo Corgo), Portugal
Type: Tawny Port
ABV: 20%
Size: 5 CL
Ageing: Oak barrels, average age 30 years
EAN no.: 5600328290425
Serving suggestion: Serve at 15-18°C in a small port glass, ideally with mature cheese or a nut cake.

Flavour Profile

Walnut · Fig · Caramel · Forest floor

Did You Know?

Martha's Wine & Spirits only began bottling Port under its own name in 1956, almost 230 years after the family first settled as grape growers.

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Four decades of stillness have turned grape juice into something close to liquid gold – a rare drop that demands time to understand.

Expert's Description

Martha's 40 Year Old Tawny Port is an aged Tawny Port in a 5 cl bottle with an alcohol content of 20%.

The wine is a rare blend in which the youngest component is at least 40 years old, and the exceptionally long ageing in oak barrels in Baixo Corgo has concentrated the aromas to a level rarely found outside the finest houses of the Douro.

Martha's Wine & Spirits is today run by the sixth generation of the family, and it is precisely these oldest Tawny Ports that have brought the house international awards and recognition.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Opulent aromas of oak, dried fruit and honey, with deep notes of mocha and a distant hint of violets.

Palate

Lavish and elegant, with layers of fig, date and caramelised sugar held together by a lively acidity.

Finish

An almost endless, full finish that slowly fades into a dry, nutty note.

Specifications

Name: Martha's 40 Year Old Tawny Port
Winery: Martha's Wine & Spirits
Region-Country: Douro (Baixo Corgo), Portugal
Type: Tawny Port
ABV: 20%
Size: 5 CL
Ageing: Oak barrels, average age 40 years
EAN no.: 5600328290432
Serving suggestion: Serve at 16-18°C in a small port glass, ideally to close a festive meal.

Flavour Profile

Oak · Honey · Mocha · Caramelised sugar

Did You Know?

Martha's 40 year old Tawny Port has earned high scores from respected magazines such as Decanter, an unusual feat for such a small producer.

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Most Tawny Ports are a blend of several vintages. Colheita is the exception, a single harvest, captured in time and held in wood until it was ready. This miniature offers a small glimpse of the 2005 harvest.

Expert's Description

Martha's Miniature Colheita 2005 Single Harvest Tawny Port is a Portuguese vintage-dated Tawny from the Douro Valley in a 5 cl format, matured in oak casks and bottled at 19.5%.

Unlike the house's other Tawny series, which are blends of several years, a Colheita comes exclusively from a single harvest, in this case 2005. By regulation the wine must rest at least seven years in wood before bottling, and this bottle has been given considerably longer than the minimum requirement.

Martha's Wine & Spirits traces back to 1727 in Baixo Corgo, where the family has specialised across generations in exactly this style of carefully cask-aged Tawny.

The 5 cl miniature format makes it possible to get to know a vintage-dated Port without investing in a full bottle.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dried fruit and caramel, with a hint of leather.

Palate

Soft and full, with spice, dried orange peel and a light rancio note.

Finish

Long, intense and striking, with lingering caramel notes.

Specifications

Name: Martha's Miniature Colheita 2005 Single Harvest Tawny Port
Winery: Martha's Wine & Spirits
Region/Country: Douro, Portugal
Type: Colheita Tawny Port
Grape varieties: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinto Cão
ABV: 19.5%
Size: 5 CL
Ageing: Oak cask (minimum 7 years, 2005 vintage)
Vintage: 2005
EAN no.: 5600328291118
Serving suggestion: Serve at 14-16°C, with dried fruit or dark chocolate

Flavour Profile

Vintage · Dried Fruit · Caramel · Complex

Did You Know?

A Colheita is the only type of Port where both wood ageing and a single vintage appear on the label at the same time. Standard Tawny only states an average age, while a Vintage Port states a year without cask ageing, Colheita is where the two meet.

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A flash of dark berries and freshly pressed fruit – young, direct and without detours, exactly how a Port should taste when it has not spent years asleep in wood.

Expert's Description

Martha's Fine Ruby Port is a young ruby-coloured Port in a 5 cl bottle with an alcohol content of 19%.

Unlike the aged Tawny Ports, the Ruby style is kept in stainless steel tanks for a short period to preserve the fresh berry fruit and deep red colour before bottling.

Martha's Wine & Spirits has made wine in Baixo Corgo since the family settled there as grape growers in 1727, and the Ruby style shows a different, more youthful side of the house than its well-known aged Tawny Ports.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fresh aromas of dark cherry, blackberry and plum, with a light hint of spice.

Palate

Full and direct with sweet berry fruit, a touch of chocolate and a pleasant, soft sweetness.

Finish

Medium length finish with warm, macerated berry notes and a hint of dark chocolate.

Specifications

Name: Martha's Fine Ruby Port
Winery: Martha's Wine & Spirits
Region-Country: Douro (Baixo Corgo), Portugal
Type: Ruby Port
ABV: 19%
Size: 5 CL
Ageing: Brief ageing in stainless steel to preserve fruit
EAN no.: 5600328290395
Serving suggestion: Serve at 14-16°C, ideally with dark chocolate or a berry dessert.

Flavour Profile

Dark berries · Cherry · Chocolate · Spice

Did You Know?

While Tawny Port matures oxidatively in wood for years, the Ruby style is deliberately kept only briefly in stainless steel, precisely to preserve its fresh fruit.

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Cellars in Baixo Corgo use miniature bottles themselves to check the quality of a whole batch before release. This 5 cl edition of Martha's Fine Tawny gives the same option at home, a quick taste without opening a full bottle.

Expert's Description

Martha's Miniature Fine Tawny Port is a Portuguese Tawny Port from the Douro Valley in a 5 cl format, matured in oak casks and bottled at 19%.

The wine is the same young Tawny blend as the house's 75 cl bottle, where the wine rests for a period in wood after pressing and gradually shifts from ruby red to amber while picking up nutty notes from the cask.

Martha's Wine & Spirits traces back to 1727, when the family settled as grape growers in the Baixo Corgo district of the Douro Valley, and Tawny remains the house's speciality to this day.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Amber-toned aromas of dried apricot and lightly toasted nuts.

Palate

Round and soft, with caramel, dried fruit and warm spice from the cask.

Finish

Medium length and nutty, with a gentle sweetness that fades slowly.

Specifications

Name: Martha's Miniature Fine Tawny Port
Winery: Martha's Wine & Spirits
Region/Country: Douro, Portugal
Type: Tawny Port
Grape varieties: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinto Cão
ABV: 19%
Size: 5 CL
Ageing: Oak cask
EAN no.: 5600328290371
Serving suggestion: Serve at 14-16°C, with nutty desserts

Flavour Profile

Nutty · Round · Dried Fruit · Spiced

Did You Know?

Miniature bottles like this one originate from the cellar's own routine, where the cellar master draws a small sample from a cask to judge whether the wine is ready to be blended and released. Today the format has become a popular way to give Port as a gift or a taster.

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Among the house's white grape plots in Baixo Corgo lie some of the oldest plantings in the Douro Valley. This miniature of Martha's Fine White offers a small, refreshing glimpse of that legacy, in a bottle you can finish in a couple of sips.

Expert's Description

Martha's Miniature Fine White Port is a Portuguese White Port from the Douro Valley in a 5 cl format, matured in stainless steel and bottled at 19%.

The wine is made exclusively from white grape varieties, fermented briefly in stainless steel to preserve its light straw colour and fresh fruit. It is the same young, sweet style as the house's 75 cl bottle, just in a small format.

Martha's Wine & Spirits was founded in 1727, when the family settled as grape growers in the Baixo Corgo district, one of the oldest sub-regions of the Douro and home to some of the valley's oldest white grape plots.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Honey and ripe apples, with a hint of citrus peel.

Palate

Fresh and lightly sweet, with notes of honey and white fruit, carried by pleasant acidity.

Finish

Medium length, clean, with a light honeyed sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Martha's Miniature Fine White Port
Winery: Martha's Wine & Spirits
Region/Country: Douro, Portugal
Type: White Port
Grape varieties: Malvasia Fina, Viosinho, Gouveio, Rabigato
ABV: 19%
Size: 5 CL
Ageing: Stainless steel
EAN no.: 5600328290388
Serving suggestion: Serve chilled at 6-8°C, with tonic and ice or as an aperitif

Flavour Profile

Fresh · Delicate · Honeyed · Light

Did You Know?

Baixo Corgo, where the Martha family has its roots, is considered the oldest of the Douro Valley's three districts and has the highest rainfall of them all. That makes the soil more fertile than further east and has historically made the district known for exactly these white grape varieties.

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Three small bottles, three glimpses of Baixo Corgo - an entire landscape pressed into a format that fits even the smallest gift box.

Expert's Description

Martha's Miniature Gift Set Tawny Port is a gift set of three miniature bottles of Tawny Port, each 5 cl, with an alcohol content of 19%.

The set offers a chance to taste through several sides of the house's Tawny style in one manageable format, without having to open several full bottles at once.

Behind the gift set stands Martha's Wine & Spirits, a family-owned wine producer who has grown grapes in Baixo Corgo since 1727 and is known today for its aged, award-winning Tawny Ports.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Rich aromas of roasted nuts, dried fruit and a touch of caramel, with variation between the bottles.

Palate

Full and warm flavour with nutty notes, honey and dried fruit in different shades.

Finish

Medium to long finish with lingering nutty notes.

Specifications

Name: Martha's Miniature Gift Set Tawny Port
Winery: Martha's Wine & Spirits
Region-Country: Douro (Baixo Corgo), Portugal
Type: Tawny Port
ABV: 19%
Size: 3x5 CL
Ageing: Oak barrels
EAN no.: 5601749005032
Serving suggestion: Serve at 15-18°C in small port glasses, ideally with nuts or chocolate.

Flavour Profile

Nuts · Dried fruit · Honey · Caramel

Did You Know?

Baixo Corgo is the oldest and westernmost of the Douro Valley's three sub-regions and is considered particularly suited to producing aged Tawny Ports thanks to its warm, dry climate.

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A couple of extra years in wood can move a Port from young and direct to something rounder and more golden – this small bottle captures exactly that moment of transition.

Expert's Description

Martha's Miniature LBV 2017 Tawny Port is a Late Bottled Vintage Port from the 2017 harvest in a 5 cl bottle with an alcohol content of 20.5%.

Unlike Martha's classic LBV, this bottle has rested a little longer in oak barrels, bringing it closer to the warmer, nuttier character known from a Tawny, while still keeping the structure of a single harvest.

Martha's Wine & Spirits has grown vines in Baixo Corgo since 1727, and this edition shows the family's willingness to experiment with styles between the fresh Ruby world and the mature Tawny world.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Aromas of dark fruit and light caramel, with a hint of nuts from the extra time in barrel.

Palate

Full flavour of dark berries and dried fruit, with a warm, round structure.

Finish

Medium to long finish with a soft transition toward nutty notes.

Specifications

Name: Martha's Miniature LBV 2017 Tawny Port
Winery: Martha's Wine & Spirits
Region-Country: Douro (Baixo Corgo), Portugal
Type: LBV Port
ABV: 20.5%
Size: 5 CL
Vintage: 2017
EAN no.: 5600328291354
Serving suggestion: Serve at 16-18°C, ideally with nuts or a light dessert.

Flavour Profile

Dark berries · Nuts · Caramel · Dried fruit

Did You Know?

An LBV with a little extra time in barrel can shift stylistically to somewhere between the fresh vintage character and the rounder, nuttier Tawny style.

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Straw yellow like late-summer sun and light as a breeze off the Douro river – this small bottle is Port's answer to a cool afternoon drink.

Expert's Description

Martha's Miniature Reserve White Port is a White Port in a 5 cl bottle with an alcohol content of 19.5%.

The wine is made from white Douro grapes and kept young and fresh, preserving its pale straw colour and an aromatic, honeyed character, unlike the house's aged Tawny Ports.

Martha's Wine & Spirits has made wine in Baixo Corgo since the family settled there as grape growers in 1727, and White Port represents a lighter, more relaxed side of the house's range.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Aromatic notes of honey and tea, with a hint of citrus peel.

Palate

Fresh flavour with sweetness balanced by a clear, lively acidity.

Finish

Short to medium, refreshing finish with a touch of honey.

Specifications

Name: Martha's Miniature Reserve White Port
Winery: Martha's Wine & Spirits
Region-Country: Douro (Baixo Corgo), Portugal
Type: White Port
ABV: 19.5%
Size: 5 CL
Serving suggestion: Serve well chilled at 8-10°C, ideally as an aperitif or with tonic.

Flavour Profile

Honey · Tea · Citrus · Fresh acidity

Did You Know?

White Port is traditionally served well chilled as an aperitif and has in recent years become popular mixed with tonic in the Portonic drink.

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Six grape varieties, one barrel and a few years in the dark – the result is a small bottle with surprisingly much character for its size.

Expert's Description

Martha's Special Reserve Tawny Port is a Tawny Port in a 5 cl bottle with an alcohol content of 19.5%.

The wine is blended from the traditional Douro grapes Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca, Tinto Cão, Tinta Amarela and Tinta Roriz, and has rested in oak barrels for 6-8 years in the family's lodges in Baixo Corgo.

The Special Reserve style sits a level above the house's basic Tawny and marks the transition to the more complex, aged character that Martha's Wine & Spirits is known for.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Aromas of roasted nuts and light toast, with a touch of caramel.

Palate

Balanced flavours of dried fruit, old wood and a warm spiced finish, held together by a pleasant acidity.

Finish

Full and long finish with a hint of brandy-like warmth toward the end.

Specifications

Name: Martha's Special Reserve Tawny Port
Winery: Martha's Wine & Spirits
Region-Country: Douro (Baixo Corgo), Portugal
Type: Tawny Port
Grape varieties: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca, Tinto Cão, Tinta Amarela, Tinta Roriz
ABV: 19.5%
Size: 5 CL
Ageing: Oak barrels, 6-8 years
EAN no.: 5600328291040
Serving suggestion: Serve at 15-17°C, ideally with nut cake or a mild cheese.

Flavour Profile

Roasted nuts · Toast · Caramel · Spice

Did You Know?

This Tawny is blended from as many as six different grape varieties, of which Touriga Nacional is considered the Douro Valley's finest and most sought-after.

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2019 captured in a small bottle – enough for one good tasting, but with all the fruit concentration a single good harvest can offer.

Expert's Description

Martha's Miniature Vintage 2019 Tawny Port is a Port from the 2019 harvest in a 5 cl bottle with an alcohol content of 20%.

The wine comes from a single, selected harvest and has a rounder, more approachable character than a classic Vintage Port, while retaining the concentrated fruit that marks a good harvest in Baixo Corgo.

Martha's Wine & Spirits only declares a vintage in the best harvest years, and this miniature offers a chance to discover the 2019 harvest in a small, accessible format.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Aromas of dark berries and a touch of spice, with a hint of warm caramel.

Palate

Round and full with ripe fruit, a light sweetness and a pleasant warmth.

Finish

Medium finish with lingering fruit notes and a soft close.

Specifications

Name: Martha's Miniature Vintage 2019 Tawny Port
Winery: Martha's Wine & Spirits
Region-Country: Douro (Baixo Corgo), Portugal
Type: Vintage Port
ABV: 20%
Size: 5 CL
Vintage: 2019
EAN no.: 5600328291361
Serving suggestion: Serve at 16-18°C, ideally with a light dessert or nuts.

Flavour Profile

Dark berries · Spice · Caramel · Ripe fruit

Did You Know?

A Port vintage is only declared when the grapes of a given year reach a truly special quality and ripeness - not every harvest qualifies.

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In Baixo Corgo, where the terraced slopes of the Douro drop steeply toward the river, the Martha family has been growing grapes since 1727. Pink is the youngest style in the house's range, rosé in colour and built for drinking young rather than laying down.

Expert's Description

Martha's Pink Rosé Port is a Portuguese Rosé Port from the Douro Valley, matured in stainless steel and bottled at 19%.

The wine is made with a brief skin contact, under 48 hours, just long enough for the grape skins to tint the must a clear pink before pressing. It is a different path from classic red Port, where the skins are left in contact for far longer to draw out colour and tannin.

Martha's Wine & Spirits traces its roots back to 1727, when the family settled as grape growers in the Baixo Corgo district. Pink Rosé is the house's answer to a younger, more relaxed style of Port, meant for a summer glass rather than an armchair after dinner.

The wine rests exclusively in stainless steel tanks, never in wood, to preserve its young fruit and keep oxidative notes at bay. That means there is no vintage or age statement attached to it, only a style built to be enjoyed within a reasonably short time of bottling.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fresh raspberry and ripe cherry, with a light touch of violets underneath.

Palate

Light and juicy, with tart red berries and an almost creamy texture that gives a soft impression on the tongue.

Finish

Short and clean, with a dry edge that invites the next glass.

Specifications

Name: Martha's Pink Rosé Port
Winery: Martha's Wine & Spirits
Region/Country: Douro, Portugal
Type: Rosé Port
ABV: 19%
Size: 75 CL
Ageing: Stainless steel
EAN no.: 5600328290067
Serving suggestion: Serve chilled at 6-8°C, as an aperitif or with strawberries and light desserts

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Fresh · Light · Rosé

Did You Know?

Rosé Port is a fairly recent invention in the centuries-old Douro. The category only emerged in the 2000s, when producers began experimenting with brief skin contact to capture Port's fresher, younger side, a sharp contrast to a family that has been growing grapes in the Douro since 1727.

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Between the young Fine Tawny and the age-declared 10, 20 and 40 year bottles sits a level that rarely gets enough attention: Reserve. Martha's Special Reserve Tawny Port is the house's take on that middle ground, more depth than the youngest Tawny, without the long wait for the oldest vintages.

Expert's Description

Martha's Special Reserve Tawny Port is a Portuguese Reserve Tawny Port from the Douro Valley, matured in oak casks and bottled at 20%.

The "Reserve" designation is an official category under the Portuguese regulator IVDP, sitting between standard Tawny and the age-declared 10, 20, 30 and 40 year old bottles. The wine is a blend of several vintages, some of which have rested considerably longer in wood than the requirement for a standard Tawny.

Martha's Wine & Spirits traces back to 1727 in the Baixo Corgo district, where the family has specialised across six generations in exactly this style of cask-aged Tawny, and Special Reserve is one of the house's most balanced expressions.

The young, fresh notes from part of the blend meet the more mature, nutty tones from the older casks, giving a Port with both fresh fruit and complexity.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Toasted nuts and dried plums, with a hint of rancio.

Palate

Soft and delicate, balancing young fruit with mature, nutty tones and a touch of caramel.

Finish

Full and persistent, with a light acidity and warmth from the spirit.

Specifications

Name: Martha's Special Reserve Tawny Port
Winery: Martha's Wine & Spirits
Region/Country: Douro, Portugal
Type: Reserve Tawny Port
Grape varieties: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinto Cão
ABV: 20%
Size: 75 CL
Ageing: Oak cask
EAN no.: 5600328290043
Serving suggestion: Serve lightly chilled at 14-16°C, with creamy dessert or cream puffs

Flavour Profile

Nutty · Balanced · Rancio · Full-bodied

Did You Know?

"Reserve" is not a loose marketing term but an officially approved quality category under IVDP. To use the name, the wine has to meet a higher standard than a standard Tawny with no age statement, making Special Reserve a quiet mark of quality rather than just a name on the label.

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In the cool, riverside lodges of Vila Nova de Gaia, casks of Port have rested and matured for generations - this bottle is the result of what ten years of patience can do to a simple blend of Douro grapes.

Expert's Description

Niepoort 10 Year Old Tawny is a Portuguese Port wine with an average ageing time of 10 years, bottled at 19.5%.

The Port is a blend of several vintages, each of which has rested in old oak casks in Niepoort's lodges until the house's cellar master combines them so the overall average age matches ten years. The long, oxidative cask ageing is what gives the Tawny style its characteristic brown-orange colour and nutty notes, in contrast to the fresher, darker Ruby style.

Niepoort was founded in 1842 by the Dutch van der Niepoort family and for more than a century was exclusively a Port producer, buying grapes and wine from Douro Valley growers and maturing them in its own riverside lodges. Aged Tawnies like this one represent exactly the craft tradition the house was historically built on.

The grape varieties behind this 10-year-old blend include Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinto Cão, Tinta Francisca, Tinta Amarela, Sousão and Tinta Roriz - a broad selection of the classic Douro grapes traditionally used in Port production.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dried apricots, candied orange peel and a nutty character of almond and hazelnut.

Palate

Full-bodied and creamy with sweet, ripe fruit, caramel and a faintly spicy warmth, carried by soft, integrated sweetness.

Finish

Long and smooth, with lingering notes of dried fruit, ginger and a touch of honey.

Specifications

Name: Niepoort 10 Year Old Tawny
Winery: Niepoort
Region/Country: Douro, Portugal
Type: Portuguese Port Wine (Tawny, 10 years)
Grape varieties: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinto Cão, Tinta Francisca, Tinta Amarela, Sousão, Tinta Roriz
ABV: 19.5%
Size: 70 CL
Ageing: Oak casks (average 10 years)
EAN no.: 5602840030008
Serving suggestion: Serve lightly chilled at 14-16°C in a Port glass, with nutty desserts, mature cheese or on its own

Flavour Profile

Nutty · Creamy · Dried fruit · Smooth

Did You Know?

Aged Tawnies like this one carry no fixed vintage on the label, because by definition they are a blend of vintages - it is the cellar master's palate, not the calendar, that decides when the ten years have been "reached".

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White Port is rarely given a decade in wood - most is drunk young and chilled. Niepoort is one of the few houses to have dared let time work its way on the pale side of the Douro's wines.

Expert's Description

Niepoort 10 Year Old White is a Portuguese aged White Port from the Douro Valley, bottled at 20%.

The wine is a blend of white Ports, each having spent between 7 and 15 years in traditional oak casks, then assembled so that the average age corresponds to 10 years. The long ageing in wood gives the colour a golden hue and draws out aromas of dried fruit and nuts.

Niepoort was founded in 1842 by the Dutch van der Niepoort family in Vila Nova de Gaia. While most houses concentrate their long wood-ageing on Tawny Ports, Niepoort has chosen to give time to the lesser-known white category too.

Tasting Notes

Nose

A complex scent of dried fruit, orange peel and fig, complemented by walnuts, roasted almonds and a floral touch.

Palate

Fine and balanced, with a vibrant acidity playing against the sweetness and giving the wine a clear, consistent structure.

Finish

Medium length and nutty, with a warm, dry close.

Specifications

Name: Niepoort 10 Year Old White
Winery: Niepoort
Region-Country: Douro, Portugal
Type: Aged White Port
Grape varieties: Traditional Douro white blend, incl. Códega do Larinho, Rabigato, Viosinho and Gouveio
ABV: 20%
Size: 70 CL
Ageing: Oak cask, 7-15 years (average 10 years)
Serving suggestion: Serve chilled at 10-12°C as an aperitif, or with nut-based desserts and blue cheese

Flavour Profile

Nutty · Golden · Complex · Balanced

Did You Know?

Aged white Port is an overlooked category in the Port world - most houses reserve their best casks for Tawny. Niepoort 10 Year Old White is therefore a relatively rare find, showing how long wood ageing can lend an entirely different, nuttier character to the white grape varieties.

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"Os Mestres" means "the masters" in Portuguese - a name that points directly at the two men behind the bottle, who met in a cellar on Madeira to taste their way toward a shared blend.

Expert's Description

Niepoort Barbeito Os Mestres is a Portuguese fortified wine (Madeira) from the island of Madeira, bottled at 19%.

The wine is a collaboration between Dirk Niepoort, fifth generation of the Douro-based house founded in 1842, and Ricardo Diogo of the equally family-owned Madeira house Barbeito. The two tasted their way through a series of casks in Barbeito's cellars and put together a blend of Sercial, Verdelho and Tinta Negra, sourced from vineyards on Madeira's north coast, close to the salty ocean breeze.

The blend is aged in used French oak casks, a method that lets the grapes' own character speak without new wood weighing too heavily on the wine's natural freshness and acidity.

The collaboration is unusual in Portuguese wine terms, as it brings together two distinct fortified wine traditions - Douro Valley Port and ocean-influenced Madeira - into a single bottle carrying both houses' names.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dried apricot, macerated fruit, a touch of aniseed and a hint of caramel.

Palate

Medium-bodied and slightly dry, with a lively acidity that balances the natural sweetness of the Tinta Negra grape.

Finish

Long and saline, with lingering notes of dried fruit and a fresh, almost citrus-tinged close.

Specifications

Name: Niepoort Barbeito Os Mestres
Winery: Niepoort
Region/Country: Madeira, Portugal
Type: Portuguese Madeira (fortified wine)
Grape varieties: Sercial, Verdelho, Tinta Negra
ABV: 19%
Size: 50 CL
Ageing: Oak casks (used, French)
EAN no.: 5601519746608
Serving suggestion: Serve at 12-14°C in a small Madeira or Port glass, as an aperitif or with hard, mature cheese

Flavour Profile

Saline · Dried fruit · Medium-dry · Complex

Did You Know?

Madeira is one of the few wines in the world historically heated on purpose during ageing - originally an accident of long ship voyages through the tropics, which later became a permanent part of the island's winemaking tradition.

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Crusted Port is a style few producers still bother with today - unfiltered, unsettled in the glass, and leaving a deposit that demands both patience and a decanter. Niepoort is one of the few houses still making it by the book.

Expert's Description

Niepoort Bioma Crusted Vinha Velha is a Portuguese Crusted Port from old vines in the Douro Valley, bottled at 19.5%.

The grapes come from Vinha da Pisca, a vineyard in the Pinhão Valley where a large share of the vines are more than 80 years old. The wine is a blend of several harvests, fermented traditionally and aged in large, old oak vats before being bottled completely unfiltered. It is precisely this lack of filtration that gives the style its name: over time the wine forms a firm deposit - a "crust" - in the bottle, requiring decanting before serving.

Niepoort was founded in 1842 by the Dutch van der Niepoort family and, since the late 1980s under Dirk Niepoort's leadership, has complemented its classic Port styles with more experimental releases. "Bioma" is the name of the house's work with organically and biodynamically farmed vineyards, of which Vinha da Pisca is one of the oldest.

Crusted Port was originally a 19th-century British invention, conceived as an easier-to-produce alternative to Vintage Port, but today the style itself has become a rarity that only a handful of houses continue to produce.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dark berries, blackberry and plum, underpinned by a discreet, earthy aroma from the old vines.

Palate

Rich and silky with concentrated dark fruit, firm structure and a lively acidity that keeps the sweetness in balance.

Finish

Long and full, with lingering plum and blackberry notes and a faintly earthy, mineral close.

Specifications

Name: Niepoort Bioma Crusted Vinha Velha
Winery: Niepoort
Region/Country: Douro, Portugal
Type: Portuguese Port Wine (Crusted, unfiltered)
Grape varieties: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Francisca, Tinto Cão
ABV: 19.5%
Size: 70 CL
Ageing: Oak vats (large, old vessels), unfiltered
EAN no.: 5602840010406
Serving suggestion: Decant before serving and drink at 16-18°C in a Port glass, with dark chocolate or mature blue cheese

Flavour Profile

Concentrated · Dark fruit · Silky · Earthy

Investment Potential

Crusted Port is one of Port's rarest styles, as very few houses today continue to produce it in the traditional way. The combination of unfiltered bottling, old vines from a named vineyard, and a production method historically reserved for Vintage-like quality makes the bottle interesting for collectors with an eye for the lesser-known Port styles - though without the same broad recognition as a declared Vintage year.

Did You Know?

Because Crusted Port is bottled unfiltered and without a vintage on the label, several different batches of the same wine can, in practice, taste slightly different from bottling to bottling - making it one of the most artisanal styles in the entire Port category.

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On the slopes of Vinha da Pisca stand vines with roots reaching back to before the First World War. In 2013, the rain held off just long enough for Niepoort to bring them in - while most other houses let the year pass unnoticed.

Expert's Description

Niepoort Bioma Vintage 2013 Vinha Velha is a Portuguese single-vineyard Vintage Port from the Douro Valley, bottled at 19.5%.

The wine comes from Vinha da Pisca, where a large share of the vines are between 80 and 100 years old. The grapes are traditionally foot-trodden in granite lagares, before the wine matures in oak casks for around three years. The vineyard is farmed under the organic and biodynamic principles of the Bioma project, without artificial fertilisers or pesticides.

Niepoort was founded in 1842 by the Dutch van der Niepoort family in Vila Nova de Gaia. Around the turn of the millennium, under Dirk Niepoort, the house began exploring single-vineyard cuvées and a more organic approach to farming - the Bioma series is a direct result of that evolution.

2013 was not declared a general vintage by most major Port houses, but the ripe, healthy fruit from this particular vineyard, picked just before a rainstorm set in, gave Niepoort the basis for a rare single-vineyard Vintage that year.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Deep, dark berries and plums with a touch of violets, underpinned by a faintly earthy, mineral scent from the old vines.

Palate

Powerful and structured, with firm tannins holding the dark berry fruit in place, and a richness that speaks to the low yields of the old vines.

Finish

Long and dry, with persistent dark fruit and a fine, granite-like minerality.

Specifications

Name: Niepoort Bioma Vintage 2013 Vinha Velha
Winery: Niepoort
Region-Country: Douro, Portugal
Type: Vintage Port (single-vineyard Vinha Velha)
Grape varieties: Traditional Douro field blend from old vines
ABV: 19.5%
Size: 70 CL
Ageing: Oak cask, approx. 3 years
Vintage: 2013

Flavour Profile

Structured · Mineral · Old vines · Single vineyard

Investment Potential

As a rare single-vineyard Vintage from a year most other houses skipped, Bioma Vinha Velha 2013 holds a distinctive place among collectors of modern Douro cuvées. The combination of old vines, organic farming and limited production makes it a sought-after find in more inquisitive Port collections.

Did You Know?

2013 was generally considered too wet and unstable a season for a broad Vintage declaration in the Douro. But a rainstorm arrived just after Niepoort had finished picking Vinha da Pisca - giving them the basis for this single-vineyard bottling while most other houses let the year pass.

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