Portly Picks for the Holiday

I must say at the end of a tumultuous month of financial news, there was something calming and civilized about tasting port even at 10 o'clock in the morning.

The Symington family has a long history in the Douro dating back to 1882 when Andrew James Symington (Rupert's great grandfather ended up in Porto) and began working in the port business. Some 125 years later the family owns many of the Douro's icon properties including: Dow's, Warre's, Graham's, Smith Woodhouse, Gould Campbell, Quarles Harris and Quinta do Vesuvio.

A month out from Christmas I wanted to quickly run through some of the major port styles to help you better prepare your port offerings for the holidays.

Perhaps the best-known styles of port are Vintage and Late Bottled Vintage (LBV). In its purest form, vintage port is the product of a single harvest, from one climatically splendid growing season, and after fermentation and fortification it is aged 24 to 36 months in wood before heading for the bottle where it could remain for decades.

Its earlier drinking sidekick, LBV port, is essentially wood-aged in barrel at least two more years up to four maximum. It is then filtered - or not, depending on the philosophy of the individual producer - and bottled for immediate consumption.

Exceptions to the rule are the growing number of LBVs that go into the bottle unfiltered after spending a little less than four years in wood. This technique produces wines that are much closer to true vintage port, which is why they can age in the bottle and throw a deposit.

Warre's Warrior Special Reserve is the oldest mark of Port having been shipped continuously since the 1750s. It's still being made the same way - aged in seasoned oak casks for four to five years before being drawn off and bottled following a light filtration. Like all the wood ports in this category Warrior Special Reserve is ready to drink sans decanting. Look for dark, intense ripe prune fruit and a strong cocoa powder flavour. Not as sweet as the Graham's and not as dry as the Dow. A pleasing fireside sipper - break out the toasted walnuts.

A deep, red black colour previews the spicy smoky plum fruit nose of the Noval Unfiltered Late Bottled Vintage Port 2003. The entry is soft and supple with fiery plum fruit flavours with licorice root, pepper and dark chocolate flavours. Best now with chocolatey desserts or cellar for two to five years. Impressive weight and structure for an LBV. Expect this to throw a light deposit in a few years.

Graham Six Grapes Reserve Port takes its name from the Graham emblem that exhibits six grapes - the

highest-quality designation used at the property to classify the best lots of wine. It is an unfiltered, wood-aged reserve produced from grapes primarily grown at Graham's Malvedos Vineyards. The style is thoroughly modern both fresh and fruity and ready to drink. It's definitely sweet in the Graham style with plenty of soft plummy fruit yet the textures and finish are mellow. This is well made youthful port that you can sip nightly after dinner or pair it with some cheese and walnuts or chocolate truffles.

Next up is a delicious offering of Dow's Late Bottled Vintage Port 2003, physically bottled in 2007. Look for a very pretty Dow with ripe sweet fruit of black cherries with spice, liquorice, coffee and tea aromas. Fresh and floral on the palate with excellent balance and very pretty peppery, black cherry jam fruit with chocolate and smoky leather undertones. A stylish LBV for current drinking.

The Smith Woodhouse Vintage Port 2003 comes out of the Rio Torto, a small isolated valley, in the Douro. Look for young grapey notes on the nose and similar Graham-like sweetness. Violets, black berries and boysenberry mark the nose and palate with bits of licorice and tea. It's yet to close down in the bottle something young ports routinely do and so is still a candidate for drinking. Symington suggest with a bit of chocolate after dinner. This will be something in 2023. A perfect gift for those celebrating wedding anniversaries based on the year 2003, or perhaps as a future gift to children born in 2003.

Our final pick is not from the Symington book and it represents yet another style of Port labelled Tawny. Tawny ports are fortified wines aged for an extended period in wooden barrels promoting controlled oxidation through evaporation. The best Tawny port comes with an indication of age, normally a blend of vintages, with the average years spent in wood stated on the label. The official categories are 10, 20, 30 and over 40 years.

Taylor's Ten Year Old Tawny Port is dessert in a bottle. A decade in wood has caused its youthful purple hues to vanish leaving an elegant, mellow sophisticated drink packed full of raisins, and nutty cocoa flavours all with a lively acidity and a smooth caramel/honey finish. Serve this one slightly chilled for best effect.

Warre's Warrior Special Reserve N/V, Douro Valley, Portugal

Price      $21.49; $14 (375mL)

UPC       5010867100336

Score     91/100

Remarks              A pleasing fireside sipper -- break out the toasted walnuts.

Noval Unfiltered Late Bottled Vintage Port 2003, Douro Valley, Portugal

Price      $33

UPC       5601064002952

Score     89/100

Remarks              A well-made, affordable port for the side table.

Graham Six Grapes Reserve Port N/V, Douro Valley, Portugal

Price      $29; $17 (375mL)

UPC       5010867400481

Score     90/100

Remarks              Modern in style as in fresh and fruity and ready to drink.

Dow's Late Bottled Vintage Port 2003, Douro Valley, Portugal

Price       $25

UPC       5010867200159

Score     90/100

Remarks                A big, warm LBV with a fine future.

Taylor Fladgate 10 Year Old Tawny Porto, Douro Valley, Portugal

Price       $40

UPC       05013626111284

Score     93/100

Remarks                Dessert in a bottle. Serve slightly chilled and your guests will rave.

Smith Woodhouse Vintage Port 2003, Rio Torto, Douro Valley, Portugal

Price       $77

UPC       5010867502512

Score     91/100

Remarks                Young grapey, black berry jam, peppery, plum flavours.