(Port) Wine of the month May 2024: Quinta do Vallado Tawny Ports 10 - 50 years

The Ports of Quinta do Vallado have only one real rival: the wines of the quinta. When you have the fantastic qualities of the wines in your glass, the owners sometimes forget to offer their great Tawny Ports as well:
Tawny Reserva - from the very ‘stylish’ magnum bottle: Balanced nutty dried fruit with caramel and coffee, very fresh. Medium length finish. Better than some other 10y old Tawny. 17/20
10 years - Fresh and balanced, still with a hint of residual red berry fruit, which the Reserve Tawny does not have. A colourful mix of exotic spices. Different, but not better than Vallados Reserve Tawny. 17/20
20 years - Orange peel, ripe yellow fruit mix and caramel on the nose, very structured, caramel, figs and nuts. Fresh, well-supporting acidity. Long finish. 18/20
30 years - structured coffee flavours with the perfect "Douro-bake" touch, chocolate and walnuts - fresh and complex. Balanced, full, deep palate with honey, coffee, subtly sweet. Lots of structure on the finish. 18/20
40 years - Complex notes of marzipan, orange and dried fruit and nut mix, perfectly supporting acetone note and resonating sweetness. Perfectly balanced acidity and sweetness! Long finish. 19/20
50 years - Appealing, very well-complementing "Douro-bake" note, backed by nuts, dried fruit, dark chocolate and tobacco. Balanced orange, white pepper, tobacco and walnut with present and perfectly supporting acidity. 19/20