This superb example of aged tawny Porto is made from selected grapes from the best vineyards of the Cima Corgo and Douro Superior. Taylor Fladgate is an area leader in winemaking technology, as one of only three Porto producers to pioneer the development of piston fermenter techniques, called Port Toes, that extract significantly greater flavor and aroma than conventional pump-over fermentation. Fermentation is halted by the addition of grape spirits before all the residual sugar has been fermented, creating a sweet, fortified wine. Individual wines produced in different vintages are aged in 600-liter oak casks for years, over which time they will lose their young, dark purple-black color to gain the distinctive “tawny” hue from which the wine takes its name. As tawnies age, the wines take on increasingly more nutty flavors and become more concentrated as the barrels lose 3% of their volume every year (the “Angels’ Share”) to evaporation. The 20 Year Old Tawny is a blend created using tawnies with an average of 20 years of aging.
With an intense amber, tawny color, the wine has opulent, voluptuous, spicy, jammy and nutty aromas with orange blossom notes and a fine oak influence coming from the long aging in cask. The full palate is very rich, with concentrated flavor and a long, mellow finish.
Pairs well with figs, almonds, pecan pie, desserts made with coffee or caramel, and crème brûlée. It can be appreciated at the end of the meal with walnuts or dried fruit, and it can be served cool in the summer.