Delaforce, 'Curious & Ancient' 20 Year Old Tawny Port, NV, Porto (DOC)

'One-Liner'
A beautifully mellow 20 Year Tawny with walnut, butterscotch and figgy depth, finished with real elegance.

Tasting Note
Deep tawny-brown in the glass. The nose is complex and mature, with orange flower, walnut, butterscotch, liquorice, vanilla and a gentle cigar-box note over rich dried-fruit character. On the palate it is round, smooth and full-flavoured, with plenty of fig, raisin and prune depth balanced by a long, spicy finish. Rich and contemplative, but never clumsy.

Country: Portugal
Region: Douro
Sub-Region: Porto DOC
Grape(s): Tinta Roriz
ABV: 20%
Friendly: Vegan, Vegetarian

Awards & Critics' Scores
n/a

The Story
Delaforce is one of the Douro’s classic Port houses, founded in 1868, and now forms part of Real Companhia Velha. Curious & Ancient is drawn from the house’s old cask-matured reserves and aged in cask for an average of twenty years or more, which explains its developed colour and the shift from youthful fruit towards nutty, caramelised complexity. It sits very comfortably in the classic aged Tawny mould – mellow, layered and built for slow drinking rather than force.

Perfect With... (click me for the recipe)
- Cheese: Blue cheese, mature Cheddar or a firm nutty hard cheese

- Dessert: Walnut tart or sticky toffee pudding

- Nibbles: Toasted walnuts, almonds or hazelnuts