Cheese Partnering
There is nothing more synonymous in the world of food and wine than the marrying of port and cheese.
Tawny Port makes a very desirable partnering option. Often overlooked as an alternative to Vintage Port, it is excellent value and ready to drink as soon as you pull the cork: no waiting for twenty or more years and no need to decant before consuming with enthusiasm.
As Wyndham Fletcher writes in his 1978 book on Port, ".... but as a lifelong lover of old Tawny Port, I think it is a thousand pities that it is not better known and appreciated by discerning drinkers .....", or “I am by no means alone in my admiration of the intricacy and poise of a well-aged Tawny”, states Richard Mayson in his 1999 book ‘Port and The Douro’.
Aged Tawny Port is made in the same way as other Ports: from grapes of the highest quality from vintages that are not part of a declared year, and are instead left to gently age in wooden casks for six or more years rather than mature very slowly in bottles over many decades, as does Vintage Port.
During that ageing process Tawny Ports soften, take on the tawny colour, and season gracefully. The reference to the age is an approximation as these wines are made from a number of different blends to replicate the house style of that specific producer. However, each wine has to go through a rigorous evaluation by Port's trade body.
Lined up were five 10-Year Old Tawny Ports, four from the larger known houses, and one that nobody in the panel had tasted before. The 'wild card' stole the show: Quinta da Romaneira.
Quinta da Romaneira 10 Year Old Tawny
Lea & Sandeman - £20.95 - mixed case price.
The really noticeable difference between this wine and the other Tawnies in the mix was its length. The beautifully balanced flavours just sat on the palate for ages. Brick-red in the centre with an amber-tawny rim. A rich concentration on the front of the palate; spicy dark cherries and dried fruits then reveal themselves with a wonderful texture and warmth that made us all go back and taste it again. Raisins and sultanas sit on the finish. Buy a few bottles and have them lightly chilled in a fridge for consumption over the Festivities.
The most recent and definitive book on this subject comes from my friend Ben Howkins, ‘Rich, Rare & Red’. Might make a good stocking filler for a discerning palate. Available from Amazon.
You will see in the photo below, a Sherry and Madeira were included in this line-up. The Sherry features in a missive on Christmas Puddings following over the next few days, and the Madeira will be part of a larger article embracing a number of options for winter drinking in January.
Tawny Ports in the Panel Tasting:
Graham's 10-Year-Old Tawny - £14.99
Taylor's 10-Year-Old Tawny - £17.99
Quinta do Noval 10-Year-Old Tawny - £19.99
Quinta da Romaneira 10-Year-Old Tawny - £20.95
Berry's William Pickeing Tawny - £26.95
The Graham's, Taylor's and Noval are readily available from merchants, wine shops and supermarkets. These prices are from Waitrose and Majestic.
