Tawny port – The name refers to the colour the wine turns after ageing. To have this label, they must be at least two years old, but you’ll also find much older examples, such as our winning 10-year-old (below). The age statement means the liquid is a blend of vintages with an average barrel ageing. Flavours here tend to be nuttier, and can include caramel, cinnamon and chocolate.

Red ports tend to spend fewer years ageing in wooden barrels or vats, which should give them a fruitier, more tannic profile and a vivid red-purple colour.Tawny ports are paler brown or amber in colour, with a more mellow taste. That typically comes from a longer period ageing in wood, which can impart distinct flavours of dried fruit and nuts. Taylor Fladgate blends its magnificent 10 year old tawny from its extensive reserves of old cask aged Ports matured in the firm’s cool and tranquil cellars (known as ‘lodges’) in Oporto on Portugal’s Atlantic coast. Rosé port – Just like rosé wine, here you can expect to find notes of strawberries and raspberries, alongside a caramel sweetness. Cheese, chocolate, fruity puddings and sorbet are all excellent pairings – serve ice cold for maximum enjoyment. It’s safe enough to drink, but if you’re sensitive to the smell, it can be offputting, and impacts the flavour of the drink.

Taylor Fladgate 10 Year Old Tawny is a superb example of the aged tawny style. Mellow and elegant, combining delicate wood notes with rich aromas of mature fruit, it is bottled for immediate drinking. Vintage ports are the top-quality red ports from a single year – and only the best years. They’re aged in wood for just a couple of years. Unlike most ports, they have the potential to develop in the bottle (more on that later). To find the best port, the GHI’s panel of 10 WSET-trained experts and consumers tried 32 bottles – from white to ruby – from the leading supermarkets and big brands. Each was tasted blind to prevent brand bias, and they were looking for easy-drinking styles that would work well with a classic cheese board and desserts. Spending more doesn't guarantee a better bottle, as we found when we asked independent wine expert Charles Metcalfe to try a selection of ports in 2021. But it helps to be in the know about what to look for.

Wine at a glance

Records the default button state of the corresponding category & the status of CCPA. It works only in coordination with the primary cookie. You might think port lasts forever after it’s been opened, but sadly that’s not the case, though it differs by type. Ruby port is the youngest and cheapest style of red port. The best of these are bright, fruity and peppery. Ruby port – These tend to be inexpensive, deep ruby-coloured, and often associated with the cheeseboard. Within this category, you’ll find your slightly more premium reserve ports, late bottled vintage port (otherwise known as LBV, these are aged for longer but still designed to be drunk young) and vintage ports. How we test port Eat well, live better, stay healthy - sign up for our free monthly Food & Health newsletter for the latest insights delivered straight to your inbox