[wine] Tawny Port and Madeira

Merry Christmas! Aged tawny, the lighter side of port By Dave McIntyre Special to The Washington Post Tuesday, December 21, 2010; 12:27 PM Second of two parts Come here: Let me tell you a secret. Three little words that will win you the respect of wine lovers and help you understand why we seem capable of talking about nothing else. Aged. Tawny. Port. As I write this, I'm savoring Dow's 20-Year-Old Tawny, holding my glass up to the computer screen so the light shines through the last amber swirl of wine in the bowl. Its aromas suggest dried orange peel, clove, cardamom and pine. Do you like the smell of Christmas? Then aged tawny is for you. Aged tawny is the opposite of vintage port. Vintage is aged in cask for only two years before bottling, with minimal exposure to oxygen. It is meant to age for years and even decades in the bottle (in your cellar after you pay for it, mostly) before it sheds its tannins and unfurls an exotic compote of dried fruits. Aged tawny is what the name suggests: It's mature, ready to drink as soon as you buy it. Aged in 600-liter casks called pipes, the wine is drawn off, or racked, into large vats once a year so sediment can be removed, then returned to the pipes. In the process, about 3 percent of the wine is lost: some in the discarded sediment, the rest - the "angels' share" - to evaporation. Before the final blend is bottled (usually beginning six years after harvest), the pipes are topped off with younger and/or older wine, to balance the flavors and create a house style unaffected by vintage variation. (There is, of course, an exception to that practice; ports labeled "Colheita" are single-vintage aged tawnies.) "The program is designed to create a product at the end that is independent of vintage quality, independent of temperature and humidity conditions in the intervening years while the wine aged," said Adrian Bridge, managing director of the Fladgate Partnership, which includes the port houses of Taylor Fladgate, Fonseca, Croft and Delaforce. "So in essence, we are not looking backward to the vintage conditions, but forward to the wine in the glass." In an interview a few years ago, Bridge explained to me how aged tawny differs from vintage port. "Vintage port is rare, and we tend to drink it only on special occasions," he said. "Aged tawny, on the other hand, is lighter in style, which makes it more appealing in warmer weather, especially when served slightly chilled." It was a late-spring interview, which explains Bridge's emphasis on warm weather. Since then, I have enjoyed aged tawny in all seasons, and though I agree that it tastes best when chilled, I find it ideal for dessert during cooler times. It pairs beautifully with apple pie, creme brulee, creamy cheeses, desserts based on nuts or dried fruits, and warm winter fires. Tawny is aged in decades: 10 or 20 years old, mostly, but also 30 or 40. A 10-year-old tawny costs about $30, while 20-year-olds run close to $50. The difference between a 10 and a 20 is remarkable, as the dried-orange-peel and spice flavors become more pronounced. From 20 to 30, the gain is not really worth going up to $100 or more, while 40-year-olds are otherworldly in quality and price. The back label usually tells what year the wine was bottled, so you know how fresh it is. As a gift-giving guide, if you love the person, buy a 10. If you really love him, get the 20. And if he has incriminating evidence that could ruin you, splurge on the 40. Some secrets, after all, are worth keeping hidden, while others, like aged tawny, should be shared. food(a)washpost.com Recommended aged tawny ports Tuesday, December 21, 2010; 12:37 PM In general, a 10-year-old tawny port will taste of roasted nuts, with some caramel and a hint of citrus and spice. A 20-year-old will emphasize dried citrus and exotic wood spice. Aged tawny can be savored over a few weeks: Keep the opened bottle in the refrigerator to preserve its freshness, and allow the wine to warm up somewhat before drinking. Aged tawny typically notes the bottling year on the back label; the more recent (within two or three years), the better. Fonseca 20 Year Old *** Portugal, $53 This really should be three stars with a rocket. Fonseca is a sister house of Taylor Fladgate, and the wines of both are made by David Guimaraens. Fonseca ports, however, tend to be more exuberant and lusty than the Taylors. The Fonseca 20 is seductive, with a lush palate and flavors of earth, wood, dried fig and tea. One sip of this, and life is good. If your store has only the 10 Year Old, don't hesitate to try it, but keep looking for the 20. Kobrand/Republic National: Available in the District at 1 W Dupont Circle Wine & Liquors, Calvert Woodley, Circle Wine & Liquor, MacArthur Beverages, Martin's Wine & Spirits, Schneider's of Capitol Hill; on the list at CityZen, Kinkead's, Legal Seafoods, Morton's, Taberna del Alabardero. Taylor Fladgate 20 Year Old *** Portugal, $53 Richer than most, the Taylor's 20 keeps a stiff upper lip of respectability, coated with caramel and orange and seasoned with cloves and cardamom. The 10 Year Old ($30, 2 stars) is more widely available in stores and restaurants, and is also terrific. Kobrand/Republic National: Available in the District at 1 W Dupont Circle Wine & Liquors, Ace Beverage, Bell Wine & Spirits, Calvert Woodley, Chevy Chase Wine & Spirits, Continental Wine & Liquor, MacArthur Beverages, Magruder's, Schneider's of Capitol Hill, Washington Wine & Liquor; on the list at 1789, Bourbon Steak, Cafe Milano, Charlie Palmer Steak, Morton's, Occidental Grille, many others. Sao Pedro Aged 10 Years * 1/2 Portugal, $35-$37 This wine comes in an attractive bottle that is reusable as a decanter, making it an extra-nice gift. Don't let the flashy packaging fool you: The wine is quite good, tasting of creme caramel, roasted cashews and spice. M. Touton Selection: Available in the District at 1 W Dupont Circle Wine & Liquors, Barrel House Liquors, Bloomingdale Liquor, Cairo Wine & Liquor, Mayfair Liquors, Paul's of Chevy Chase, Sherry's Fine Wine & Spirits, Watergate Wine & Beverage. Available in Maryland at the Bottle Shop in Potomac; Frederick Wine House; Meridian Market and Wine and Montgomery Gourmet Beer & Wine in Bethesda; the Perfect Pour in Elkridge; Pine Orchard Liquors in Ellicott City; Pinky's West Street Liquors in Annapolis; Richburn Discount Liquors in Columbia; Rodman's in White Flint; Silesia Liquors in Fort Washington; Sugarloaf Wine Cellar in Germantown; the Wine Shoppe in Waldorf. Available in Virginia at Arrowine and the Italian Store in Arlington; Balducci's locations in McLean and Alexandria; various Wegmans locations; Cork & Fork in Gainesville; Leesburg Vintner; Tastings and Round Hill Gourmet in Charlottesville; on the list at Julien's Cafe in Middleburg. Dow's 20 Year Old ** 1/2 Portugal, $53 Dow's house style features an iodine, saline quality in both the 10- and 20-year-old tawnies, adding an intriguing note to the butterscotch and spicy citrus flavors. Winebow: Available in the District at 1 W Dupont Circle Wine & Liquors, Bacchus Wine Cellar, Barmy Wines & Liquors, Bell Wine & Spirits, Burka's Wine & Liquor, Calvert Woodley, Chat's Liquors, Circle Wine & Liquor, Cleveland Park Wine and Spirits, Georgetown Wine & Spirits, MacArthur Beverages, PanMar Wine & Liquor, Paul's of Chevy Chase, Pearson's, Schneider's of Capitol Hill, Sherry's Fine Wine & Spirits, Tunnel Wines & Spirits; on the list at Againn, Bistro Bis, Bistro La Bonne, Brasserie Beck, Cashion's Eat Place, Chef Geoff's and Chef Geoff's Downtown, Corduroy, Founding Farmers, Hook, Mendocino Grille, Mie 'N' Yu, Nage, New Heights, Oyamel, Posto, Ripple, Ristorante Tosca, Ruth's Chris, Veritas, Vinoteca. Barros 10 Years Old ** Portugal, $32 Fresh and rich, with cinnamon, orange peel and roasted nuts. Barros also has a 2000 Colheita on the market ($36). Though the 10-year-old is probably mostly from the same vintage, the wines are quite different. The colheita is deeper and more idiosyncratic, even a bit awkward at first; it smooths out a day or two after opening. Dionysus: Available in the District at Cleveland Park Wine and Spirits, Cork & Fork, Schneider's of Capitol Hill. Available in Maryland at Bradley Food & Beverage, Finewine.com in Gaithersburg; on the list at Black's Bar & Kitchen in Bethesda. Available in Virginia at Whole Foods Market Springfield and Charlottesville; on the list at Columbus Grill and Espresso Cafe & Restaurant in Manassas. Warre's Otima 10 Year Old * 1/2 Portugal, $24-$30 (500 ml) This widely available wine is a good introduction to aged tawny. Its two-thirds bottle means it's not really a bargain, even at the lower end of the price range, but 500 ml might be a more appropriate size for many drinkers. The Otima is dark and fully on the roasted-nuts side of the tawny flavor spectrum. Vineyard Brands/Bacchus in the District and Maryland, Country Vintner in Virginia. Available in the District at Bacchus Wine Cellar, Best in Liquors, Circle Wine & Liquor, Connecticut Avenue Wine & Liquor, Cork & Fork, Paul's of Chevy Chase, Pearson's, Schneider's of Capitol Hill, Sherry's Fine Wine & Spirits; on the list at the Army and Navy Club, Jockey Club, Veritas, Zentan. Available in Maryland at Cork & Fork in Bethesda; Grape Expectations in Gaithersburg; Franklin Liquors in Ijamsville; Bin 604 Wine Sellers, Ole Federal Hill Liquors, Wine Source and Mt. Washington Wine Co. in Baltimore; Columbia Palace Wine and Spirits; Cranbrook Liquors in Cockeysville; Maryland Discount Beverage Center in Cumberland; Longmeadow Wine & Liquors in Hagerstown; Beltway Fine Wine & Spirits in Timonium; Bin 201 Wine Sellers in Annapolis; Riverside Liquor and Viniferous in Frederick; Hair o' the Dog in Easton; on the list at Raku in Bethesda; Chesapeake Wine Co. and Hopkins Deli in Baltimore. Available in Virginia at Arrowine in Arlington, Fern Street Gourmet and the Winery in Alexandria, the Wine Seller in Herndon, Norm's Beer & Wine in Vienna. Key *** Exceptional ** Excellent * Very Good Prices are approximate. Check Winesearcher.com to verify availability, or ask a favorite wine store to order through a distributor. Madeira: The Chronicle recommends Jon BonnéSunday, December 19, 2010 Left-right: Leacock's Madeira, Justino's Madeira Old Rese... Left-right: Broadbent Madeira Terrantez Old Reserve, 1996... Left-right: 2000 Malvasia Madeira Barbeito Colheita Singl... Henriques and Henriques Rainwater Madeira (left) and Broa... More... Our panel lineup of 32 Madeiras underscored that the overall quality of this other fortified Portuguese wine has rarely been better. These 14 all excelled, but outside of the cheaper 3-year-old efforts (often marked for cooking) you'll find it easy to discover very good Madeira on local shelves. For once, there's no concern about whether it's freshly arrived. Because it is oxidized by its nature, Madeira has the benefit of being a survivor - able to evolve in the bottle for decades. Though prices aren't cheap, it's worth remembering that most of these wines average at least a decade old; also that, once opened, they remain fresh for months. That makes them a perfect holiday gift - one that can be opened right away and enjoyed straight into summer. Henriques & Henriques Rainwater ($22): The old-time Rainwater style (so named because casks of the 18th century versions were thought to have absorbed rainfall) remains hard to define; often it's forgettable, but the historic Henriques house has a fresh, floral version that brings just enough of Madeira's classic tang to be refreshing as an aperitif. (Importer: Europvin) Leacock's 5 Year Old Full Rich ($24): Though John Leacock sailed for Madeira in 1741 and his family established one of the island's top shipping houses, this is now one of four brands under the umbrella of the Madeira Wine Co., established in 1925. The burnished color telegraphs rich caramel and sugarcane that matches its sweeter style, with a layered orange-peel tang. (Importer: Premium Port Wines) Broadbent Five Year Reserve Fine Rich ($25): Madeira authority Michael Broadbent turned to the house of Justino's Henriques to produce his namesake line. This five-year bottling is intensely fruited, with lemon peel and nectarine, plus a green accent - think mint leaf or pine - and a savory edge. (Importer: Broadbent Selections) Vinhos Justino's Henriques 10 Year Old Reserve ($27): Justino's is a relative newcomer to Madeira, having been formed in 1870. But its profile is ascendent again. Here's a sister wine of sorts to the Broadbent Five-Year, made mostly from Tinta Negra Mole. A mouthwatering intensity - full of chestnut, orange peel, luxurious cocoa, apricot, with a profound iodine bite as counterpoint. (Importer: HGC Wines) 1996 Vinhos Justino's Henriques Colheita ($39): Colheitas are single-vintage Madeira, and here's a fine introduction, full of layered citrus (citron, Meyer lemon, tangelo) plus a distinct spicy side - nutmeg, peach and ginger. Just sweet enough to work with, or before, dessert. (Importer: HGC Wines) The Rare Wine Co. Historic Series Charleston Sercial ($46.50): Importer Mannie Berk reached out to Ricardo Freitas, owner of the house of Barbeito, to produce his Historic Series line, which remains the best value in Madeira. This is the driest in the Historic lineup, made from the Sercial grape, and its slight austerity makes it remarkably versatile. Leathery and wound-up, with a salty mineral power - think of it with a holiday roast. (Importer: Rare Wine Co.) Henriques & Henriques 10 Years Old Verdelho ($38): Henriques' true potential often shows up in its 10-year range, the sorts of bottles that you want to keep on a shelf for a regular sip. The rare Verdelho grape is just shy of fully dry, and there's just enough sweetness to bring out pineapple and butterscotch aromas that balance scents of dried flowers and pine bark. Lively and complex. (Importer: Europvin) The Rare Wine Co. Historic Series New Orleans ($60): If you can choose just one bottle, this is the one. This year marks only the second time that New Orleans, made mostly from the virtually nonexistent Terrantez grape, has been released. It's almost meaty, full of scents of lobster mushroom, dried apple, quince and citron. Impressively dry in its character, with hints of robust, aged sweetness and a hearty wood character, like smelling a favorite oak chest. (Importer: Rare Wine Co.) Broadbent Terrantez Old Reserve ($225): Broadbent harnesses old stocks of rare Terrantez for this exceptional treat. Intense and layered, with a tropical fruit edge to lemon and jasmine, plus menthol and apricot. Opulent but not thick-textured, with gorgeous brightness. (Importer: Broadbent Selections) 1997 Cossart Gordon Colheita Single Harvest Bual ($39): Cossart Gordon, arguably the oldest of the Madeira shippers and now another of the Madeira Wine Co. labels, is better known for its nonvintage wines, but this 1997 is full of briny tang - more than you'd expect for the somewhat sweet Bual. Lots of iodine and hazelnut, papaya and burnt orange, with an intense acidity to enliven it. (Importer: Premium Port Wines) 1968 Blandy's Vintage Bual ($220): Blandy's, a key partner in the Madeira Wine Co., is probably the most established label from the island, with ample stocks to bottle this 42-year-old effort just six years ago after an intricate aging process. Full of dry honeycomb and peat moss-like scents, it's a fully evolved effort, with profound acidity matched to a dry woody character that speaks of its age. (Importer: Premium Port Wines) The Rare Wine Co. Historic Series New York Malmsey ($46.50): The New York Malmsey (a.k.a. Malvasia) is the sweetest in the Historic Series lineup. Despite notes of roasted pineapple and agave nectar, it's packed with savory tones - winter melon and sea salt, with a raging acidity that balances the sweet profile, making it thoroughly versatile. Almost steely at its core. (Importer: Rare Wine Co.) 2000 Barbeito Single Cask 44a Malvasia ($54): Barbeito's Ricardo Freitas is pioneering another effort: the bottling of individual casks of Madeira, not unlike the Equipo Navazos endeavor in Jerez. Cask 44A showed an impressive evolution after a hot 2007 summer, prompting a decision to bottle it separately. Intense and fresh, full of iris and chamomile aromas, with darker mineral accents, sesame, pear and Seville orange. Racy and unique. (Importer: Rare Wine Co.) 1985 Blandy's Vintage Malmsey ($150): Bottled in 2009, this is a fine example of how a large house like Blandy's can excel with colheita (single-vintage) efforts. Though made from sweet Malmsey, it's perceptibly dry and mouthwatering, full of saline and cracker-crumb savory character, with citrus and subtle caramel. Lovely spice-box aromas round it out. There's also the more affordable 1994 Malmsey ($48). (Importer: Premium Port Wines) Panelists: Jon BonnéChronicle wine editor; Andy Booth, wine buyer, The Spanish Table; Paul Einbund, wine director, Slanted Door Restaurant Group; Daniel O'Brien, wine and spirits director, Cavallo Point. Jon Bonnés The Chronicle's wine editor. Find him at jbonne(a)sfchronicle.com or twitter.com/jbonne. http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/12/19/FD6U1GR6A7.DTL This article appeared on page K - 9 of the San Francisco Chronicle -- ------------------------------ * Dr. James Ellingson, jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * mobile : 651/645-0753 * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 * * james(a)brewingnews.com James.Ellingson(a)StThomas.edu *