Offley Porto 20-Year-Old Tawny 75cl

Offley 20-Year-Old Porto | Tawny Port

Offley’s history goes back to 1737, year in which the Englishman William Offley founded the company to which he gave his own name the Offley Porto's House. Offley Port's House has begun importing and bottling Port's Wine to the UK by 1787 and it was described as one of the most considerable English houses at Porto.It is however from the 19th century onwards, the company acquired a new dynamism. In 1831, Joseph James Forrester, a nephew of the founder, joined the company. An academic and an artist, James Forrester was the first person to map the River Douro and its region, as well as to draw maps that became works of reference. He also undertook numerous wine-growing studies and left important graphical works – paintings, drawings and sketches – in which he shows all his passion for the Douro. James Forrester’s contribution to the development of the region where Port Wine is made, as well as to its trade, earned him the title of Baron given to him by the King of Portugal. Throughout the years the company invested in the production and marketing of fortified wines, in the planting of new vineyards and in the re-planting of existing ones (as happened at Quinta da Boavista), built and maintained unique ageing cellars at Vila Nova de Gaia.

Winemaking:
Offley 20-Year-Old Tawny Port is produced by the traditional Tawny Port method. The hand-picked grapes are destemmed and crushed before fermentation at controlled temperatures, with skin maceration to extract tannin, colour and flavour. The addition of grape spirit at the ideal moment sets the balance between the wine's sweetness and bouquet. The moment of fortification is chosen by the winemaker following strict control of fermentation temperatures and densities according to the vine variety, maturation stage and the final sweetness required. After the harvest, the wines remain in the Douro until the following spring, when they are taken to Vila Nova de Gaia and enter Offley’s centuries-old lodges for ageing in oak wood casks. The final blend results from a selection of wines between 10 and 22 years of age, composed to maintain the consistency and character of this Offley 20-Year-Old Tawny Port.

Grape Varieties:
Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Amarela, Tinta Barroca, Tinto Cão

Tasting Notes:
Offley 20-Year-Old Porto has a well-defined Tawny hue with orange tones. Its aroma is intense and complex, with notes of vanilla, cinnamon, pepper, ginger, cedar, plum and hazelnuts from the result of careful evolution over many years in cask. On the palate, there is a fine balance between sugars and tannins. The finish is delicate and lingering, with great harmony between concentrated fruits and flavours of extended oak maturation. 

Store and Serve Advice:
The bottle should be kept upright, protected from light and humidity, at a constant temperature of 16ºC-18ºC. It is ready for drinking and does not require decanting. Once open, it should be consumed within 2-3 months. Serve between 12ºC-16ºC.