This aged tawny Porto is made from selected grapes from the best vineyards of the Cima Corgo and Douro Superior. In the winery, the newly developed, robotic “Port Toes” technology for treading allows the winery to maximize the quality of the fruit by mimicking the gentle action of human feet during traditional foot treading. Fermentation is halted by the addition of grape spirits before all the residual sugar has been fermented, creating a sweet, fortified wine. Each year, a portion of this ruby wine is set aside according to its aging potential to be added to Fonseca’s stocks for blending. The wine is aged in 600-liter neutral oak barrels, considerably smaller than those used for Ruby Portos. As the stocks age, the wines take on increasingly more nutty flavors and become more concentrated as the barrels lose 3% of their volume every year (the “Angels’ Share”) to evaporation. Fonseca cellars its aged tawnies upriver in the Douro rather than in Vila Nova de Gaia near the river’s mouth; the considerable difference in heat and humidity between these two areas lends Fonseca’s aged tawny Portos a very distinctive “baked” richness reminiscent of butterscotch. The 40 Year Old Tawny is a blend of wines, selected from these stocks, that have been aged for an average of 40 years.

Tasting Note

This sublime Porto of very great age and rarity shows the old olive-gold hue of its many years in cask. Decades of evaporation have concentrated this wine to an exceptional density. Impressions of clove, nutmeg and an intense nuttiness converge both on the bouquet and on the palate. The wine’s sweet, lush, almost viscous texture culminates in a finish of incredible length.

Food Pairing

Pairs well with figs, almonds and crème brûlée. It can be served at the end of the meal on its own, with walnuts or dried fruit, and can be slightly chilled in the summer. Made to be enjoyed immediately.

Technical Data
GRAPES: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz, Tinto Cão, Tinta Amarela
APPELLATION: Douro
ACIDITY: 5.25 g/l
ABV: 20%
AGING: Average of 40 years in neutral oak
RESIDUAL SUGAR: 129.2 g/l
Unique Selling Points
  • A sublime tawny Porto of very great age and rarity
  • Made from wines aged an average of 40 years, for complexity and concentration, with a typical nutty flavor

About the Grape

Tinta Amarela
Tinta Amarela makes wines with intensely perfumed aromas of blackberry and tea, bold structure, deep color and excellent depth.
Tinta Barroca
Used to make Port wines, this high yielding grape has very high sugar content, which makes wines with pronounced floral character, good structure and firm, ripe tannins.
Tinta Cão
This grape has blackberry, game and meaty aromas, and contributes longevity and exceptional elegance to the blend of Port wines.
Tinta Roriz
Tinta Roriz produces deep-colored grapes of moderate acidity which make bold wines with firm tannins, excellent complexity and distinctive resin-like fragrance.
Touriga Franca
This grape has high tannins and is very aromatic; it lends structure and balance to Port wines. It shows intense fresh red fruit, earth and flower aromas, and is very fruity on the palate.
Touriga Nacional
Touriga Nacional produces wine with finesse, body and warmth that is dark, concentrated, massively tannic and aromatic. It ages to show the complex aromas typically found in mature vintage port.
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