There is a tradition of giving port to a newborn to enjoy years down the line, once they’re old enough to drink it. However, the vast majority of port these days is sold to be consumed immediately, and very few will develop at all once they’re in the bottle – much less improve. Late bottled vintage ports are of even higher initial quality, and are matured in wood for four or five years.

Tawny keeps better than vintage since it’s already been exposed to air during maturation. Kept in the fridge or cellar, a tawny port can be enjoyed many weeks after the bottle is opened. Graham’s Aged Tawny Ports are made from wines of the very highest quality which, following careful selection are blended and subsequently matured in seasoned casks for a number of years until their peak of maturity is attained.Grahams 10 Year Old Tawny PortAged in seasoned oak pipes (534 litre casks) for an average of ten years and blended to a consistent marque each time it’s bottled.Graham’s 10 Years Old Tawny Port is a tribute to craftsmanship. It epitomizes the passion for excellence and precision that is at the heart of every one of Graham’s handmade Tawny Ports. 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. Have you ever fancied a really big bottle of Port? This Grahams 10 Year Old is presented in a 4.5L bottle, that is 6 standard bottles of Port in one big bottle. This makes a great centrepiece for a wedding or celebration and would look mightily impressive on any sideboard or bar and the good thing about a tawny Port is you don’t need to hurry up and drink it. You might think port lasts forever after it’s been opened, but sadly that’s not the case, though it differs by type.

Geosmin is a chemical compound that can give wines and ports an unpleasant, earthy odour, usually the result of using grape crops having been affected by rot. Store the bottle horizontally in a dark place with constant temperature, ideally between 12ºC and 15ºC. 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. 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).

Ruby port is the youngest and cheapest style of red port. The best of these are bright, fruity and peppery.

It has a deep tawny colour. ON THE NOSE, it shows complex nutty aromas combined with hints of honey and figs. ON THE PALATE, rich mature fruit flavours, beautifully mellowed with a luscious long finished.