PORTO TAWNY: THE WINE THAT GOES WELL WITH EASTER SWEETS

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PORTO TAWNY: O VINHO QUE COMBINA COM OS DOCES DA PÁSCOA

With Easter fast approaching, it's hard for the sweet tooth not to start thinking about the sweet delicacies that this celebration brings with it.

If you belong to this group of people, you'll like this article, where we tell you about a wine that stands out when it comes to harmonising with the traditional desserts of the season. Find out more about Tawny Port and why it's a good companion for Easter sweets.

What is Tawny Port?

Tawny Ports are one of the best-known Port wine families.

Made from red grapes, they are nevertheless famous for their surprising amber colour. This is due to the fact that the wine ages in close contact with wood, in barrels, vats and balseiros, which leads to very slow oxidation of all its components, including the colour. Depending on the ageing time, the final colour can vary and take on darker or lighter orange tones.

Tawny Port is also characterised by its elegance. Its aromas are rich and complex, with notes of dried fruit and spices, and its texture is smooth and velvety. The older the wine, the more intense and elaborate these characteristics are.

What types of Tawny Port can you find?

Within the Tawny family, you can find several subcategories, each with specific characteristics:

Tawny and Tawny Reserve

These are among the youngest Tawnies. Both wines follow the same winemaking process, with the difference being the length of time they are aged in wood: while a Tawny is aged for an average of three years, a Tawny Reserva is aged for an average of seven years. The evolution of colour and aromas is more complex in the Reserva label.

Tawny with an indication of age

Of superior quality, these are wines labelled with an indication of age (10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 years). These are Tawnies made up of batches of vintages from different years, with the aim of bringing together complementary sensory characteristics. The age mentioned on the label refers to the ageing profile of the wine. As time passes, the complexity of aromas and depth of flavours increases.

Tawny Harvest

These are high-quality wines made from grapes from a single harvest and aged in wood for a minimum of seven years. They are therefore the expression of wines from a given year that have been aged in wood.

Regardless of its classification, any Tawnie Port is ready to drink from the moment it is bottled, and there is no room for further ageing in the bottle.

Tawny Port: the ideal choice to accompany Easter sweets

In Portugal, Easter is traditionally celebrated with a table full of rich and intense sweets. From the famous Easter folares, sponge cake, caramelised almonds or the typical ovos moles, there's no shortage of options (it's hard to resist!).

This is the perfect setting for Tawny Port to shine. We'll show you some of the characteristics that make it the dessert wine of choice:

1. Balance

Although it is a sweet wine, Tawny is known for its balance between sweetness and acidity. This characteristic gives it an enormous flexibility that results in very pleasant pairings. This is the case with sweeter desserts, which will contrast with the balanced acidity of this Port.

2. Complementary flavours

The notes of dried fruit and spices such as cinnamon and vanilla present in Tawny Port complement many of this season's typical sweets in a delicious way, enhancing their flavours and making them even more exuberant to taste.

3. Versatility

Another strong point of Tawny Port is its enormous versatility. This is a wine that easily adapts to a variety of flavours and textures. These combinations result in experiences that can be truly surprising.

In addition to those already mentioned, other desserts such as pudding, rice pudding, almond tart or sweets made with oranges are good pairings to accompany this wine which, if possible, should be served slightly chilled.