Best 10-year, 20-year tawny
Moderators: Glenn E., Roy Hersh, Andy Velebil
Best 10-year, 20-year tawny
Hi all,
I was recently browsing Amazon UK trying to select a 10 year and a 20 year tawny, and I realised that a lot of the big names have very similarly priced products yet there is no real way to distinguish between them, apart from the ratings on Vivino. I'm thinking Taylors, Grahams, Sandeman, Niepoort, Dows etc.
I was wondering if anyone has come across (or written) a guide to the most popular 10 year and 20 year tawny ports out there, and how they differ?
I was recently browsing Amazon UK trying to select a 10 year and a 20 year tawny, and I realised that a lot of the big names have very similarly priced products yet there is no real way to distinguish between them, apart from the ratings on Vivino. I'm thinking Taylors, Grahams, Sandeman, Niepoort, Dows etc.
I was wondering if anyone has come across (or written) a guide to the most popular 10 year and 20 year tawny ports out there, and how they differ?
- Glenn E.
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Re: Best 10-year, 20-year tawny
We have done a couple of 20-year Tawny reviews here on FTLOP, here is a link to the more recent article that Rune Gustavsen wrote:
https://www.fortheloveofport.com/ten-tawnies-twenty/
I'll have to dig through the newsletter archives to find the article that I wrote - it was a while ago!
What you will probably find is that the "big names" that you find easily in grocery stores are rarely the best. So your question can be interpreted two ways: 1. what is the best 20YO amongst those regularly found in supermarkets, or 2. what is the best overall 20YO?
https://www.fortheloveofport.com/ten-tawnies-twenty/
I'll have to dig through the newsletter archives to find the article that I wrote - it was a while ago!
What you will probably find is that the "big names" that you find easily in grocery stores are rarely the best. So your question can be interpreted two ways: 1. what is the best 20YO amongst those regularly found in supermarkets, or 2. what is the best overall 20YO?
Glenn Elliott
- Glenn E.
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Re: Best 10-year, 20-year tawny
It appears that the 20-year old Tawny Taste-Off article was never written! I found a couple of email threads talking about it, but no actual article.
One of those threads contained results from two tastings that were held, however:
Sammamish, Washington
3-2-1 voting with 8 tasters, 1 of whom did not award a 1st place
Ramos Pinto - 11 pts
Sandeman - 8 pts
Taylor - 7 pts
Andresen - 6 pts
Ferreira - 5.5 pts
Portal - 3 pts
Noval - 2.5 pts
Fonseca - 2 pts
Graham, Infantado, Kopke, and Niepoort all received 0 points.
High Bridge, New Jersey
reverse rank scoring (i.e. 6-5-4-3-2-1) with 13 tasters
Ramos Pinto - 61.5
Ferreira - 51.5
Niepoort - 49.5
Sandeman -44.5
Noval - 37
Taylor - 29
Other than Ramos Pinto doing well in both blind tastings, as you can see preferences were all over the place. So I guess you could say that there's no clear "best" 20 Year Old Tawny Port!
One of those threads contained results from two tastings that were held, however:
Sammamish, Washington
3-2-1 voting with 8 tasters, 1 of whom did not award a 1st place
Ramos Pinto - 11 pts
Sandeman - 8 pts
Taylor - 7 pts
Andresen - 6 pts
Ferreira - 5.5 pts
Portal - 3 pts
Noval - 2.5 pts
Fonseca - 2 pts
Graham, Infantado, Kopke, and Niepoort all received 0 points.
High Bridge, New Jersey
reverse rank scoring (i.e. 6-5-4-3-2-1) with 13 tasters
Ramos Pinto - 61.5
Ferreira - 51.5
Niepoort - 49.5
Sandeman -44.5
Noval - 37
Taylor - 29
Other than Ramos Pinto doing well in both blind tastings, as you can see preferences were all over the place. So I guess you could say that there's no clear "best" 20 Year Old Tawny Port!
Glenn Elliott
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Re: Best 10-year, 20-year tawny
The Ramos Pinto and Ferreira are both top notch 20 y.o. ports. I also like a lesser known 20 y.o. produced by Quinta da Pacheca.
"I have often thought that the aim of Port is to give you a good and durable hangover, so that during the next day you should be reminded of the splendid occasion the night before." - Hungarian/British journalist & author George Mikes
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Re: Best 10-year, 20-year tawny
My favorites for 10 and 20 are Maynards, Ferreira, and Noval.
Maynards has them beat with being near half the price of the other two.
Maynards has them beat with being near half the price of the other two.
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- Andy Velebil
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Re: Best 10-year, 20-year tawny
Off the top of my head...Mine are, in no particular order and note they can be quite different in styles;
10 yr:
Ferreira
Niepoort
Ramos Pinto
20 yr:
Niepoort
Ramos Pinto
S. Leonardo
Sandeman
Smith Woodhouse (available in the USA only and a good QPR)
Fonseca
Ferreira
Quevedo
you'll notice I am more miss when it comes to 10 yr old tawny's. For me, it's a tough
10 yr:
Ferreira
Niepoort
Ramos Pinto
20 yr:
Niepoort
Ramos Pinto
S. Leonardo
Sandeman
Smith Woodhouse (available in the USA only and a good QPR)
Fonseca
Ferreira
Quevedo
you'll notice I am more miss when it comes to 10 yr old tawny's. For me, it's a tough
Andy Velebil Good wine is a good familiar creature if it be well used. William Shakespeare http://www.fortheloveofport.com
- Eric Ifune
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Re: Best 10-year, 20-year tawny
I'll throw in Veira de Sousa for 10 year old and Bulas for 20 year old as well.
Re: Best 10-year, 20-year tawny
10YO I'd go with Blackett, DR or Warre's
20YO my top selections would be Bulas, Ramos Pinto and Dona Otília
20YO my top selections would be Bulas, Ramos Pinto and Dona Otília
- Andy Velebil
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Re: Best 10-year, 20-year tawny
Today I tasted the Broadbent 10yr old Tawny. I was very impressed and it’s among the top of the heap for that category.
Andy Velebil Good wine is a good familiar creature if it be well used. William Shakespeare http://www.fortheloveofport.com
Re: Best 10-year, 20-year tawny
10 Year Old:
Quinta da Romaneira
J. H. Andresen
DR Port
Quinta da Romaneira
J. H. Andresen
DR Port
Ambition driven by passion, rather than money, is as strong an elixir as is Port. http://www.fortheloveofport.com
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Re: Best 10-year, 20-year tawny
For me , Dows , Graham's or Taylor are not top 3 in 10 or 20 yr old tawniesSteven M wrote: ↑Mon Aug 30, 2021 8:38 am Hi all,
I was recently browsing Amazon UK trying to select a 10 year and a 20 year tawny, and I realised that a lot of the big names have very similarly priced products yet there is no real way to distinguish between them, apart from the ratings on Vivino. I'm thinking Taylors, Grahams, Sandeman, Niepoort, Dows etc.
I was wondering if anyone has come across (or written) a guide to the most popular 10 year and 20 year tawny ports out there, and how they differ?
Ramos Pinto , Andresen and Sandeman always represent , just my 2 canadian cents worth
Vintage avant jeunesse/or the other way around . . .