Spending more doesn't guarantee a better bottle, as we found when we asked independent wine expert Charles Metcalfe to try a selection of ports in 2021. But it helps to be in the know about what to look for. 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. It’s unnecessary for tawny ports and younger reds, but essential for older vintage ports, which tend to form a deposit in the bottle over time. How to recycle your port bottles

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. Read on for our full guide including what the difference is between red and tawny ports, decoding the label, and the best way to serve it for maximum flavour.TIME-HONOURED skills, craftsmanship and dedication are handed down from generation to generation at GRAHAM’S in the form of three unique arts – the art of blending, the art of cooperage and the art of ageing – to produce an extraordinary selection of Tawny Ports. A tribute to craftsmanship: GRAHAM’S 10 Years Old is a tribute to craftsmanship, the passion for excellence, and unmatched precision, which is at the heart of every handmade Tawny Port. After a decade of care, this wine is a wonderful expression of Tawny Port. For those who appreciate quality in every detail. When we taste tested port in 2021, we found some big brands shone, but a range of supermarket options also impressed our expert.* So don't discount supermarket bottles, as you might find a gem. Late bottled vintage ports are of even higher initial quality, and are matured in wood for four or five years. Tawny ports are paler brown or amber in colour, with a more mellow taste. That typically comes from a longer period ageing in wood, which can impart distinct flavours of dried fruit and nuts.

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). 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. Aged tawny is brilliant with stilton cheese, and very good with pumpkin pie, walnuts and milk chocolate dishes. Port is a Portuguese fortified wine often enjoyed alongside a cheese board, after a big meal or simply as a relaxing evening treat.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. We asked Charles for his tips on choosing the best bottle of port, and explain what we found when we tested supermarket 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. 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.

Ruby ports were the most variable, with some tainted by earthy rot flavours (see more below), while vintage, tawny and reserve ports generally fared better overall. Store the bottle horizontally in a dark place with constant temperature, ideally between 12ºC and 15ºC. Ruby port is the youngest and cheapest style of red port. The best of these are bright, fruity and peppery. You can find a range of ports at most major supermarkets, as well as specialist retailers. Supermarkets that sell port wines include:

You might think port lasts forever after it’s been opened, but sadly that’s not the case, though it differs by type.

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. Decanting is the process of transferring port to a decanter or jug, while separating out any natural sediment. This sediment can either be left to settle at the bottom of the bottle, or strained through a muslin cloth. Port is often served in a dedicated port, sherry or dessert wine glass, which looks like a small wine glass. 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. There’s no right or wrong time to enjoy a glass of port. On British and Portuguese tables, it’s often served at the end of a meal. In France, it’s often enjoyed before a meal – or poured over melon.