The Auswine Forum

For about 40 years I have been a keen consumer of fortified wine. Tawny port, Muscat, Tokay, white port & the occasional vintage port.
In recent years I have noticed the move to lighter, more elegant, drier styles of tawny port more akin to a Portuguese style. Whilst I like these styles I often long for the big rich aged tawnys that were so plentiful in the '70s & 80s. Even Penfolds Grandfather now tastes like a Portuguese tawny.
One of my regular port-drinking friends questions why we would bother with anything more expensive than a bottle of Tall Ships and I am beginning to agree.
What would Forum members recommend under $30. in a heavier, richer, aged-style Tawny?

Hi Underwraps

Not knowing what Portuguese tawny tastes like, Penfolds 'Bluestone' is a bigger brawnier more spirited style. Not sure that is what you are after?

Cheers

Michael

It's years since I had any but I used to enjoy Croft Distinction, a Portuguese tawny. I've also enjoyed a few bottles of Tahbilk LBVP (late bottled vintage port), more a tawny port than a traditional VP. I note that McWilliams Hanwood was best tawny in the Adelaide show but if memory serves me correctly, the last time I had some I think it was more in the style you want to get away from but which I developed a taste for from drinking Lindemans(?) Macquarie(?). I've not seen the latter for years but then I've not gone looking for it either.

To me the solution for aged rich port is get a port barrel!

Honestly, a small barrel will 'age' the port significantly in under a year, you will be amazed how rich a mid weight tawny becomes in a short time. If you are serious about port, I suggest having both a 5L and 25L barrel, top up the smaller barrel from the larger one. And the best part is it's fun to blend to your taste.

Thanks Guys, Michael, the Bluestone sounds like it is worth a try as someone else also mentioned it to me. Hanwood and particularly Macquarie port were old favourites of mine from the 70s along with Galway Pipe and many other well known ones. Perhaps its just age & nostalgia that makes me think they were richer and heavier. I had a bottle of Hardy's Whiskers Blake Tawny last week and it was sweet and lightweight so not what I am looking for. Uncle Dan's has a reasonable variety so I will keep working my way through their line up.
Maybe a port barrel is the way to go, I seem to recall quite a few threads on here, so lots of good advice on how to proceed.

underwraps50 wrote:Thanks Guys, Michael, the Bluestone sounds like it is worth a try as someone else also mentioned it to me. Hanwood and particularly Macquarie port were old favourites of mine from the 70s along with Galway Pipe and many other well known ones. Perhaps its just age & nostalgia that makes me think they were richer and heavier. I had a bottle of Hardy's Whiskers Blake Tawny last week and it was sweet and lightweight so not what I am looking for. Uncle Dan's has a reasonable variety so I will keep working my way through their line up.
Maybe a port barrel is the way to go, I seem to recall quite a few threads on here, so lots of good advice on how to proceed.

How long is it since you had a Saltrams Mr Pickwick? I think it's rather more than $30 these days though.

underwraps50 wrote:Thanks Guys, Michael, the Bluestone sounds like it is worth a try as someone else also mentioned it to me.

As in your Grandfather post, I do encourage you to give it a try - I like the bigger, caramelly style ports, it's my favorite quaffer that is very easy to get hold of, your local bottlos will stock it.

Can't hurt to pop down and pick one up for a sampler/weeknightly tipple - particularly whilst it's still moderately cool evening weather (even up in Rocky?)

Let us know how you go!

Cheers

Here's one that sounds like what you're looking for:

Buller Premium Fine Old Tawny, "A rich and luscious tawny port, in the traditional style. Sweet fruit and beautifully integrated oak combine to display all the characteristics of long-term ageing. Deep tawny colour, complex, mature, spicy flavours and deeply satisfying dry finish." And only $19.99!

Cheers

daz

I know this is a little offtopic since this is not a port (in fact it's not even a fortified), and not under $30, but you're open to suggestion, at our August Spanish tasting our WOTD was the following (TN by TiggerK):

Romate Cardenal Cisneros Pedro Ximenez ($56) - Oohh, what a way to finish, where's a cognac creme brulee when you need one.. What can you say, it's delicious. Sweet but nice acid balance with heady treacle and raisin flavours. So good. 19 Voted WON, with the Alion following.

odyssey wrote:I know this is a little offtopic since this is not a port (in fact it's not even a fortified), and not under $30, but you're open to suggestion, at our August Spanish tasting our WOTD was the following (TN by TiggerK):

Romate Cardenal Cisneros Pedro Ximenez ($56) - Oohh, what a way to finish, where's a cognac creme brulee when you need one.. What can you say, it's delicious. Sweet but nice acid balance with heady treacle and raisin flavours. So good. 19 Voted WON, with the Alion following.

We had this in a line-up last week (is def fortified). Looked good as a stand alone, but found the overt sweetness dulled its charm a little, as did the fairly simple dried 'sultana' character. Stylistically a pretty good PX though.

To the topic at hand Morris Cellar Reserve can be had for about $30, but budget be buggered, go for the Old Premium at $45. I seem to recall the Lauriston Show Tawny being cleared somewhere at a very sharp price. May lack a touch for freshness, but it's a brilliant example.

roughred wrote:(is def fortified).

I initially thought so as well but was just going by the WS notes which was implying a raisin process rather than fortification process. Perhaps they got it wrong.

roughred wrote:Looked good as a stand alone, but found the overt sweetness dulled its charm a little, as did the fairly simple dried 'sultana' character.

We had it with chocolate which might have challenged the sweetness and highlighted the rest of the wine. Perfect match.

I got raisin but I wouldn't have called it sultana (ie. the cheap sultana grape).

Thanks once again, all those good suggestions have been noted & I will be on their trail on Saturday.
I nominated $30. because where Port is concerned I find it's easy to get carried away and spend more than intended - and in the 80's I could always find something good for under $15. (was that really almost 30 years ago?) The Penfolds Grandfather consumed recently really threw us as I thought it was very poor value for money and I would never buy it myself.

I am very partial to Seppeltfield Para Grand Tawny, which is around the $30 mark, and is a lovely rich and complex wine. However, perhaps Rutherglen rather than the Barossa might offer what your are after. From memory the northern Vic tawnys tend to be a bit bigger and more raisined. Course I could be wrong, it has been a long time between drinks of Rutherglen tawny.