Port Wine: What’s the Difference Between Tawny and Ruby?
The difference between Tawny and Ruby Port lies in their aging process, which consequently affects their aroma and taste characteristics. Tawny Port is aged in wood, giving it notes of nuts, dried fruits, and a brownish hue. Ruby Port, on the other hand, spends a shorter period in large wooden or stainless steel vats, preserving its aromas and flavors of fresh fruits and flowers, and its ruby red color.
Now that you know the difference between Tawny and Ruby, let’s explore each of these two styles in detail:
Difference between Tawny and Ruby: All about Tawny Port
Tawny Port was born from the realization of the unique characteristics that wine gained from its extended contact with wood. In the early days of wine production, the beverage was stored in wooden barrels for transport to England. This long period inside the barrels gave the wine a woody character and a tawny color, hence its name.
Tawny wines are categorized according to the grapes used and the period of aging in wood. There are 5 categories: Tawny Standard, Reserva, Colheita, Garrafeira, and Age Indication.
Tawny Standard
A young, blended wine (blend of grapes and vintages), aged for about three years in wood. It has a light color, is light and smooth, and is ready for consumption.
Tawny Reserva
Aged in wood for six to seven years, it has a tawny color with red nuances, aromas of red and dried fruits, and spices. It is full-bodied and persistent, with soft tannins that don’t cause astringency.
Port Wine with Age Indication
These wines are produced from a blend, and their tasting characteristics must correspond to the age indicated on the label: 10, 20, 30, 40, or 50 years. This doesn’t mean the wine is that age, but rather that it presents the organoleptic profile of the indicated age.
These wines have a balanced acidity and a higher sweetness level. Their aromas include dried fruits, toast, caramelization, and spices. In wines over 30 years old, notes of curry are noticeable. The older the wine, the rounder and more persistent the finish and the more tawny the color.
Port Wine Colheita
Wines from a single vintage and aged for a minimum of seven years in wood. They are ready for consumption as soon as they are bottled. Bottle aging can modify the wine’s organoleptic characteristics, so it’s best to consume them quickly!
Port Wine Garrafeira
These are rare examples. After being aged in wood for seven years, they age in glass carafes for at least eight years. They are less powerful but with a distinct delicacy from those aged in wood.
Difference between Tawny and Ruby: Understanding Ruby Port
This is a fruity and full-bodied style of Port that ages for a relatively short time in large oak barrels or stainless steel tanks. Some benefit from bottle aging.
The wines have an intense red color, aromas of black and red fruits, floral notes, chocolate, and spices. The difference between Tawny and Ruby is that Ruby wines are more structured than their Tawny counterparts.
Ruby wines are categorized according to the grapes used and the period of bottle aging. There are 5 categories: Ruby Standard, Reserva, LBV, Crusted, and Vintage.
Ruby Standard
A young, blended wine (blend of grapes and vintages), it presents the lightest color, less intense aromas, and less structure. It is ready to be consumed when bottled.
Ruby Reserva
Also a blended wine, with a higher concentration compared to Ruby Standard.
Late Bottled Vintage or Port Wine LBV
A single-vintage wine bottled between the fourth and sixth years after the harvest. During this period, it remains in stainless steel tanks or large wooden barrels to preserve its color and fresh, fruity character. It benefits from bottle aging and can be stored for up to 10 years.
Difference between Tawny and Ruby: Port Wine Crusted
A full-bodied blended wine with a very intense color. It ages in the bottle for at least three years before being sold. During this period, a deposit forms in the bottle, a crust, which is what gives the category its name.
Vintage
The most prestigious style of Port Wine. It is only produced in exceptional years and with the approval of the IVDP (Instituto da Vinha e do Vinho do Douro e Porto) or the Confraria do Vinho do Porto. It is a single-vintage wine bottled between the second and third years after the harvest. Like LBV, it remains in stainless steel tanks or large wooden barrels to preserve its color and fruity character. It has aromas of black fruit, floral and vegetal notes, and an impressive structure. They can be consumed young or aged for decades.
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