Dow's - 40 Year Old Tawny Port | Port Wine

After the grapes are hand harvested and crushed, the wine is fermented for a short period of time before the addition of 100% neutral grape spirit alcohol. This step stops fermentation, preserves the wine’s natural grape sugars, and gives its unique, rich flavors. In the barrel-ageing process, aged tawny Ports are subjected to a gradual transformation through contact with air and wood. This results in considerable evaporation and concentration, with approximately 50% of the original volume of a 40 year old tawny disappearing before it is eventually bottled. The wines need to be ‘racked’ from time to time during each year. Racking is the process by which the Dow’s team of experienced lodge men will carefully draw the wine off its ‘lees’ (the natural sediment that is formed at the bottom of the cask) and then pour the wine back into the clean cask. Aged in barrel for an average of 40 years.