Port wine is one of the greatest treasures of Portuguese viticulture. Still, even among connoisseurs, there is sometimes confusion about the different categories, especially between Tawny and Ruby, the two most emblematic styles. Both are fortified wines, with fermentation stopped by adding a spirit with 77% alcohol. Both are born on the slopes of the Douro and tell stories of time and tradition. But what distinguishes them?
Ruby: youth, colour and fruit
Ruby Ports are wines that favour the expression of young fruit. After fermentation, they age in large wooden casks or stainless-steel vats, where contact with oxygen is limited. This process protects the intense colour, between ruby red and purple, and keeps the primary aromas alive, such as cherry, blackberry, raspberry, or black plum. They are generally full-bodied, direct, and fruity on the palate, with tannins that are present but smooth, ideal for those looking for energetic and intense wines.
Within the Ruby category, there are different styles, each with its own characteristics:
• Ruby (Entry Level): the youngest and most accessible style, usually aged for about 2 to 3 years before bottling. It is fresh, immediate and straightforward, ideal for drinking young. An excellent choice for cocktails or to accompany chocolate desserts.
• Ruby Reserva: also known as ‘Finest Reserve’ or simply ‘Reserva’, features a more careful selection of base wines, with a slightly more extended ageing period. It retains Ruby's freshness and fruity profile but with greater depth, concentration, and persistence.
• Late Bottled Vintage (LBV): a single vintage wine, aged in wood for 4 to 6 years before being bottled. It is more structured, with additional complexity and potential for ageing in the bottle. There are filtered LBVs (ready to drink, not evolving after bottling) and unfiltered LBVs (which benefit from decanting and continue to age in the bottle).
• Vintage is the top of the Ruby Port pyramid. It is produced only in exceptional quality years, with grapes from a single harvest and aged for only 2 years in wood before bottling. The rest of the evolution takes place in the bottle over decades. It is an intense, deep wine with great ageing potential. It needs to be decanted before serving, and once opened, it should be consumed quickly (within 24 to 48 hours).
Serving and storage temperature
Ruby Ports should be served slightly chilled, between 14ºC and 16ºC — enough to bring out the freshness of the fruit without hiding the structure. In summer, they can even be served a little cooler, especially the younger ones, which work well at temperatures like light red wine.
Once opened, the storage time depends on the style:
• Entry-level Ruby and Reserve: can be kept in good condition for 2 to 4 weeks, provided they are stored in a cool place away from light, with the bottle tightly closed.
• LBV (filtered): up to 2 to 4 weeks after opening.
• LBV (unfiltered) and Vintage: more sensitive to oxygen, they should be consumed within a shorter period, ideally up to 48 hours in the case of Vintage, and 10 to 15 days for unfiltered LBV.
It is recommended that bottles of LBVs and Vintage be stored horizontally in a cool, dry place to allow for uniform and more stable ageing.
Tawny: Time as an ingredient
Tawny Ports, on the other hand, follow a different path. They age longer in smaller wooden casks, with greater contact with oxygen. This slow oxidation process transforms the wine: the colour becomes more golden (hence the name ‘tawny’) and the aromas evolve into notes of dried fruit, caramel, spices and wood.
The result is a more delicate, elegant and complex wine that reveals its history with every sip. Among Tawnies, we find the youngest (3-4 years old), Tawny Reserva (7-8 years old), those with an age indication (10/20/30 and more years) and Colheita, produced in a specific year.
To learn more about this style, we invite you to review our article – Aged Blends and Colheita Tawny Ports - A Treasure Aged in Time.
Two styles, endless possibilities.
Ruby or Tawny? There is no better one than the other — only the one that best suits the moment, personal taste, the temperature of the day or even the type of company. Port Wine is a world of diversity and pleasure; tasting it is the best way to get to know it.
