Quinta Vale Dona Maria LBV 2006

This was the port presented at the recent doctors' association wine dinner. It was an unfined and unfiltered port and instead of the usual cork stopper, it had a standard cork of normal length, the type you see in ordinary wine bottles. Although the owner had sent me pictures of grape treading in the estate, I had assumed that this was only for their top port. It turns out that in fact the grapes for all their ports undergo foot treading. Another unusual feature is that instead of the usual raisin and dried fruit aromas and flavours, it was more fresh (and slightly stewed) berries in its flavour profile. Yet despite this deviation from the expected, it was an excellent match with the fondant chocolate pudding and was exquisite with the Blue Stilton.