How long does Vintage Port typically age in wood before being bottled?
Answer
About two years
Vintage Port is considered the pinnacle of the Port world and is defined by its singularity—coming from a single, exceptional harvest. Despite its immense aging potential, its time in wood is intentionally brief. After the harvest, Vintage Port spends only about two years maturing in wooden casks. Following this short period, it is bottled young, highly tannic, and deeply colored. Crucially, the bulk of its necessary evolution and softening occurs in the bottle over decades, where the consumer essentially takes over the role of the cellar master, allowing complex tertiary flavors to develop as tannins integrate.
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