Offley LBV NV

Offley Late Bottled Vintage Port, Portugal, NV

Grapes: A blend of 45% Touriga Franca, 25% Touriga Nacional, 20% Tinta Roriz, 10% Tinta Barroca.

Producer Tasting Note:

This port is deep, almost opaque, ruby red in colour. It has intense and complex aromas of black fruit, cloves, resin and undertones of cocoa and chocolate, On the palate, it is full-bodied with a balanced acidity, good quality tannins and notes of black pepper and red fruit that invite a harmonious finish.

Critic's Tasting Note:

"Concentrated in color, aroma of ripe fruit with notes of figs, plums in syrup, black pepper and liqueurs. Beautiful texture in the mouth, without very evident tannins but with soft notes and the fruit showing itself in full, voluminous and rich. If it can be saved, I believe that now is when it will show itself in its best form."

17/20 points, Grandes Escolhas (Portugal), January 2022

LBV Ports are made to be early drinking examples of top vintage Ports and as such have an intense structure and fruit flavour. Bottled after two more years in cask than Vintage, the wine is from one single harvest and indicative of the year in which it is made. 

William Offley founded the eponymous wine merchant in London in 1737, and soon began importing and bottling Port to the UK. By 1787, Offley was described as ‘one of the most considerable English houses at Porto.’ The house became famous for its association with Joseph James Forrester, later the Baron of Forrester, who came to Oporto in 1831 to join his uncle, James Forrester, who was a partner in what was then Offley, Forrester and Webber.

More recently, under Sogrape’s ownership, Offley has thrived. Investment in the vineyards and careful selection has ensured quality has improved and this historic producers has once again moved it up the ranks of Port houses.