Vasques de Carvalho LBV
Vasques de Carvalho LBV 2020 is a full-bodied and intense Late Bottled Vintage Port with plenty of dark fruit, ripe berries, and a great balance between sweetness, acidity, and tannin. An obvious choice for chocolate, cheese, or to finish off a good meal.
About Vasques de Carvalho LBV 2020
Vasques de Carvalho LBV 2020 is a classic Late Bottled Vintage Port from the Douro Valley in Portugal. LBV is a vintage-dated port wine that is aged longer in barrels than traditional Vintage Port before being bottled. This creates a wine that combines the concentration and fruit of Vintage Port with a more immediately accessible style.
The 2020 vintage is made from classic port wine grapes such as Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, and Tinto Cão. The wine typically matures for 4–6 years in large port barrels before bottling. Vasques de Carvalho LBV 2020 thus possesses both the intensity of the vintage and the rounded character that results from the longer barrel aging.
LBV is a great place to start if you want to experience the dark fruit and structure of Vintage Port without necessarily having to wait for a young Vintage Port to develop in the bottle.
About Douro
The Douro Valley in northern Portugal is the home of port wine and one of the world's most distinctive wine regions. The steep, slate-filled slopes along the Douro River provide difficult, yet highly suitable conditions for wine production.
A wide range of local grape varieties is grown here, with Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca playing a particularly central role in the production of red port wine. The hot, dry climate contributes to grapes with great concentration and intensity – something that is clearly expressed in a powerful LBV.
Taste
Nose: Intense and fruity with dark berries, blackberries, cassis, and ripe plums.
Taste: Full-bodied and concentrated with dark fruit, figs, licorice, and dark chocolate. Fine tannins and a fresh acidity provide balance to the sweetness.
Finish: Long and warm with ripe berries, spices, and dark chocolate.
Serving
Serve Vasques de Carvalho LBV 2020 slightly chilled at about 14–16 °C. Preferably use a port wine glass or a smaller tulip-shaped wine glass.
An LBV does not normally require the same long aeration as a young Vintage Port. Feel free to pour it into a decanter if you wish to give the wine some air while presenting it elegantly.
What does Vasques de Carvalho LBV pair with?
- Blue cheese such as Stilton or Roquefort
- Dark chocolate and chocolate cake
- Brownies and cocoa-based desserts
- Aged hard cheeses
- Nuts and dried fruit
- Foie gras
- As an after-dinner drink
FAQ – Vasques de Carvalho LBV 2020
What does LBV mean?
LBV stands for Late Bottled Vintage. It is a vintage-dated port wine that has been aged longer in barrels than traditional Vintage Port before being bottled.
Is Vasques de Carvalho LBV 2020 a Vintage Port?
No. LBV and Vintage Port are two different styles of port wine. LBV is usually ready to drink sooner and does not require the same bottle aging as a classic
