LBV (Late Bottled Vintage)

The 2016 Late Bottled Vintage Port (LBV) is a traditionally styled (lightly filtered but not cold stabilized) blend of Touriga Nacional (30%), Touriga Franca (25%), Tinta Roriz (15%) and small bits of others filling out the blend. It was bottled in April 2021 with a long cork and 96 grams of residual sugar. Sourced from 1983 vines, this spent two years in stainless steel before being transferred into oak for another two years. The difference between this and the LBV Porto Bio, also reviewed, could not be greater. This is lusher, sweeter (although still fairly dry), more developed and more expressive than the somewhat compact LBV Porto Bio. It certainly, however, lacks that wine’s purity of fruit. That Porto Bio often seems like the essence of the fruit. With the time in barrel, this regular LBV is also softer and easier to drink. I liked them both about the same, but if you are picking one for tonight, this is ready, while the Porto Bio is a bit undeveloped as yet. If for no other reason, that’s the answer, at least today. June 2021.