When it comes to the world’s most expensive fortified wines, there’s only one country that’s got the goods.
The steep slopes of Portugal’s Douro Valley produce some of the finest fortified wines in the world.
Here we explore what it means to be rich, in all possible senses of the word – from deep and intense to luxuriant expense.
Enter the world of fortified wine and not just any fortified wine, but the world’s most expensive. Here, we surrender to decadence, to caramelized notes of toasted nuts, honey and baking spice, to ginger, cinnamon and all things nice.
From Tawny Port to Madeira, it’s clear there’s only one country that counts when it comes to the crème de la crème of fortified wine and that is Portugal.
Portugal has made an artform out of all things fortified, although it may be struggling in other areas of expertise – its famed cork industry looks increasingly under threat from the rise of screwcaps and other stoppers.
While Port and Madeira have yet to take off à la Burgundy and Bordeaux, neither have they gone the slightly tragic way of Sherry. The most expensive Sherry we currently list is the Barbadillo Reliquia Pedro Ximenez Sherry at $697 – significantly cheaper than our 10th most expensive fortified – a Tawny Port at $2901.
In top spot again is the W & J Graham’s Ne Oublie Tawny Port. The Graham’s Port house has its roots in 1800s Glasglow when brothers, William and John Graham, accepted a barrel of Port as payment for a debt. Today, the business is owned by the Symington family, who count several other Port Houses among their portfolio.
The Ne Oublie Tawny Port is a single-harvest aged Tawny that was made in 1882, and has been aged for 130 years – far outliving everyone at its original conception.
Only 656 bottles have been released to mark the year that Andrew James Symington first arrived in Portugal. Beautifully presented in a handmade crystal decanter, the wine has an ultra-rare score of 100 points, however, it also comes in at $7950.
Number two is the Ramos Pinto Vinces Very Old Tawny Port. A revered Port House, Ramos Pinto was founded by Adriano Ramos Pinto in 1880 and has built its enviable reputation on the back of fine old Tawny Ports. A favorite of Adriano’s the phrase In Hoc Signo Vinces translates to “In this sign shalt thou conquer” and the Vinces Very Old Tawny Port is in honor of that.
With an average age of 100 years, the Vinces Very Old Tawny Port draws from family reserves, which are then aged in wooden casks. The passion project of Ana Rosas, Adriano’s great-niece, the Vinces comes in at $7148, down from a global average retail price of $9023 last year.
In third place is the 1888 Quinta do Vallado ABF 1888 Very Old Port. Quinta do Vallado is one of the Douro Valley’s oldest and most famous estates, having been established in 1716. Once owned by Dona Antónia Adelaide Ferreira, a well-respected and passionate women in the Port industry, she was an avid campaigner for farm and winery workers.
The estate is now run by her descendants, with the ABF the crowning jewel of the house. First launched in 2016, and with only 933 bottles made, the wine dates back to 1888, paying homage to António Bernardo Ferreira, another forefather. With an aggregated score of 97 points, this ancient drop comes in at $5208.
Number four is the Taylor Fladgate Limited Editions 1896 Single Harvest Port. One of the Douro’s most regarded Port Houses, Taylor’s is also one of the oldest, having been established in 1692. Credited for the invention of the Late Bottled Vintage style of Port, Taylor’s is dedicated exclusively to Port and is well known for its Vintage and Tawny expressions.
Produced from old reserves dating from the fantastic 1896 vintage, the wines have spent 125 years aging in oak cask and the limited allocation is finally released in another striking crystal decanter for $4804.
Number five is another Taylor Fladgate, this time their Kingsman Edition Very Old Tawny Port. Masterfully blended from rare reserves that have seen almost 90 years in oak casks, the finished wine is then presented in a circular crystal decanter. With an aggregated score of 94 points, this Port comes in at an average price of $4748.
In sixth place is Taylor Fladgate’s Scion Vintage Port. The Scion comes with a fascinating backstory. An old Douro family had a rare cask aged Port that dated from before the ravages of phylloxera and Taylor, after some negotiation, were able to procure it. One of the rarest and oldest Tawny Ports ever sold, the Port is both wine and history wrapped in faultless crystal for $4208.
Number seven is the final Port from the Taylor stable to make this list, the Limited Editions 1863 Single Harvest Port. As the name suggests, the 1863 Single Harvest Port is blended from a small collection of rare and valuable cask-aged Ports. The 1863 was a great year for Port, and the last brilliant vintage before Phylloxera struck. The Port, again, is presented in fabulous crystal along with a polished maple box, all for $4076.
Number eight is the first of two Madeiras to make it onto the list. The JS Terrantez is a style of Madeira produced entirely from Terrantez grapes. Terrantez being a near-extinct white grape variety from the island of Madeira. Although it produces extremely high quality wines, it’s also low-yielding making it unattractive for investment and is, as a result, a dying breed.
Fortunately, however, they are also really long-lived making what has survived reasonably valuable and sought after. With fewer than 10 offers currently listed on Wine-Searcher, the J. S. Terrantez is rare but gorgeous – with an aggregated score of 90 points – and expensive, coming in at $3499. Although, it’s worth noting, it is inexplicably dropping in price as the years trickle by despite stocks being limited.
Number nine is another Madeira, Blandy’s MCDXIX The Winemaker’s Selection. Blandy’s Madeira was founded by John Blandy in 1811, the Blandy family have long been associated with the island and have developed a strong reputation for the fortified wine.
The color of buckwheat honey, the MCDXIX The Winemaker’s Selection is a limited edition Madeira released in 600 numbered magnums to celebrate the discovery of the island six centuries ago. Made by winemaker, Francisco Albuquerque in collaboration with the Blandy family, the wine is a blend of 11 wines from various old vintages.
With an impressive aggregated score of 98 points, it is still reasonably available for the determined buyer – however it will cost $2990 per 750ml – and remember – as it’s a magnum, you have to buy the whole bottle.
Last, and least, is the Real Companhia Velha Quinta das Carvalhas Memories Very Old Tawny Port. Real Companhia Velha is Portugal’s oldest wine company, founded in 1756 by the King of Portugal. Since 1960, the company has been run by the Silva Reis family, and have five quintas in the Douro Valley.
The Memories comes dates back to the quinta’s 1867 vintage and, after 149 years of aging, has garnered an aggregated critic score of 96 points, and a price tag of $2901.
With not a Sherry in sight, when it comes to this year’s most expensive fortified wines, it’s Spain’s skinny Atlantic-facing neigbor who holds the winning hand.
