Taylor Fladgate Fine White Port 750ml

White Port is a style that just about stands on its own in the world of wine: a sweet fortified white wine that’s both oxidative (in this case, from aging three years in oak vats) and gently aromatic from an array of indigenous grape varieties. There’s also variation in style between port houses, with Taylor Fladgate’s Fine White Port a little sweeter than some. As you’d expect from the winemaking, it’s wildly complex: golden raisins, apricot, baked apple, walnut, white flowers, and the list goes on. Full-bodied and slightly astringent, this is best enjoyed well chilled to dull the alcohol. Although niche in North America, that’s certainly not true in Portugal, where White Port is often blended with tonic water to make a thirst-quenching cocktail. It’s next to impossible to only have one.

-- Geoffrey Moss, gismondionwine.com