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This South African port wine is woody and toasty on the nose with nutty and raisin berry undertones.
On the palate Allesverloren Port is a creamy, soft and multi-dimensional port with full ripe fruits and a long lasting aftertaste.
Allesverloren Port is produced from Pontac, Tinta Barocca, and Souzău varieties planted at an altitude of 140 metres above sea level.
Allesverloren Winery History
The history of the estate dates back to 1704, when the governor of the Cape left it to a certain widow named Cloete. This courageous woman was one of the first settlers who ventured into the inhospitable Swartland region.
These early settlers were simple people, with only the most limited agricultural equipment and basic necessities to support themselves. Nevertheless, by 1806, Allesverloren's owners had already harvested the estate's first wines. In order to purchase tools or attend church, they had to undertake a long and arduous wagon journey along primitive roads to Stellenbosch. It was on their return from one such journey that they found the house burnt to the ground and the farm destroyed. Hence the estate's sad name, "Allesverloren", which means, "all is lost."
However, with curious irony, the fate of Allesverloren has been an unusually happy one. Since passing into the hands of the Malan family in 1872 it has gone from strength to strength. The estate was increased to 136 hectares and began making wines of renown. Allesverloren has now been in the hands of the Malan family for five generations. The present owner is Fanie Malan while his son, Danie, is the winemaker.
Port wine (or Porto) is sweet, fortified wine from the Douro Valley in the northern part of Portugal; it takes its name from the city of Porto, the centre of port export and trading. Port has been made in Portugal since the mid 15th century. Port became very popular in England after the Methuen Treaty of 1703, when merchants were permitted to import it at a low duty, while war with France deprived English wine drinkers of French wine. The continued English involvement in the port trade can be seen in the names of many port shippers: Croft, Taylor, Dow, Graham, Symington. Similar wines, often also called "Port", are now made in several other countries, notably Australia and United States. In some nations, including the European Union and (after a phase-in period) Canada, only the product from Portugal may be labeled as "Port".
Port wine is typically thicker, richer, sweeter, and possesses a higher alcohol content than most other wines. This is caused by the addition of distilled grape spirits to halt fermentation before all the sugar is converted to alcohol. It is commonly served after meals as a dessert wine, or with cheese. It has an alcohol by volume content of roughly 20%.
Port comes in several varieties:
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Vintage
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Tawny
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LBV (Late-Bottled Vintage)
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LBNV (Late-Bottled Non-Vintage)
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Vintage Character
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Crusted
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Ruby
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White
"Port" produced outside of Portugal may be labeled with a vintage date, but is not real Vintage Porto and likely is meant for immediate consumption rather than extended aging.
Ruby port may contain wine from several vintages. Ruby ports are fermented in wood and aged in glass, which preserves the wine's red color. It is considerably cheaper than vintage port, and can be used in cooking or to make cocktails
Tawny port is aged in wooden barrels, exposing it to gradual oxidation and evaporation, causing its color to mellow to a golden-brown after roughly ten years "in wood." Often they have pronounced "nutty" flavors. Most tawny port is a blend of several vintages, with the average years "in wood" stated on the label: 10, 15, 20, and 30 years are common. Tawny ports are always ready to drink when released and do not typically benefit from aging in bottle, although they will not degrade either. Because it has already been exposed to oxygen, an open bottle of tawny resists oxidation the longest of all ports.
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