Delaforce 20 Year Tawny Curious & Ancient Port

Delaforce 20 Year Tawny Curious & Ancient Port is a 750ml, 20% ABV tawny port from Portugal's Douro Valley, aged an average of 20 years in old oak casks. Rated 89 points by Wine Enthusiast and awarded a Gold medal at the 2005 Decanter World Wine Awards, this expression draws from a limited selection of Delaforce's oldest reserves.

Quick Facts: ABV: 20%  |  Origin: Douro Valley, Portugal  |  20 Year Tawny  |  Producer: Real Companhia Velha (Delaforce)

Production & Heritage

Delaforce has deep roots in the Douro, and since 2008 the house has operated under the ownership of Real Companhia Velha, one of Portugal's oldest and most established port producers. The Curious & Ancient 20 Year is blended from five traditional Douro grape varieties — Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, and Tinta Cão — with each component aged in old oak casks for an average of two decades before final assembly. In an unusual arrangement for the port trade, Delaforce serves as both winemaker and blender, a dual role that gives the house direct control over the wine from vineyard through final blend.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with soft, honeyed warmth before unfolding into crushed walnuts, orange flower, and butterscotch. Deeper in the glass, spicy hints of liquorice and vanilla emerge alongside an appealing cigar-box woodiness layered over rich figgy fruit.

Taste: The palate enters round and smooth, with apricot and quince flavors meeting toffee and crème brûlée at mid-palate. A medium-sweet character carries the wine through a dense, full-bodied structure, while notes of cherry, almond, orange, and caramel develop as the wine opens. Wine Enthusiast described it as "not a heavyweight" but carrying unmistakable refinement from start to finish.

Finish: The finish is long, spicy, and jammy, with a chocolaty, creamy texture that lingers. Walnut skin and dried fig echo quietly as the warmth recedes.

How to Drink Curious & Ancient 20 Year

Best served slightly chilled, between 12–14°C (54–57°F), in a tulip-shaped glass that concentrates the layered aromatics. Sipping neat after dinner is the classic approach, and the wine rewards patience as it opens in the glass. For a Tawny Negroni, substitute the sweet vermouth with this port to add dried-fruit depth and oak complexity. In a Port Tonic, the 20 Year's nutty sweetness balances crisp tonic water and a citrus twist for a refreshing aperitif. A Cobbler — shaken with fresh orange and crushed ice — highlights the wine's natural fruit brightness while tempering its richness.

Best For

• After-dinner sipping alongside a cheese course
• Gifting a port or dessert-wine enthusiast something distinctive
• Building a tawny port vertical to compare 10, 20, and 30 Year expressions
• Holiday entertaining where a single bottle anchors a dessert spread

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Delaforce 20 Year Tawny taste like? It delivers a refined blend of apricot, quince, toffee, and crème brûlée on a medium-sweet, full-bodied frame. Walnut, orange, and spice notes add complexity, while the finish turns chocolaty and long.

How does Delaforce 20 Year compare to Graham's 20 Year Tawny? Both are benchmark Douro Valley 20-year tawnies, but Delaforce leans toward a more elegant, medium-weight style with pronounced nutty and floral aromatics. Graham's 20 Year is generally perceived as slightly richer and sweeter, with more overt butterscotch intensity.

Is Delaforce 20 Year good for sipping neat? Absolutely — its 20% ABV and two decades of oxidative aging produce a smooth, layered port that rewards slow, contemplative sipping without any need for dilution or mixing.

Where is Delaforce 20 Year made? It is produced in the Douro Valley of northern Portugal, under the ownership of Real Companhia Velha, which acquired the Delaforce house in 2008. The grapes are sourced from Douro vineyards and the wine is aged in the traditional lodges.

What foods pair well with Delaforce 20 Year? Aged hard cheeses like Manchego or Parmigiano-Reggiano complement its nutty depth. Roasted walnuts and dried figs echo the wine's own flavor profile. Dark chocolate truffles mirror the chocolaty finish. Crème brûlée or flan aligns with the caramelized sweetness. Blue cheese such as Stilton provides a classic salty-sweet contrast.

What sizes does Delaforce 20 Year come in? The standard bottling is 750ml, which is the most widely available format for this expression.

Is Delaforce 20 Year worth the price? It positions as a mid-premium 20-year tawny, often sitting below the price of marquee names like Taylor's or Graham's while delivering comparable aging and complexity — an 89-point Wine Enthusiast score and Decanter Gold medal reinforce its strong value within the category.

Why Delaforce 20 Year?

The Curious & Ancient 20 Year stands apart for the dual-role production model Delaforce maintains, acting as both winemaker and blender — a rarity among port houses that typically separate those functions. That hands-on control, combined with a five-variety blend anchored by Touriga Nacional and Tinta Cão, produces a tawny with uncommon aromatic complexity for its tier. Gold medals at the Decanter World Wine Awards and Mundus Vini, plus an 89-point Wine Enthusiast rating, confirm its critical standing. For drinkers seeking a 20-year tawny that balances elegance and depth without demanding top-shelf pricing, this remains one of the Douro's more quietly compelling options.