Andresen 20-Year-Old White Port is this family-owned winery's most refined white port, crafted from a blend of wines aged in barrels for an average of 20 years. Since 1845, Andresen has maintained large stocks of aged port in Vila Nova de Gaia, allowing the cellar master to draw from an impressive library for this cuvée. What exactly is a 20-Year-Old White Port? It's a white port whose various base wines are blended in such a way that the flavor and structure correspond to an average barrel age of twenty years, with considerable complexity and a silky smooth mouthfeel.
The grapes for Andresen 20-Year-Old White Port come from Portugal, from the Douro region, in the Cima Corgo and Douro Superior subregions. The vineyards are situated on steep, terraced slopes along the river, where the combination of hot summers, cold winters, and wide temperature variations makes the grapes compact and aromatic. In the poor, stony soils, the vines must root deeply, resulting in low yields and concentrated fruit. The wine is made at Quinta das Aranhas in the Douro and then matures further in the cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia, where the cooler, moister climate ensures slow, even maturation in barrel.
At Andresen, the white grapes are traditionally crushed by foot in granite lagares, without first destemming the bunches. After crushing, they macerate for about a day in stainless steel vats, allowing the aromas and structure to be released from the skins. Fermentation then lasts about two days and is stopped halfway through by the addition of wine alcohol, leaving residual sugar in the wine and developing the typical Port profile. The wine is then aged in 600-liter old wooden barrels. These barrels retain almost no woody aromas but allow for natural, slow oxidative aging. For the final Andresen 20-Year-Old White Port, several wines are blended together to create a wine with an average age of twenty years and an alcohol content of 19.5%.
Arinto – Cima Corgo and Douro Superior
Arinto brings fresh acidity and citrus notes to the wine, giving the blend tension and length, even after long barrel aging.
Códega – Cima Corgo and Douro Superior
Códega provides ripe white fruit and a round texture, making the mouthfeel rich and soft.
Malvasia – Cima Corgo and Douro Superior
Malvasia adds floral aromas, honeyed nuances and a light spiciness, which contribute to the fragrant complexity.
Rabigato – Cima Corgo and Douro Superior
Rabigato provides structure, a fine minerality and helps to keep the balance between sweetness and freshness sharp.
