David Franz 'Old Redemption' Tawny Port

I don't think I'm supposed to call this port, it being Australian and all, and I respect (and agree with) the rules. Port is from Portugal, and this is fortified wine. I'd also be happy with 'tawny'.

I think this is a wonderful wine. I picked it up for about £16. It's just as good as any 'proper' tawny port I've tried (admittedly not many). It's perhaps not as sweet as this one, but just as complex.

This is the first Australian fortified wine I've tried. Differences between Port and the Aussie version can include grape variety, ripeness levels at harvest time, and the fortifying spirit used. I couldn't find much information at all about this wine unfortunately, and would love to hear from anyone who can supply information regarding all these details. The main difference I noticed was in the nose - this had an fruity, alcoholic, spirity note to it. Perhaps it is the same thing that Jancis Robinson called 'commercial rum essence' in this informative article.

The producer is also of note - David Franz is the son of famed Barossa Valley winemaker Peter Lehmann. Look on their website for a biography. Sadly this wine isn't included in the history, but I imagine the base wine for this has been around longer than David's winery has...

David Franz

'Old Redemption' Tawny Port

Barossa Valley, Australia

Thorold Wines

~£16

4/5