'This is why you shouldn't drink last year's bottle of Port this Christmas'

Will it do for this year? Absolutely not.

Port is made to be aged, but that ageing should be done in wooden casks, or for some ports, in bottle, laid down and aged in cellars, but the dregs of last year’s port need to be taken out and poured away.

If it irks to tip it down the drain and so long as it smells and tastes acceptable, then stand the bottle by the stove and splash some into every casserole and gravy you make.

It won’t do you any harm and will add a little flavour to whatever you are cooking, but after the best part of a year in an opened bottle it won’t taste as it should.

There is a resurgence of interest in port. It is no longer just the drink you pour for grandad when he comes round.

There are different ways of enjoying this drink, and serving temperature and tourism have a lot to do with this new approach.

The grand port houses such as Taylor’s, were founded centuries ago, essentially to provide wine that could be shipped from its source in the Douro river region of Portugal to London, and around the world.

Fortified with brandy to around 20 per cent alcohol it was flavoursome, warming and stable enough to withstand a boat journey without spoiling.

Grapes grown in the Douro were made into wine then sent down the river to Vila Nova de Gaia, to be aged.

They were not aged in the Douro valley, because in summer it is too hot and in winter too cold, but coastal Vila Nova de Gaia has a steady temperate climate.

Gaia became the place where there was barely a square meter of spare land as all the port houses squeezed into the town to age their wines.

Over time, they opened their lodges to tourists, offering tours and tastings.

Taylors in particular had a fine set of cellars and buildings overlooking the bridge that spans the river.

When I visited well over a decade ago the wine storage capacity was vast and it smelt fabulous. Aromas of raisins, butterscotch and oak floated around, and casks were squeezed into every corner.

I re-visited just a few weeks ago and there had been a transformation.

Many of the lovely ageing cellars are still where they have been for centuries, and they still smell fabulous, but there has been a great tidy-up of workshops and some storage areas to clear space, first for a gorgeous hotel, The Yeatman, but also for WOW, a restaurant, museum and entertainment area.

“Tourism is growing rapidly here in Porto,” said Adrian Bridge, CEO of Taylor Fladgate, “and this gives people somewhere to stay, and places to eat.”

But WOW is more than just a hotel and group of restaurants. There is the most extraordinary exhibition space that shows the history, the vines and the way that port is made.

I have been round many wine museums and this one tops the lot. There is a chocolate experience, an open-air cinema and a relaxed ambiance around a square that has occasional singers and guitar players.

What happened to the wine that used to be stored near here? There are new ageing cellars in the heart of the Douro growing region.

Perched on a hilltop, where breezes keep temperatures down, there is a modern winery, and ageing facility.

This is where many of the ancient, valuable ageing casks were brought from Gaia.

They had to be dismantled, each stave numbered and rebuilt and now they stand, in perfect conditions, filled with wine and kept at the right temperature by an automated misting system.

Next door is the place where wine is made, much of it in traditional granite lagares, but there are mechanical lagares too, a way of recreating the treading action of many feet, but these stainless-steel feet haven’t been working in the vineyards all day and they work through the night without complaining.

The result is a fabulous range of wines that really do stand out for their quality. And there are new ways of appreciating them too.

Port & Tonic

This is a terrific aperitif, perfect in summer, but it also works well whenever you might otherwise have a gin and tonic. Lower in alcohol and with softer, fruitier flavours, it is really easy to make.

Use a tall, straight glass, or wide, tulip shaped wine glass, ¾ full of ice, pour in a measure of Taylor’s Chip Dry White Port, and add two measures of tonic water. Add a wedge of lemon or lime and a sprig of mint.

Pink Port

A fun party drink. Pour over ice, top up with tonic and add a few raspberries. It tastes of cherries and raspberries and looks amazing.

Tawny Port

Tawny ports have been aged in wooden casks for many years and are usually classified and 10, 20, 30 and 40 years old. The price goes up dramatically with the age.

Tawny port has flavours of hazelnuts, raisins, dried apricots and vanilla, but each one is different and the flavours become more complex with age. Head to a 10-year-old to start with and chill it down.

Don’t wait for dinner, I love tawny port in the afternoon, alongside a mince pie and a good book.

Find Taylor’s 10-year-old tawny port at Sainsbury and Waitrose around £30, but prices will come down in the next week as Christmas approaches.

LBV

Late Bottled Vintage Port is a wine of one year, aged in wood for four to six years then bottled. It is ready to drink when sold.

With ripe, dark fruit flavours of cherry, blackberry and plum it is a smooth, rounded wine that goes well with cheese or dark chocolate.

Taylor’s LBV is currently around £25 a bottle, and again, prices come down in the next few weeks.

Vintage Port

The gorgeous, complex pinnacle of port and not for those on a budget. This has been aged in wood for a minimum period then aged in cellars for years. Decant, and drink within a few days.

The 1970 Taylors is drinking magnificently now. 2024 is the latest vintage. Good now but not ready for decades.