The finest Ports for all seasons

There is a Port for all seasons if you know where to look. When the weather turns cold, there is nowhere like the Douro Valley for capturing the warmth of summer. The slatey schistous soils and drought-resistant grape varieties combine to produce wines that can be wonderfully satisfying in their first flush of youth or transform into something gloriously ethereal with age.

Deeper, darker fruit-driven styles tend to be the first choice for the winter months. Ruby, crusted, late bottled vintage (LBV) and vintage Ports have provided centuries of central heating for adults (with apologies to the Ready Brek advert!).

Tawnies and colheitas are my choice for warmer, even hot days when they can be supremely and sublimely refreshing. These wines – bottled either with an indication of age or the year of harvest (‘colheita’) – are aged in cask until their youthful ruby colour and spicy tannins fall away. They should be served cellar cool to capitalise on their subtlety and silky smoothness. And they don’t need to be drunk in one go: you can return to an aged tawny over the period of a month or so if the wine is kept cool in the fridge.