Tawny is the most delicate of Port styles. It is allowed to oxidise slightly as it matures in large oak vessels, giving the wine its slightly russet, tawny colour and adding a subtle, delicious complexity. This Reserve Tawny has been matured for 6 to 8 years and retains incredibly pure and vibrant red fruit flavours with a beautiful nutty undertone.

White port is a delicious aperitif. It has bright apricot and stone fruit flavours, and a vibrant blossom aroma. It’s delicious chilled and drunk on its own, but also makes a fantastic summer drink when mixed 50/50 with tonic.

Edinburgh’s Port of Leith was once the epicentre of Scotland’s whisky trade.

Casks of port arriving into the harbour would be decanted into locally manufactured bottles. Whisky merchants then bought up the empty casks to store their spirit in the dozens of bonded warehouses that once lined the shore. They soon discovered that it transformed their spirit and a major innovation in whisky production was born on our doorstep.

The grapes for our Port wines are grown on the steep slopes of the Douro Valley, in the Baixo Corgo; the lower part of the valley. Baking hot summer days are cooled by ocean breezes in the evenings.

Traditionally, the wines would have been shipped down the river to Porto where they would be stored in the warehouses that line the harbour, prior to export.

Traditionally, the wines would have been shipped down the river to Porto where they would be stored in the warehouses that line the harbour, prior to export.

Historically, Leith merchants would sell their own brands of Port to Edinburgh residents up the road, while the cask went to local whisky merchants looking for vessels to store their whisky.

The Port industry, like the whisky industry, is steeped in history and tradition and dominated by a small number of major companies. We wanted to look beyond these, and try to find someone of a similar scale and outlook as our own company, with very special wines.

When we first tasted the samples from Martha’s Family Wines, we couldn’t quite believe our taste buds. Their wines had such vibrancy and quality, it was hard to believe that they couldn’t be better known.

This Portuguese family has incredibly long ties to the Douro Valley. The oldest vineyard in their estate has belonged to the family since 1727, but for most of their history the wines were sold on to larger producers to be sold under different brands, with only a tiny percentage bottled for the family’s private use. Throughout that time, the focus has been on the production of Tawny Ports. Their vineyards are based in the Baixo Corgo region of the Douro Valley, which is the part of the valley closest to the historic trading port of Porto.

The grapes are grown on the steep banks of the Douro Valley.

The grapes are grown on the steep banks of the Douro Valley.

The wines are matured for between 6 and 8 years in large, cool warehouses.