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Taylor Port: which bottle to buy, and the two Taylors explained
There are two Taylor Ports: a Port house in Portugal since 1692, and an American dessert wine from New York. How to tell them apart, and which Taylor's bottle suits which moment.
Updated October 2026
Rewritten by Alper Billik, Advanced Sommelier
5 min read
The short answer: two different wines carry the Taylor name. Taylor's (labelled Taylor Fladgate in the United States) is a Port house in Portugal, founded in 1692. Taylor Port is an American port-style dessert wine made from New York grapes. For a cheese board, buy Taylor's First Estate Reserve or LBV; after dinner with nuts or chocolate, the 10 Year Old Tawny; as an aperitif, Chip Dry white Port with tonic.
The two Taylors
| At a glance | Taylor's / Taylor Fladgate | Taylor Port |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Port, from the Douro Valley in Portugal | An American port-style dessert wine |
| Where it's made | Douro Valley and Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal | From New York grapes, USA |
| Alcohol | Port is usually 19–22% | 18%, according to the brand |
| On the label | Porto or Port, and Product of Portugal | An American origin, not Portugal |
| Range | From everyday ruby to Vintage Port and very old tawnies | Sweet red port-style wines |
| Price tier | Value to premium | Value |
- What it is
- Taylor's / Taylor FladgatePort, from the Douro Valley in Portugal
- Taylor PortAn American port-style dessert wine
- Where it's made
- Taylor's / Taylor FladgateDouro Valley and Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
- Taylor PortFrom New York grapes, USA
- Alcohol
- Taylor's / Taylor FladgatePort is usually 19–22%
- Taylor Port18%, according to the brand
- On the label
- Taylor's / Taylor FladgatePorto or Port, and Product of Portugal
- Taylor PortAn American origin, not Portugal
- Range
- Taylor's / Taylor FladgateFrom everyday ruby to Vintage Port and very old tawnies
- Taylor PortSweet red port-style wines
- Price tier
- Taylor's / Taylor FladgateValue to premium
- Taylor PortValue
Why can an American wine be called Port? In the EU, Port is a protected name for wine from Portugal's Douro. In the United States, a 2006 agreement with the EU lets a brand keep using names such as Port only if its label was approved before 10 March 2006, and the label must show where the wine really comes from. That is how Taylor Port can use the name, and it is a different wine. If you want the Portuguese one in the US, look for Taylor Fladgate.
What Port is, in one minute
- A fortified wine. Grape spirit is added during fermentation, which stops it and leaves natural grape sugar in the wine.
- Usually sweet, and strong: most Port is 19–22% alcohol, according to the Port and Douro Wines Institute.
- From the Douro Valley in northern Portugal, one of the world's first demarcated wine regions. The wines were traditionally aged in the lodges of Vila Nova de Gaia, across the river from Porto.
- Two families: ruby styles keep their deep colour and fresh fruit; tawny styles age longer in wood and turn amber, nutty and mellow.
Taylor's house, briefly
- Founded in 1692, and called Taylor, Fladgate & Yeatman since 1838.
- First Estate: in 1744 the firm became the first British wine shipper to buy a property in the Douro, at Lugar das Lages. The First Estate Reserve is named after it.
- Quinta de Vargellas, bought in 1893, is one of the estates behind its Vintage Ports, with Quinta de Terra Feita and Quinta do Junco.
- LBV pioneer: Taylor's first launched Late Bottled Vintage in 1970, with the 1965 vintage: a single-year Port you can drink by the glass without decanting.
- Family: Taylor's belongs to The Fladgate Partnership, which also owns Fonseca and Croft.
Taylor's range, style by style
| Wine | Style | Serve with | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine Ruby / Select Reserve | Young, fruity ruby; Select Reserve spends about two years in oak vats | Chocolate desserts, rich cheese | Value |
| First Estate Reserve | Reserve ruby, three to four years in vats and casks; rich and fruity | Stilton, Roquefort; serve at 16–18 °C | Value |
| Late Bottled Vintage | One year's wine, four to six years in wood; no decanting | Cheese, berry desserts, by the glass | Mid-range |
| 10 Year Old Tawny | Amber, mellow, nutty; serve slightly chilled, 12–16 °C | Almonds, berry fruit, dark chocolate, blue cheese | Mid-range |
| 20, 30 and 40 Year Old Tawny | Older blends: more nuts, dried fruit and spice | Nuts, crème brûlée, or alone | Premium |
| Vintage Port | Made only in declared years; ages for decades in bottle; decant | Stilton, walnuts, a special occasion | Premium |
| Chip Dry | Dry white Port, first blended in 1934; serve chilled, 6–10 °C | Salted almonds, olives; or with tonic and ice | Value |
- Fine Ruby / Select Reserve
- StyleYoung, fruity ruby; Select Reserve spends about two years in oak vats
- Serve withChocolate desserts, rich cheese
- TierValue
- First Estate Reserve
- StyleReserve ruby, three to four years in vats and casks; rich and fruity
- Serve withStilton, Roquefort; serve at 16–18 °C
- TierValue
- Late Bottled Vintage
- StyleOne year's wine, four to six years in wood; no decanting
- Serve withCheese, berry desserts, by the glass
- TierMid-range
- 10 Year Old Tawny
- StyleAmber, mellow, nutty; serve slightly chilled, 12–16 °C
- Serve withAlmonds, berry fruit, dark chocolate, blue cheese
- TierMid-range
- 20, 30 and 40 Year Old Tawny
- StyleOlder blends: more nuts, dried fruit and spice
- Serve withNuts, crème brûlée, or alone
- TierPremium
- Vintage Port
- StyleMade only in declared years; ages for decades in bottle; decant
- Serve withStilton, walnuts, a special occasion
- TierPremium
- Chip Dry
- StyleDry white Port, first blended in 1934; serve chilled, 6–10 °C
- Serve withSalted almonds, olives; or with tonic and ice
- TierValue
Which Taylor's should you buy?
- For a cheese board: First Estate Reserve with Stilton or Roquefort, as Taylor's suggests, or an LBV.
- After dinner, with nuts or chocolate: the 10 Year Old Tawny, slightly chilled.
- A summer aperitif: Chip Dry over ice, topped with tonic and a mint leaf.
- A gift, or a birth year: a Vintage Port from a declared year. Lay it down, and decant it when you open it.
- A once-in-a-lifetime bottle: Taylor's releases very old single-harvest tawnies, such as an 1896, as limited editions.
Serving and keeping Port
- Glass: a smaller wine glass with room to swirl, not a thimble. See port wine glasses.
- Decant Vintage Port to leave the natural sediment behind. LBV and aged tawnies don't need it.
- Once open, Port lasts longer than table wine, but not forever. Graham's, another Port house, suggests tawny and ruby within 8 weeks, LBV within 4 to 6 weeks, and Vintage Port within 2 to 3 days. Stopper the bottle and keep it cool.
- Unopened bottles: somewhere cool, dark and still, ideally no warmer than 15 °C. Lay Vintage Port on its side, the white splash of paint on top.
Port is strong, so a glass is a smaller pour than table wine; see how much alcohol is in wine. Studying for an exam? Port styles are in my Portugal guide for Level 1.
Questions people ask
Is Taylor Port real Port?
The American Taylor Port is a port-style wine from New York, not Port from Portugal. Taylor's Port, sold as Taylor Fladgate in the US, is real Port from the Douro Valley.
Who owns Taylor Fladgate?
Taylor's is part of The Fladgate Partnership, which also owns the Port houses Fonseca and Croft.
Should I chill Taylor's Port?
Tawny, yes, slightly: Taylor's suggests 12–16 °C for the 10 Year Old. Chip Dry white Port well chilled, 6–10 °C. Ruby styles a little cooler than room temperature; Taylor's suggests 16–18 °C for First Estate.
How long does an open bottle of Port last?
Longer than table wine. As a guide from Graham's: tawny and ruby within 8 weeks, LBV within 4 to 6 weeks, Vintage Port within 2 to 3 days. Keep it stoppered and cool.
What is the difference between ruby and tawny Port?
Ruby is bottled young to keep its deep colour and fresh red fruit. Tawny ages longer in wood, turning amber and tasting of nuts, caramel and dried fruit.
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