The difference between LBV & VP – what is it exactly?

Phil Wilkins · Post by **Phil Wilkins** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 2:25 pm

Dunce question I'm sure so I’ll guess ageability of the wine as a whole. Sorry as I should know this but NOT 100% sure in my case. Thanks.

Phil

Post by **Andy Velebil** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 2:42 pm

Phil,

No such thing as a "Dunce question" on this forum. Here is a couple of links to previous posts about the subject.

http://www.fortheloveofport.com/forum/v ... hlight=lbv

http://www.fortheloveofport.com/forum/v ... hlight=lbv

Also, go to the search link above and type in LBV, there are over 70 topics dealing with LBV's.

Ageability is one thing, but they are also produced using different methods. Some are Unfiltered and some filtered. IMHO, Warre's makes some of the better Unfiltered LBV's for the money.

Frederick Blais · Post by **Frederick Blais** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 3:30 pm

The 3 primary differences are

1- the grapes picked for the VP vs LBV. For VP, only the finest grapes are picked and only in great years where all conditions are perfect.

2- The it spends in wood. VP are noramlly bottle after 24 months in wood versus LBV, they are bottle after they spent between 4 and 6 years.

3- Not always true, but more VP producer are using traditionnal lagares to tread the grapes to get perfect extration and get a better quality product.

Post by **Andy Velebil** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 4:06 pm

Fred_Quebec wrote:
3- Not always true, but more VP producer are using traditionnal lagares to tread the grapes to get perfect extration and get a better quality product.

Just to expand on this one...recently more producers are going back to the old way of pressing grapes. They put the grapes into a large tank (called a lagares) and then a group of workers step into the tank, sometimes they lock arm in arm, and then crush the grapes by foot. All while traditional music is played. I've only seen pictures of it, but from what others on this site have said it is quite a site to see! Here is a link to a lagares stomp at Quinto Do Vesuvio

http://www.quintadovesuvio.com/making.asp

Mario Ferreira · Post by **Mario Ferreira** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 11:01 am

I'm going to try to give my 5-cent contribution to this issue :)
When I'm addressed with this question [What's the difference between LBV and Vintage Port?] and trying to give a quick answer, I use to give the following descriptions (please read below). Of course that my explanation is not 100% correct since things are not that linear. However, I consider this the best short (maybe not so short?) & understandable answer. Here we go:

:arrow: Vintage Port:

VP is s selection of wines from one single outstanding harvest that only happens about 2 to 3 times per decade.
The "Vintage" word has a very special meaning for the Port Wine Industry since "Vintage Port" is the only Port Wine that matures in the bottle.
Like any other wine that matures in the bottle, VP is bottled unfiltered and will create a solid sediment throughout the years. So, an Old Vintage Port needs to be decanted like any other regular wine that was matured in bottle.
VP is only classified as a "Vintage" in the second year after the harvest and after IVDP (The Douro and Port Wine Institute) gives it an approval after a blind tasting conducted by its expert tasters.
Once the wine is approved as a "Vintage", it should be bottled in that second year after the harvest. (There's a timing for Approval and also a Timing for bottling).
By law, the Year of the Harvest and also Year of the Bottling should be printed on the label.

:arrow: LBV - Late Bottled Vintage:

LBV is a Top Quality Wine from one single year. So, LBVs will show the characteristics of that particular year.
The wine was matured in Stainless Steel tanks for 4 to 6 years.
Once bottled, LBVs are fully matured and will Not improve its qualities inside the bottle. (note 1)
As well for the VP, the law says that the Year of the Harvest and also Year of the Bottling should be printed on the label.

(note 1): For more advanced and/or curious person and/or to create more confusion in people's minds :), I go further and explain that there are two types of LBVs: Contrary to the Regular LBVs, The Unfiltered (or Traditional) LBVs have a potential to improve a little bite inside the bottle but its improvement could not be compared with a Vintage Port. Also, the word "Unfiltered" (or "Traditional") is printed on the label for those types of LBVs that have potential to improve in the bottle.

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For further research, one may check IVDP's New Regulations published on Roy Hersh's FTLOP Newsletter of June/2005.
This is the link: http://www.fortheloveofport.com/newslet ... letter.htm
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talegal · Post by **talegal** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 8:58 pm

Mario Ferreira wrote:The wine was matured in Stainless Steel tanks for 4 to 6 years.

I was surprised to read this as I had thought the LBV's were aged in neutral wood. Is the SS-ageing the prevalent method now?

R. Carlos

Derek T. · Post by **Derek T.** » Sun Jan 01, 2006 5:18 am

I saw many large oak casks labelled LBV in the cellars in Gaia last year

Derek

Mario Ferreira · Post by **Mario Ferreira** » Sun Jan 01, 2006 10:28 am

talegal wrote:I was surprised to read this as I had thought the LBV's were aged in neutral wood.

That's correct. LBVs mature in large Oak vats and sometimes in Stainless Steel vats.

When I'm describing the basic differences between Rubies and Tawnies, and trying to keep it simple, I say:
» Rubies: maturation in Large Oak Vats and sometimes in Stainless Steal Vats (both over 50.000 litres).
» Tawnies: maturation in Small Oak casks, the barrels (about 550 litres).

But, trying to keep it simple, my goal is to make beginners think that Wood Matured ports is regarded for Tawnies only.
/MF.