Does LBV qualify as a wood aged or glass aged port?

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Sanjit Keskar
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Does LBV qualify as a wood aged or glass aged port?

Post by Sanjit Keskar »

I understand what an LBV and it sounds like a wood aged port to me but I have heard that some are bottled unfiltered and left in bottle for some years, so does that make it a glass aged port (too?)

What is the best resource a and most authentic resource on the net for PORT?
Eric Menchen
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Re: Does LBV qualify as a wood aged or glass aged port?

Post by Eric Menchen »

So the best legal resource is probably the IVDP: http://ivdp.pt/ They have all the regulations there. You can see the site in English, but the regulations are generally available only in Portuguese. But they aren't too complicated, like the one that defines LBV and all the special categories, and Google translate will do a reasonable job.

But while the regulations will define TWIOA, LBV, etc., they won't answer your question, because "wood aged" and "glass aged" aren't defined in there as I recall. It is a reasonable way of dividing the Port world, but one where LBV doesn't quite fit. Another way is to say "tawny" vs. "ruby", and by that, LBV falls on the ruby side. https://www.ivdp.pt/en/docs/DOURO%20EN.pdf

I did just find this page which divides things into ruby and tawny: https://www.ivdp.pt/consumidor/l52sk-ca ... -especiais , and interestingly, after "Ruby" it says "Envelhecimento em garrafa" (aged in bottle), and it lists LBV there. This isn't the regulation text (still looking for that), but it looks like the IVDP says LBV falls under the bottle aged.
Eric Menchen
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Joined: Wed Sep 24, 2008 9:48 pm
Location: Longmont, Colorado, United States of America - USA

Re: Does LBV qualify as a wood aged or glass aged port?

Post by Eric Menchen »

And here's the regulation: https://dre.pt/application/conteudo/988313
It defines LBV as a special category, but doesn't group it or the others into overarching ruby/tawny or barrel/bottle-aged buckets. It does say that the wine is tinto/red, and mentions that you can call it "Bottle Aged" on the bottle if you let it mature in the bottle for at least three years.
Moses Botbol
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Re: Does LBV qualify as a wood aged or glass aged port?

Post by Moses Botbol »

If I had to pick a side it would be bottle aged. LBV's don't taste like a Colheita or Tawny. They still like a ruby style port
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