My favorite of the three tawnys reviewed in this segment is the 20 Year Old Tawny. It offers an amber color, a spicy, tobacco, cedary, smoky, complex nose, dense, rich flavors that belie the color's aged, feeble look, and an expansive personality. It is a classic example of how delicious and complex a 20 year old tawny port can be. Tawny ports are aged in wood from essentially a solera system for the number of years indicated on the bottle. In most cases I prefer the younger ten or twenty year Tawnys to the ancient forty to fifty year old wines, but it is really a matter of taste. I tend to like more fruit rather than the oxidized and aged characteristics of the very old tawnys.

There is plenty going on in Noval's 20-year-old. It is a dry style, but the generous fruit combines marmalade and fresh citrus flavors, along with powerful ripeness. Acidity is there too, giving a lift at the end.

Fruitier style of a 20-year-old, with caramel, light toffee and fruit character. Medium-bodied, with pleasant fruit and a simple finish. Slightly nutty.