unopened life of a tawny 40 year

[refractedlight]

finding a tawny 40 year at a local store is rare, and when i do the bottling date often has me concerned. would a noval 40 year no longer be worth purchase if it was bottled in 2004?

thanks!

[Glenn E.]

Tawnies do age in bottle, though whether or not they improve while doing so is oft debated. Blended tawnies such as the 10-, 20-, 30-, and 40-yr olds generally don't age as well as Colheitas.

I have 40-yr olds that were bottled in 2006-2008 and I think they're holding up very nicely in no small part because I've owned them since approximately 2008 so I know how they've been stored. I'm not sure I'd purchase a 2004 bottle at retail prices since the provenance would be suspect in all but the best retail stores. Standing upright on a top shelf where it's warmer isn't the best storage conditions even for a 40-yr old tawny.

[refractedlight]

its storage indeed is another concern of mine. i frequent this wine store, and the bottle just recently showed up on the shelf. my general rule for 20 years is not to buy if it was bottled more than 2-3 years ago, but i am hoping maybe a 40 year has a larger window.

i have not read anywhere that a tawny improves in the bottle. only that they should be drank as close to the bottling date as possible. it's just that noval is a family favorite and this is the first time i've seen it in 40 year. but 8-9 years old has me very nervous.

[Glenn E.]

Colheitas can improve with age in bottle, Niepoorts in particular. But most Colheitas can, at least for some years.

The common wisdom that a tawny should be consumed as close to the bottling date as possible is more marketing than need. 3-5 years for a 20-yr old is fine for my taste, and as previously mentioned I have 40-yr olds that have been in bottle 7 years and are still going strong.

They do change a bit with time in bottle, but to me that change can be an improvement. I like a mellower, smoother tawny and that's what age in bottle does to them at least for a few years.

That said, the Noval 40 is already a mellower and smoother tawny to start with, so 8-9 years in a suspect environment would make me nervous. I have 2 left from 2006 that I need to drink soon because I get the feeling that they're approaching their limit. You might ask the store about and explain your concern - they might offer you a discount since the bottle is so old.

[Alex Bridgeman]

Or depending on where you are, the store might offer a refund if you buy and open straight away and find that you're unhappy with the contents. I'm not sure where you're based, but the UK supermarkets will do this as a matter of routine.

[mosesbotbol]

Would have to be really cheap (40-50% retail) for me to consider buying that bottle. I like tawny is fresh bottled as possible.