Region and Vineyards
The Douro is Portugal's most dramatic wine landscape: terraced river valleys carved into schist, shielded from Atlantic weather by the Serra do Marão. This mountain barrier creates a warm continental climate, with the region split into Baixo Corgo (cooler, wetter), Cima Corgo (the quality heartland) and Douro Superior (hot, arid). These steep, stone-laced slopes store little water; schist fractures vertically, letting roots probe deep for scarce moisture—key to vine survival and concentration.
White Ports and whites from the Douro traditionally rely on blends of indigenous grapes—Viosinho, Rabigato, Gouveio, Códega and others—often from mixed plantings that deliver natural balance. In 1940, an exceptionally dry summer dramatically reduced yields, a scarcity reflected in this Single Harvest Very Old White Port's intensity and depth. Schist provenance and altitude nuance add mineral cut and aromatic lift to the wine's opulent core.
Winemaking
Issued 100% from white Douro varieties—well over two dozen different grapes—this Single Harvest Very Old White Port was fortified and then matured in very old wooden casks for an exceptionally long period, remaining in wood until bottling on demand. Such prolonged oxidative ageing sculpts colour, aroma and texture, integrating sweetness with freshness.
Technical profile (indicative of cask release): Alcohol 20.5%, pH 3.80, total acidity 5.14 g/L, volatile acidity 1.52 g/L, total SO₂ 71 mg/L, Baumé 5.0º. The long élevage since 1940 accounts for the wine's complexity, nut tones and remarkable persistence.
Tasting Notes
- Color: Deep straw to burnished amber with glints of gold-green—a hallmark of extended cask ageing.
- Aroma: Citrus and honey lift over white dried plums and apricots, with orange peel, walnut and subtle spice.
- Palate: Silky, concentrated sweetness balanced by lively acidity; layers of citrus marmalade, dried stone fruit and nuts unfurl into a prolonged, persistent finish of great poise.
Did you know?
For Van Zellers & Co, time is "the most valued ally" in Port: it concentrates flavours, mellows structure and brings new nuances—those golden-amber tints and surprising freshness that only decades in cask can bestow.
Wine Pairing Ideas
- Foie gras terrine: The wine's honeyed richness and gentle spice echo foie gras's silkiness, while acidity cleanses the palate.
- Salted almonds & aged Manchego: Nutty, savoury notes resonate with walnut and citrus-peel accents; salt sharpens definition.
- Crème brûlée: Caramelised crust mirrors tawny-like sweetness; citrus and apricot tones lift the custard's creaminess.
- Citrus-glazed duck: Orange peel and spice nuances dovetail with the glaze; structure stands up to rich, gamey flavours.
