The “Ruby Reserve” category is very similar to the “normal” Ruby – however, the grapes used are of better quality and they spend a few more years in the barrel, often around 5 – 7 years. This prolonged maturation makes them rounder, more balanced – but they still maintain the red fruit aromas that we find so intensively in the Ruby Ports. The wines are a blend of grapes from different years. On old bottles of this category you might find the words “Vintage Character” – but luckily these words are not used anymore today as they are easily misleading and might make people believe they are buying a Vintage Port. We sometimes see also “Special Ruby”. We see some outstanding, very famous brands in this category. Household names are “BIN 27” from FONSECA, “SIX GRAPES” from GRAHAM’S and “BLACK” from Quinta do Noval. The companies try to maintain the same style throughout the years – therefore we shouldn’t see any variation from year to year. That’s also why these wines are not so interesting for wine critics. While the wines are very nice and easy to drink, they don’t mature anymore in the bottle and should be consumed within a few years after bottling.
