When it comes to Late Bottled Vintage Porto, the 2000 Graham’s LBV Porto is among the best. With blue cheese to celebrate the end of winter, the wine was filled with blackberry, vanilla and finished with a long balanced body that was not too sweet. It scored a 17+ on the 20-point Dionysian Scale. Not bad for a wine that cost a bit less than $20.

It was bottled in 2005 and released at the end of that year. It’s 19.5% alcohol shows no heat. Vintage Ports cost five times a much and can last fifty or more years. LBV’s are the way to start loving Porto.

LBV’s can be drunk earlier than full Vintage Ports , even upon release, however, this 15 year-old was at peak. Graham’s is owned by the Symington family who owns a number of Port Houses.

Few things beat sipping a great Porto after dinner, in front of a fire, with friends. In vino veritas.