Tasting notes:

The producer’s original motto, ‘Semper ad majora’ (‘Always striving for better’), has held true since the winery’s beginnings in 1928. Respected globally for its traditional Australian fortified wines, De Bortoli produces this fantastic tawny at its Rutherglen winery. This wine, very much in the style of a tawny Port, displays dried cherries, plums, and blackberries with complex accents of forest honey, chocolate, cashew nuts, vanilla and crushed red roses. Very sweet and plush-textured, the mid-weight palate has excellent integration of alcohol and flavours, balanced by very crisp acidity and some linen-textured tannins. Really attractive, with nutmeg and allspice notes adding interest on the finish, this wine is a good match for Christmas cake. (Patricia Stefanowicz MW)