Taylor Fladgate's story begins with Job Bearsley, an English merchant who once ran the Ram Inn in London's Smithfield before arriving in Portugal in 1692 to begin trading Port. The company still carries his legacy today under the ownership of the Yeatman and Fladgate families, whose names joined the business in the 1830s, and continues to be guided in the cellar by winemaker David Guimaraens, who also oversees the house's celebrated Vintage and tawny Ports. Taylor Fladgate has long positioned itself as a technical leader within the Douro, being one of only three Port houses to develop its own piston fermenter system, nicknamed Port Toes, designed to extract more flavor and aroma than conventional pump-over methods. This Ruby Port is blended from red wines produced across the Baixo Corgo and Cima Corgo areas of the Douro Valley, chosen for their depth of color, concentrated fruit, and firm structure. The grapes are hand picked and foot crushed in stone lagares, and fermentation is halted with the addition of grape spirit to preserve natural sweetness. The finished blend rests in oak barrels before final blending and bottling, keeping its fruit fresh and vibrant. The wine opens with concentrated blackcurrant and ripe cherry aromas layered over dark plum and red fruit jam. On the palate it is full bodied and firm, with sweet cherry and cassis giving way to bright red berry notes and a medium long finish touched with milk chocolate and baking spice. Serve it slightly chilled with dark chocolate, blue cheese, or a simple berry crumble.
