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Sandeman: 20 Year Old Tawny vs. LBV from a single year
A port producer who offers styles such as Tawny and Late Bottled Vintage. The 20-year Tawny is a blend of base wines from different ages, while LBV is aged as a wine from a single vintage.
Explain what the numbers on 20-Year Tawny and 2017 LBV represent, in terms of the base wines used and bottling practices.
Questions for this course
Is 20-Year Tawny made entirely from wine harvested in the same year?
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Portugal / Douro / Port
Also known as / Label: Sandeman / サンデマン
Updated: 2026-10-07
20-Year is not from a single vintage
The official description for 20-Year Tawny states that it is a blend selected from base wines matured for 15 to 40 years. It does not mean that all the base wines are exactly 20 years old. Also, the number 20 cannot be read as the last two digits of a year or a harvest year.
Handling of the 2017 LBV
The 2017 LBV is described as a wine from a single vintage, bottled unfiltered after about 4 years of aging. The unfiltered specification is associated with this producer in this source. Do not generalize that all LBVs receive the same filtration treatment.
Time in barrel and serving
20-Year Tawny is matured in oak casks and considered ready to drink when bottled. The official serving instructions say decanting is unnecessary, but exposure to air can be beneficial. It is important not to interpret the age statement as the number of years to wait after purchase.
What to align and what to compare.
Numbers
- Conditions to standardize
- Port labeling
- Conditions for comparison.
- Age classification and harvest year
- Additional points to confirm
- What do 20 and 2017 mean?
Aging
- Conditions to standardize
- The same producer.
- Conditions for comparison.
- Blend and vintage
- Additional points to confirm
- Vessel and filling time
Provided by
- Conditions to standardize
- Description of the material.
- Conditions for comparison.
- Filtration and decanting
- Additional points to confirm
- Specifications by label
Order of reading and key points to consider in each article
0 / 3 articles completed
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- 1↗
Portugal
Port fermentation: At what point is fortification carried out?
Read about port production.
- 2↗
Portugal
Understanding Port maturation: Distinguishing Vintage, LBV, and Colheita
Compare classifications of aging.
- 3↗
Portugal
Douro: understanding Port, red, and white from the same valley
Check the origin of the grapes.
READ · HYPOTHESIZE · RECONSIDER
Analysis of Sandeman’s materials: 20 Year Old Tawny vs. LBV from a single year
Match comparison tables with cited sources and explain differences in raw materials and vinification process.
Comparison tables are based on the cited sources. Please distinguish between vintage-specific specifications and general descriptions at the time of confirmation.
| Comparison items | 20-Year Tawny | LBV2017 |
|---|---|---|
| Vintage year of the base wine | Base wine of multiple ages. | A single harvest from 2017. |
| Explanation of maturation | Selected from base wines aged 15–40 years | Bottled about four years later |
| Confirmed specifications | Ready to drink at bottling | Bottled unfiltered |
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Read the explanation for each question
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What is the base wine for 20-Year Tawny?
The official description for 20-Year Tawny states that it is a blend selected from base wines matured for 15 to 40 years. It does not mean that all the base wines are exactly 20 years old. Also, the number 20 cannot be read as the last two digits of a year or a harvest year.
The 2017 LBV is?
The 2017 LBV is described as a wine from a single vintage, bottled unfiltered after about 4 years of aging. The unfiltered specification is associated with this producer in this source. Do not generalize that all LBVs receive the same filtration treatment.
What is required for the indication '20 years'?
20-Year Tawny is matured in oak casks and considered ready to drink when bottled. The official serving instructions say decanting is unnecessary, but exposure to air can be beneficial. It is important not to interpret the age statement as the number of years to wait after purchase.
Basis and sources for the exercise
Practice exercises in comparison
Match comparison tables with cited sources and explain differences in raw materials and vinification process.
Read examples of organizing comparisons
| Conditions for Comparison | 20-Year Tawny | LBV2017 |
|---|---|---|
| Vintage year of the base wine | Base wine of multiple ages. | A single harvest from 2017. |
| Explanation of maturation | Selected from base wines aged 15–40 years | Bottled about four years later |
| Confirmed specifications | Ready to drink at bottling | Bottled unfiltered |
Sources of materials used for comparison are listed in the text and exercises.
Explain in your own words
Explain what the numbers on 20-Year Tawny and 2017 LBV represent, in terms of the base wines used and bottling practices.
Check after writing
- Did you associate each label with its region and grape variety?
- Did you separate the shared and differing conditions in your comparison?
- Did you clearly indicate the year(s) the material covers or the date checked?
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