Fonseca Bin 27 NV: This wine has sweet and macerated fruit on the nose, initially with a little confectionery and violets, nevertheless very traditional and perhaps a touch spirity. The palate is also spirity at first, but with time this dissipates, leaving plenty of fruit, a moderate substance and a gently creamy midpalate. There is plenty of peppery grip, good acidity and a very firm, perhaps slightly hard structure. All in all though it has a nice style, with good substance to it, plenty of dark, tobacco-laced fruits and an attractive roasted-herb edge. Good. 15.5/20 (£9.99, Waitrose, Morrisons, Threshers)

Croft Triple Crown NV: A deepy coloured wine, this Port starts off with plenty of accessible fruit on the nose, followed by more complex, organic notes, elements of animal fur and baked earth, although always with that sweet ripeness in evidence. A good fleshy start, more substantial and creamy in the midpalate, although with a good, savoury edge to the sweet fruit as well. There is structure here, nicely integrated spirit and spicy tannins too, with good acidity. It has a sweet, solid finish and plenty of grit. Open and accessible, but certainly not simple or straightforward, this is a very good Port, and for the price it is a real bargain. 16.5+/20 (£6.99 - 7.49, Morrisons, Spar, Budgens)

Taylor's Late Bottled Vintage 2003: Dark and glossy, dense at the core, vibrant rim. Gorgeous nose. Takes time to open up; vibrant, lifted, well defined fruit, touch of blue fruit here, with bright, smoky, black forest fruits behind. It is vivacious and perfumed, full of violets. The palate is beautiful, fresh and delineated, showing great purity at first, with crisp ripe fruits, before a wave of tannin and acidity come across the midpalate. Finely balanced, showing a creamy but not fat texture, delicious vivacity and freshness, good sturcture and a rich, solid finish. Really very good indeed, ready now although it needs a decant to really open up. 17/20 (£11.99, widely available)

Dow's Late Bottled Vintage Port 2001: This is a deeply coloured, concentrated wine, with a desne core and a rim that shows a little maturity, with an oxblood-mahogany hue. On the nose there are aromas of very slightly brawny fruit, dark with a slightly stewed character, but there is still an appealing perfume too, with notes of violets and flower petals. A fine entry on the palate, creamy but well composed, showing a lot of tannic grip through the midpalate, but still with plenty of fruit and texture. This wine blends very nicely a firm structure, sweet and nicely poised texture, savoury roast meat notes and a slightly chewy, savoury finish. A good wine. 16.5+/20 (£9.99, widely available)

Taylor's Quinta de Vargellas Vintage Port 2001: There was a time when Taylor's release of Vargellas offered a chance to snap up a good value, maturing Port bargain; but in the last few years we seem to have skipped very quickly from the 1988 to the 1998 and now to the 2001 vintages. Despite this being a youthful wine, however, there is no problem with quality. The nose holds an obviously awkward, youthful power, but with some time in the decanter it does show a bright, charcoaly, dark fruit character. The palate is creamy and rich, and full of grip, flavour and substance. Although approachable now with time in the decanter, and in fact quite delicious, this is one Port which will do very well in the cellar, and is far and away my favourite in this tasting. 17.5+/20 (£22.99 - 26.99, widely available)