Wine of the week: Warre's Otima 10 port

It's summer and we want our desserts served cold. Ice cream, fruit sorbets and chocolate mousse are all faves, but how about a cool dessert you can drink?

Warre's, a name synonymous with port wines, suggests that its Otima 10, a tawny port aged 10 years in oak (about $25 at big-box stores and wine shops), can be chilled for summer sipping without losing port's essential character. We decided to give it a try.

We popped the 500-milliliter bottle into the fridge about an hour before we planned to enjoy it after a grilled steak and red wine dinner. The bottle was distinctly cool to the touch, and once uncorked and poured it delivered a richly nutty and figgy bouquet.

On the tongue this little beauty offered walnuts abetted by ripe black fig, a bit of dried apricot and a touch of honey. The result, even chilled, was a smooth and light but robustly flavored tawny that delivered on its maker's promise.

It was fine on its own as a finisher, but if you're still a bit munchy pair it with Stilton or your favorite soft-ripened cheese, with chilled grilled peaches or with a brimming bowl of mixed unsugared summer berries.

By Colette and John Bancroft. She is the Times' book editor, and he is a freelance writer specializing in food, wine and travel. For an index and archive of reviews, go to pictograph.com.