Taylor Fladgate introduced the LBV category in 1970 to satisfy the demand for a high-quality, ready-to-drink alternative to vintage port. The wines used to blend this LBV were drawn from a reserve of some of the best full-bodied red Ports, produced from grapes grown on estate vineyards and high-quality partner vineyards in the Cima Corgo and Douro Superior regions. Taylor Fladgate is an area leader in winemaking technology, as one of only three Porto producers to pioneer the development of piston fermenter techniques, called Port Toes, that extract significantly greater flavor and aroma than conventional pump-over fermentation. Fermentation is halted by the addition of grape spirits before all the residual sugar has been fermented, creating a sweet, fortified wine. Unlike vintage Ports (bottled after two years in wood, with further bottle aging), LBVs are bottled after four to six years in wood, giving them some of the characteristics of vintage Porto but with less time required for bottle aging.