Beeswing

Beeswing wine meaning

Beeswing is a light, translucent sediment that can form in aged Port wine, especially mature vintage or tawny Port. The flakes can look like tiny insect wings, which is where the name comes from.

Unlike a literal bee’s wing, in wine this term strictly refers to delicate, wing-like sediment rather than a flaw. It is usually a sign of age and natural development in Port.

Beeswings or beeswing?

You may see beeswings as a plural form. Both refer to the same wing-like sediment particles in aged Port.

Beeswing typically appears in Ports aged 10-20 years or more, where proteins and tannins precipitate out of the wine over time. When serving Port with beeswing, careful decanting is recommended to separate the clear wine from the sediment, though some connoisseurs appreciate the sediment as evidence of natural development.