When the weather is chilly, be it a deep winter freeze or a cool mountain evening any time of year, there are few pleasures more satisfying and comforting than a glass of Port Wine.
Port comes from the Douro Valley in northern Portugal. At the eastern end are the vineyards, at the west on the Atlantic Coast lie the cities of Oporto and Vila Nova de Gaia where the wines are aged and stored.
Taylor’s Vineyards in the Douro | Courtesy Taylor’s Port
Ports are fortified wines, meaning that neutral brandy is added before fermentation is complete leaving some sweetness and indeed fortifying the wine. These sturdy elixirs became popular at a time when non-fortified wines suffered greatly on their shipping voyages.
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“Ports are fortified wines, meaning that neutral brandy
is added before fermentation is complete leaving some
sweetness and indeed fortifying the wine.”
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Red or Tawny Ports are the most popular types, and the main grapes used are Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, the same as Tempranillo, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Cao and Tinta Barroca.
There are several different Port categories, but let’s stick with the most common. I’m including some recommendations from our local wine bars Uncorked.
Ruby Port is the least expensive, being made from basic quality grapes in a simple fruity style.
Late Bottled Vintage Port is a level up made from better fruit coming from a single vintage, although the vintage isn’t necessarily an exceptional one. These undergo more extensive aging in barrel, are then typically filtered and ready for consumption on release. Uncorked: 2008 Quinta do Noval, $30.
Tawny Port is made from black grapes, but gains its tawny color and flavor complexity from extensive oxidative aging. These typically develop attractive nutty aromas and flavors and are labeled by age. The age is a target number that roughly reflects the average age of the wines blended. Uncorked: Smith Woodhouse 10-Year-Old Tawny, $40.
The ne plus ultra of Ports are the Vintage versions. Made only in the finest years and aged in barrels, they are bottled unfiltered. Definitely not meant to be consumed young, and they should be decanted before serving to open up the wine and avoid sediment. Vintage Ports do have varying levels of sweetness but their greatness comes from the combination of fruit, acid, earth, minerality and smokiness that get more complex and delicious as they age. Uncorked: 2001 Quinta de Vesuvio, $75.
Vintage Ports can improve for several decades, which make them great candidates for anniversary-year or birth-year gifts, and are also famous as the wine world’s gift to chocolate.
So whether you are a Portofile or Port-curious, treat yourself to a glass next time you’re out to dinner or grab a bottle and share with friends.
Lou Phillips is a Level 3 Advanced Sommelier and his consulting business WineProwest.com assists in the selling, buying and managing wine collections. He may be reached at (775) 544-3435 or lou@wineprowest.com. Visit TheTahoeWeekly.com for more wine columns.
