It’s Time To Pass The Port

Fortified wines are made when a spirit, usually a form of grape brandy, is added to a wine and they can either be dry or sweet. Most fortified wines are higher in alcohol content (about 17-20% ABV) and have a longer shelf life after they are opened than your normal wine.

One of the most popular of these is Port, which comes from Northern Portugal along the Douro River, where the grapes are foot stomped daily as the wine starts to ferment. This stomped-up fermenting wine is then blended with a grape spirit of nearly 70% abv to kill the yeast, which both stops fermentation and fortifies the wine.

However, you cannot group all Ports under one parasol. Some styles of Port will age and some wont, so let us talk about the main styles you can pick up.

Ruby Port – This is the most common style. It is fruity and sweet.

Reserve Port – A Ruby Port that has been aged in barrel for 5 years.

Late Bottle Vintage (LBV) - The official definition says that it is a “ruby Port from a single year, chosen for its high quality and bottled after ageing for four to six years in wood.” It is a vintage Port in style, but not in price and, importantly it is ready to drink when its released and doesn’t need more ageing. This will be rich and fruit with darker fruit notes like black cherry, plum and blackberry and a hint of cloves.

Vintage Port – Not to be confused with a LBV. This is again made from a single year’s harvest but these are not made every year. Port only announces a vintage in exceptional years and then they will generally only come from certain vineyards. The best of the best grapes-wise, Port tends to age more quickly in a barrel than a bottle so they are only barrel-aged for around 2 years. This means they are bottled to deliberately age on their lees and they keep developing and ageing in the bottle for 20 to 50 years. This is why Vintage Ports have sediment and should be decanted.

Tawny Port – Very sweet and a darker browner colour. They have been aged in a winery in casks and barrels so more oxygen gets involved during the maturation process and they develop a nutty, figgy, caramel, toffee flavour.

White Port – Made with white grapes this is sweet but generally lighter and fresher in style. They tend to be aged in steel or concrete and only occasionally wood to retain flavours of apricot, citrus fruit, candied peel and nuts. A popular summer drink this can be drunk long with tonic.

Port is only made in Portugal but, unlike champagne, the name isn’t trademarked so bottles labelled “port” like “Zinfandel Port” are made all over and known as Vin Doux Naturel (naturally sweet wines). They can still be delicious but it is worth noting that they are not “true” port.