Wine Information & Reviews | Vino Critic
Port is a fortified wine hailing from the Douro Valley in Portugal. Fortified wines are made by adding Brandy to stop the fermentation process when the flavors of the fruit are at their peak. Doing this also ensures that the percentage of residual sugars are higher than usual, giving port wine its sweetness, as well as a higher alcohol content. This rich style of wine makes it a popular choice for a dessert wine or digestif.
While the tasting notes of port can vary by style, they all have some key traits. Port wines are all going to be full-bodied and sweet, with medium tannins, and will generally lack acidity. The exception being the lighter colored ports which do have some acidity to balance the sweetness. You will find rich notes of chocolate, caramel or butterscotch, and nuts, along with cinnamon and wood. Dried fruit, and dark fruit, such as blackberry, raspberry, and plum will dominate the palate.
Officially, there are 52 varieties of Port wine in a variety of styles, however, there are four main styles you should be familiar with.
Tawny port is barrel-aged and amber in color. The tasting notes include hazelnut, butterscotch, warm spices, and dried fruits like fig, prune and dates, which become deeper as it ages. These bottles are commonly labeled in increments of 10, so you will see bottles aged 10, 20, 30, and even 40 years.
This variety is a younger port and is named after its ruby color. It is known for having strong flavors of cherry and blackberry, along with notes of spice and chocolate. Ruby port is typically younger, with reserve bottles considered the premium. You can also find bottles labled “crusted”, which refers to blends of more than one vintage year, late bottled vintage (LBV) has a short aging period of about five years, and single vintage bottles are made to age for 10 or more years.
Rosé port has less skin, giving the wine a paler color than ruby, and has notes of strawberry, cranberry and raspberry. It is also best enjoyed chilled.
White port is not as common in the United States, but in other regions, it is often used in cocktails or served with tonic as an aperitif. It is made from white grapes and the flavor profile boasts apricot, white peach and lemon peel. Reserve white port is aged for seven years or more and has nutty notes.
Port should always be served slightly cooler than room temperature, with the ideal temperature of 55-68°F or 13-20°C, with Rose and White port slightly cooler than that. A port wine glass will be the best way to serve port, but a regular wine glass will also work. Pours should also be smaller than traditional dry wines, with three-ounce pours being the preferred amount.
When aging port, it is important to take care that the wine is stored properly. An area of your house where the temperature is consistent and cool, but not cold, (around 53°F) is important. Natural humidity will help keep the cork in good condition, and bottles should be stored on their side, not upright. You will also want to avoid excessive light, with dark rooms being ideal, and make sure there are no vibrations as this will cause chemical reactions that will ruin your port.
When it comes to port wine, the pricing runs the gamut. You can find bottles of port anywhere from under $10 a bottle, all the way up to $7,000. As with other wines, the price is largely a reflection of multiple factors including the producer, its origins, demand, and the vintage. Vintage is especially important when it comes to port wine as many styles can be aged for decades and their value appreciates over time.
Before we delve into the food and wine pairings, let us discuss what Port is. Port is a fortified wine that is made with adding grape spirits of approximately 77% to currently fermenting grape juice/must. Because the fermentation period is … Read More
