Fortify Yourself
Port's complexity should not be feared, but embraced
By Adam Scoppa |
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Port is a great wine for the crisp chill of autumn. It's a polarizing libation, however; people either love the rich flavors and silky textures of Portugal's most famous style of wine, or they "just can't stand that sugary, expensive crap."
If you're of the latter camp, I don't know if there's any amount of persuading I can do to convince you otherwise. However, if you aren't familiar with port, or are curious, allow me to wipe clean those oft-dusty bottles and shed some light on the subject.
Vintage port
Photo: Christopher Atwood
Here's a general overview: the wine's name originates from the port city of Porto, located at the mouth of the Douro River in Portugal. Red or white juice from grapes grown in the Douro region is fortified with a neutral brandy during fermentation, stopping the process and thereby leaving unfermented sugar behind. This makes the wine higher in alcohol content (about 20%) and typically quite sweet. The process also allows port to age well, in some cases, and remain fresher longer than table wines. Then, depending on the style of port desired, the juice undergoes various aging and blending processes. Subsequently, the wines range in availability and price, from under $20 to hundreds of dollars. It should be noted that many other countries make port wine in the style of Portugal.
The broadest, most commonly recognized styles are:
Ruby port, which is blended from several different harvests and spends a minimum of two years aging in large vats. It is sweet, fruity, and dark red in color from reduced oxidation.
Tawny port is blended as well, but more oxidized, resulting in a light to dark amber color. Aged longer than ruby ports, these wines have a nutty, caramel character most of the time.
Vintage ports are produced when the harvest yields grapes of a quality high enough to be aged and bottled without blending. As such, these wines are of limited production and are usually left to age for decades after bottling. Vintage port has a complex character, and because it spends only two years in the barrel before it is bottled, its fruity flavors are retained for many years.
W&J Graham's "Six Grapes" - $25
This ruby port is deep red color. Black cherry aromas dominate. Flavor shows hints of raisins, licorice, and clove.
Ramos Pinto 20-Year Tawny - around $80
A tawny blend with an average age of 20 years, this port is rife with nutty, smoky aromas, and carries notes of salted caramel, wood, and walnuts.
Niepoort Colheita (Vintage) 1991 - around $50
This port bears the deep, rich character typical of a vintage port and offers nutty and fruity aromas. Smoother in texture than the Ramos Pinto, Niepoort's offering conjures up traces of honey, toffee, and caramel. A faint lingering spice is noticeable on the long finish.
Originally Published: October 1, 2009
