Hello my dear friends. Lately we have been getting a lot of questions about port wines. Join us today as we go through the nuances of this popular Portuguese libation to learn about what it is, how it's made, how many varieties there are (let's just say there are plenty), and how to best enjoy it.
Idania Gonzalez visiting the vast vineyards of Douro Valley.
Whether you've just had dinner at home, a friend's party, or your favorite restaurant, a little sip after your meal can be a sweet treat to finish off the experience. And when it comes to drinkable digestifs, the port wine is beyond ideal. Although best known as a sweet wine, port has many more layers to it. Port is a sweet fortified wine from Portugal that's made with aromatic grape varieties, primarily Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca, Tinto Cão, and Tinta Roriz (also known as Tempranillo). Unlike other types of wine, fortified wine is made by adding a distilled spirit, particularly a grape spirit such as cognac or brandy.
Much like authentic champagne must come from the specific wine region in France, true port must come from Portugal's Douro Valley. In fact, the name “port” comes from Porto, the coastal city along the Douro River. Still, many wines often called Port may come from other regions, so beware! Port is considered a dessert wine since it most often has a sweet taste and is enjoyed during or after dessert. It's also popular on its own as a dessert. Because it's fortified, Port has a higher alcohol content compared to the average glass of wine — it's closer to 20% ABV (alcohol by volume) versus 12% alcohol, which is considered the standard in the United States. This high ABV is one reason why you usually only see Port served in small portions.
Portugal's Douro Valley is the home of port wine, full of twisting valleys and tidy terraces. This is Portugal's answer to Germany's romantic Rhine River Valley.
Port production begins once the grapes are harvested and then pressed to extract the juice and begin the fermentation process. If the winemaker fortifies the wine before fermentation is finished, the result is more residual sugar that creates a sweet wine. By contrast, if the winemaker adds the spirits after the fermentation process is complete, the result is a dry fortified wine with less sugar. Oftentimes, young port wines are aged in large oak barrels for about 18 months. That said, some producers bypass the oak casks and let the wine age in the bottle. Depending on different winemaking factors, you can end up with a sweet and complex wine or a drier and brighter variety.
For the most part, ports are full-bodied, sweet red wines with notes of berries, caramel, cinnamon, and chocolate. But there are other varieties including dry, semi-dry, white, and rosé varieties. In other words, just as with other types of wines, port comes in a wonderful variety of styles to suit your tastes. In fact, there are 52 known varieties of ports wine. One of the best appreciated varieties is the tawny port, a slightly sweet, complex, and brownish-red wine that is barrel-aged in wooden casks. Aged tawnies are rich and soft wines aged for 10, 20, 30, or 40 years. Ruby port is a younger kind of port, this variety boasts a ruby color and fruity flavor and it is typically bottle-aged for a few years and then cellared before it’s opened. White port is made with white grapes and fermented in wood tanks offering bright flavors (think apple and stone fruit) with a nutty finish.
Not that you need us to tell you how to enjoy your wine, but there are indeed some finer points that will help you appreciate the experience even more such as the serving temperature, food pairings and the type of glass you use for it. Port isn't best served at room temperature. If you serve high-alcohol wine too warm, it'll result in a more 'burning' sensation similar to drinking a shot of rum or whiskey. If you have a full-bodied port, serve it at 60-65°F. Lighter wines go well 55-60°F . Either way, a good recommendation for serving red wine is to refrigerate the bottle for 30 minutes before you open it. Then, you can decant the bottle or pour the first glass. Allow the wine to breathe and warm on the table for 10 minutes before enjoying.
Port pairs perfectly with a range of sweets or as a dessert itself. For tawny and ruby ports try serving it with pecan pie, chocolate truffles, cheesecake, dark chocolate cake, and even aged or smoked cheeses. For rosé or white varieties, pair it with lighter sweet fare like fresh peaches, strawberry angel food cake, or lemon meringue pie.
But hey, think outside the box... port (especially white and rosé varieties) is also an excellent aperitif to enjoy before your main meal. Try pairing it with seafood appetizers made with lobster, crab, smoked fish, or oysters.
The type of glass can change your wine-drinking experience. Scientists have discovered the shape of a wine glass affects how vapors rise from the wine, which means it can influence the nose and finish of wine. Most port wines are best served in a small port glass with a narrow mouth to reduce evaporation and intensify the bouquet. You can also use a regular wine glass or a sparkling wine glass. That way, you can swirl the Port so it breathes and releases its aromas.
Real Companhia Velha
We cannot talk about port without mentioning Real Companhia Velha, a company that has played an important role in the regulation, production and trade of port, so much so that we can say, conclusively, that the company's history is the history of port wine itself.
Founded in 1756 by a Royal Charter of King José I, King of Portugal, under the auspices of his Prime Minister the Marquis of Pombal, the Real Companhia Velha, also known as Royal Oporto Wine Company, is the oldest port wine company of Portugal . The centennial basements of Real Companhia Velha, located in Vila Nova de Gaia facing Porto carefully store a wide selection of tawny wines - aged in oak barrels - as well as vintage port , keeping this way the prestige and reputation that this company enjoys for over 250 years. In the cellars and in the silence of their warehouses, Port wine rests in barrels of noble wood. Sleeping there, in a unique peace, the barrels and vats seem like they are lost in time. 10, 20, 30, 40 years , the required time for each wine to reach the exact point of maturation.
The man behind Real Companhia Velha, Pedro Silva Reis.
And that's a wrap for today. Let's meet here next Wednesday!
Until then... Santé!
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