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What is Port? Wine From Porto
posted by Karen Orlandi on December 8, 2015 in Wine Regions
Port is a sweet, red, fortified wine from the Duoro Valley area of Portugal. Unlike typical dry wines, Ports add a neutral grape spirit known as aguardente to fortify it. Most commonly enjoyed as a dessert wine because it is rich and sweet, Port comes in several styles (see list below). We offer many of them and in all price ranges. A few highlights are listed below, but check our website for our full list of available Ports.
Ruby Port - after fermentation the wine is stored in tanks made of concrete or stainless steel to prevent oxidative aging and preserve its rich claret color.
Vintage Port - a premium ruby port made entirely from the grapes of a declared vintage year; not every year is declared a vintage year and the decision, made in the spring of the second year following the harvest, is made by each individual port house, often referred to as a "shipper".
Tawny Port - made from red grapes and aged in wooden barrels, exposing it to gradual oxidation and evaporation, resulting in a golden-brown color and "nutty" flavors.
Colheita - a tawny port from a single vintage year; unlike vintage Port that is typically bottled about 18 months after being harvested, Colheita may have spent 20 or more years in wooden barrels before being bottled and sold.
Garrafeira - an unusual and rare intermediate vintage dated style of port made from the grapes of a single harvest that combines the oxidative maturation of years in wood with further reductive maturation in large glass demijohns.
Crusted Port - a blend of port wine from several vintages and bottled unfiltered (hence it needs to be decanted), crusted ports will improve with age, but are quite approachable at a younger age than vintage ports.
Rose Port - technically a ruby port, but fermented in a similar manner to a rosé wine, with a limited exposure to the grape skins, thus creating the rose color.
White Port - made from white grapes and can be made in a wide variety of styles, but ordinary white ports make an excellent basis for a cocktail while those of greater age are best served chilled on their own.
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