Port can trace its origins to the trade wars between England and France during the 17th Century. The English have always loved French wines but, as we know, the two countries don't have the greatest history of getting along. Looking for an alternative to French wine, the English turned to Portugal and the red wines made along the Douro River. In order to make sure the wines made the trip without spoiling, and to just make them last longer overall, the Portuguese started adding brandy as a preservative into their exports heading to England. One producer struck gold when he added brandy during fermentation instead of after, halting fermentation and leaving a sweet, high alcohol juice bomb. The English sweet tooth loved it, and that is how Port was born.
(This article was written for GrapeBunch, our weekly wine periodical. Click here to read the original!)
The main varieties of grapes used for red Port are Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz (also known as Tempranillo in Spain), and Tinta Cão. These are all native to Portugal and not only make excellent Port but also the Portuguese red blends that have been taking the world by storm lately. White Port usually uses Gouveio, Malvasia, and Viosinho.
To create Port, a wine is begun to be made and at a certain point during fermentaion they toss brandy in there to stop that fermentation entirely. This leaves sugars from the juice that haven't been fermented into alcohol yet, and by adding a spirit like brandy you now have a sweet, high alcohol, fortified wine. From there it goes into oak, and the length of time it spends in there is dependant on the style of Port being made.
There are several styles of red Port that you should be aware of before you start perusing selections. Ruby Port is Port in its simplest form. It's a blend of young wines aged for a minimum of two years in oak. These are a lively red in color with a wonderful sweetness and fruity, raisinated flavors. Tawny Port must be aged in oak for a minimum of six years. At this point the red is starting to turn brown, and the profile is more caramel and nutty. Both of these styles are excellent in their own way, and they are both blends of different vintages. Vintage Port is made from one specific vintage and only made in the very best vintages. They are pretty expensive and should be laid down for a bit so they age in the bottle... sometimes for decades! Late-Bottled Vintage Port is also from a specific vintage but will be much less expensive and ready to drink now.
Because of the high alcohol, you don't want to drink as much Port as you do regular wine. A serving is normally around 3 ounces, while non-fortified wine is 5 to 6 ounces. Don't feel rushed to finish a bottle though, because Port has a much longer life than most wines once you open it, which was the entire point of its creation. Once opened, a bottle of Ruby will keep for about a month, while Tawny will keep for about three months.
So what should you pair it with other than a cozy night by the fireplace? Chocolate is a great pairing. But it's universally known that the absolute best pairing with Port is Stilton cheese. The two make perhaps the greatest pairing in all of wine and food, like they were made to be together.
FONSECA BIN 27 PORTO
Fonseca's Bin 27 is a Ruby Port with a deep dark crimson red color, a full body, a lush mouthfeel, and a nice balance of sweetness and acidity. There's aromas and flavors of raisins, plums, blackberries, and licorice. Then the long lasting and sweet finish adds a bit of chocolate to the mix. Delicious and a great deal.
This article was written for The GrapeBunch Wine Periodical.
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Joey Casco
Beverage Marketer
Certified Specialist of Wine
Certified Specialist of Spirits
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