What is Port wine?
Port is named after the Portuguese port city of Porto, which is an important trading hub for the transport and distribution of the wine. However, Port wine was invented in England in the 18th century. It was there that the idea arose to stop the fermentation of the wine prematurely by adding grape brandy, in order to obtain a sweet and high-alcohol wine.
The Portuguese recognized this as a lucrative business. Even today, production still takes place exclusively in Portugal, more precisely in the Douro Valley. And after Port wine gained popularity throughout Europe over the years, England was replaced by France as the main buyer of the dessert wine.
The growing region in the Douro Valley is located at the mouth of the Douro River and extends over a vineyard area of 250,000 hectares. The mild and humid climate there is well suited for the maturation of the wine.
The term Port wine is protected in Europe, and a wine may only call itself such if it was also made from grapes that come from the northern Portuguese Douro Valley.
Today, more than 80 grape varieties are approved for the production of Port wine. However, the red main varieties of Port wine are Tinta Roriz, Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Cão and Tinta Barroca. Port wine can also occasionally be found in white, which is often made from Malvasia Fina, Rabigato or Codega.
Another way to categorize Port wine has to do with its style. So depending on your preference, you can enjoy so-called Ruby, Vintage, Tawny, White or Rosé Port.
How is Port wine made?
As soon as the grapes have been harvested in the Douro Valley, it must be done quickly, because within 24 to 36 hours as many colorants and tannins as possible are extracted from them.
In the past, this was achieved by treading the grapes for hours. Nowadays, most winemakers use machines. Nevertheless, some top wines are still made by hand (and foot) today.
After about 2 to 3 days, when the wine has reached an alcohol content of 6 to 9 percent during fermentation, the grape brandy is added. This has exactly 77 volume percent alcohol and immediately kills every yeast cell. This stops the fermentation process. This process is called vinification.
The subsequent storage of Port wine is also particularly important. After vinification, the wine remains in the Douro Valley for a while and is then brought to Porto, where the actual maturation process begins, which lasts 2 to 6 years.
Generally, Port wine is of better quality the longer it has been stored in the large barrels or even in the bottle. This maturation also ultimately determines the color and taste of the Port wine. Younger Port wine usually has an intense taste of red berries, while older Port wine has a rather fine and spicy aroma and is lighter in color.
What varieties of Port wine are there?
There are a variety of Port wine varieties. Among the best known are Ruby Port, Vintage Port, Tawny Port, White Port and Rosé Port. The basis for the classification into these Port wine varieties is the production, the coloring, and the taste characteristics of the respective style, which are explained below.
Ruby Port
This classic is stored in large oak barrels of up to 100,000 liters. The size of the barrel prevents an overly rapid oxidation process and an intense transfer of aromas from the wood into the wine.
The Vinho do Porto Ruby remains in the barrel for about three years and, due to the limited oxidation in the barrel, also has the potential to continue maturing later in the bottle.
As the name already reveals, this Port wine is characterized by its dark, rich ruby-red color. Its aroma is strong and fruity with pronounced notes of red berries.
Vintage Port
The jewel among Port wines – the so-called Vintage Port – is made exclusively from grapes from a top vintage and of the best quality.
After production, the Vintage Port should always be stored in the bottle for five to ten years, as it can certainly develop further with proper storage.
In the first five years after bottling, the Vintage Port has an intense ruby-red color and an intense aromatic richness, which is dominated above all by exuberant aromas of red berries and dark chocolate. This makes young Vintage Port the ideal companion for dark chocolate desserts.
After a longer storage of ten years, the wine takes on a garnet-red color and aromas of exotic spices, mild tobacco leaves, and red berry jam emerge.
The longer the storage, the more complex the aromatic structure. Vintage Ports can be stored for significantly longer than 50 years, and it is even recommended to open them only after about ten years after purchase to achieve a better taste experience.
Tawny Port
Porto Tawny is the second classic among Port wines. However, unlike Ruby, this wine is stored in smaller barrels (250 - 750 liters) and is kept in the barrel for three to five years.
Due to the smaller barrel size, the oxidation of the wine is accelerated and the exchange of wood aromas with the wine is intensified. This is because now a smaller amount of liquid is exposed to a relatively large barrel surface. This leads to more contact between the liquid and the barrel wall. This means a greater exchange of oxygen between the barrel and the wine, which leads to increased oxidation and a better transfer of aromas from the wood into the wine.
Because of this production process, Tawny Ports always exhibit a dark, mahogany-golden, oxidized red color. The wine has a complex, subtle aroma of dried fruit, plum, vanilla, and caramel.
Unlike Vintage, the Tawny has already fully developed in the barrel and is ready to drink immediately after purchase. After opening, it can generally be stored without problems for several days to weeks, as the Tawny hardly oxidizes any further and therefore does not lose its quality as quickly.
White Port
White Port is less well known than its red counterpart. However, its production process is identical except for the size of the barrels. These can hold up to 20,000 liters.
White Ports are generally young, fruity, and sweet wines. A distinction is made between Porto Branco Seco (dry) and Porto Meio-Seco (sweet).
The color of these Ports is usually golden to straw yellow, and the aroma carries subtle notes of caramel and fig.
White Ports are well suited for making cocktails, such as Caipi Porto or also Portonic.
Rosé Port
Rosé Port is still relatively new on the market. During production, the grape must is first removed from the grapes so that too many red colorants do not pass into the wine. Then the wine is stored in a 20,000-liter barrel. This gives the Rosé its bright and clear pink color.
The aroma is fruity with notes of cherries, strawberries, and raspberries. Rosé Ports are generally not intended for aging and should be drunk young and chilled.
Conclusion
Since Port wine is generally sweet, almost all styles are well suited as aperitif wines. But they are also beautiful companions for dessert.
Anyone who wants more complexity in taste should opt for an older Port wine, because as maturation progresses, a heavier and more intense taste develops, which usually also entails an increase in quality.
Of the longer-aged, the Vintage Port is the most valuable Port wine. It guarantees the most versatile taste experience.
About the Author
Inara Muradowa is an SEO expert and corporate blogger. In addition to technical search engine optimization and SEO consulting, she actively supports companies with the conception and writing of professional blog posts.
