Let’s get this out of the way first: yes, there are sweet, fortified wines made in the U.S. that are labeled Port. Similar to Champagne, some producers have decided to ignore the fact that these words are places with histories, traditions, and legalities, not just vague style descriptions. Here I’m going to be talking about Port, which is named Port because it comes from Porto, a port city in the northern part of Portugal at the mouth of the Duoro River. Some American and Australian producers make fortified wines in similar styles and call them simply Ruby or Tawny; two thumbs up for this approach.
What is Port?
Port is a sweet, fortified wine, made in a variety of styles primarily divided into Ruby and Tawny categories, although these have subdivisions, and white Port is also a thing.
A Bit of History
Port is an odd amalgamation of Portuguese and British influence, and this is tied to its history as a result of trade wars between England and France in the 1600s. Portuguese wines received lower duty rates in England than those of any other country, and as a result, powerful red wines became very popular in England - but they had to endure long sea voyages to make it between the two countries. To preserve the wine, they began to add brandy, first after the fermentation, and later during fermentation. The now-famous Port shippers who got started at that time were primarily British, hence the dominance of distinctly non-Portuguese names like Croft, Taylor’s, and Cockburn’s. Originally, these shippers were merely agents who shipped Port abroad for a commission, but they soon became producers as well, with their own vineyards and winemaking facilities. Many of those companies continue to be owned by families with mixed cultural and residential ties to both England and Portugal.
The Grapes
Over 100 different grapes are allowed in Port, but the most common are Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, and Tinta Amarela. White Port is made using white grapes Malvasia Fina and Moscatel Galego Branco.
Styles of Port
I’m just going to skip over all the intricate details of fermentation and fortification, and if you’re dying to know, drop a comment and perhaps I’ll come back with an in-depth post later. This is a more basic post to help you understand what you might find in the Port section in a wine store or restaurant.
Ruby (basic) - Red Port made with minimal exposure to oxygen, to preserve fresh, fruity flavors. Aging is brief - less than three years - and fairly cheap spirits are used for fortification. These are simple, easy drinking Ports dominated by red and black fruit flavors and a sharp alcohol sensation.
Tawny (basic) - Briefly aged like Ruby but with exposure to oxygen, these have more flavors of caramel, dried fruits, and nuts rather than fresh fruits.
Reserve Ruby and Tawny - Better quality versions of the above. There is no minimum aging requirement for Reserve Ruby, but Reserve Tawny must be aged for at least six years in wood, and the flavors are deeper and more concentrated.
Tawny with an age statement - Tawny Ports aged for 10, 20, 30, 40, or 50 years. The age is an average, not a minimum age of the wines that are blended together before bottling. These have very pronounced flavors of dried fruit, peanut brittle, caramel, butterscotch, etc.
Colheita - Tawny Port with a specific vintage that must be aged in small, old barrels for a minimum of seven years.
Vintage - Vintage Port is only made in declared vintages, or years that are deemed to be especially good for grape production. These are very high quality Ports that cannot be aged more than three years in barrel, but usually have many years of bottle aging before consumption.
Crusted Port - This is something I’ve actually never seen and had not heard of until I took this Fortified Wines class. Crusted Port is made from more than one vintage and aged in old casks for up to two years, then bottled without fining or filtration, so a crust forms in the bottle. This sounds kind of gross, but the wines are usually very good in quality and often considered premium.
Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) - Ports from a single vintage, bottled between four and six years after harvest. The grapes are of lower quality than those used for Vintage Port, and because they have been matured for a longer time, LBVs are ready to drink upon bottling and do not require further aging.
Rosé Port/Pink Port - This is a fairly recent development created by Croft. Pink Port is made from black grapes that come from cool sites, that only macerate with the skins for a short time. These Ports are less intense and tannic than red Ports and have fresh, fruity flavors.
White Port - White Port is made in a range of styles similar to Tawny Port, just with white grapes rather than red. They qualify for the same labeling terms as Tawny Ports, such as Reserve, age indication, and Colheita.
When Would I Drink a Port?
Traditionally Port is a dessert wine and can easily be enjoyed either with or in the place of sweet foods. I think Ruby Port pairs best with lighter and fruity desserts or milk chocolate, while Tawny Port is great with darker chocolate, caramel, and other richer flavors. Prefer a cheese course? Port and Stilton is a classic combination, but any salty, pungent cheese can be a good pairing. I like just sipping on an age-indicated Tawny Port - Taylor Fladgate 20 Year is a favorite - on a cold, winter’s evening, wrapped in a blanket and imagining the fireplace I don’t have.
On the other side of the spectrum, White Port is great in the summer with tonic and an orange slice, or in a cocktail in place of sherry or dry or blanc vermouth. Delicioso!
As they say in Portugal, saúde!