What is Port? Defining A Fortified Classic
Put very simply, Port wine is a Portuguese fortified wine.
It is actually one of four the country makes, including Madeira, Moscatel and Carcavelos - but Port is the sweet nectar we tend to associate with Portugal the most.
Yes, you can find similar fortified wines in countries like Argentina, Australia, India, and Canada, but - just as Champagne has to be made in Champagne - only those wines ‘fortified’ in Portugal can legally be labelled as “Port”.
Named after the historic town of Porto, this powerful wine actually comes from grapes grown upriver in Douro Valley - the oldest regulated wine region in the world.
And rightly so. Port is a wine of powerful character and immense potential. Because of its richness, many of us think of it as a dessert wine. But it actually comes in various styles, not just sweet, including dry, off dry and white. Which makes it so much more than just something to sip with a decadent chocolate pud or a lavish cheeseboard.
Douro Valley, Portugal
What are the four key styles of Port?
Port wine is available in various styles, but the four most common are Ruby, Tawny, Rosé and White,
Ruby Port is young, fruity, and vibrant, with deep crimson hues. This style also includes Vintage, Late-Bottled Vintage (LBV), and Crusted Port, all aged for different lengths of time to produce more complex flavours. Ruby Port wines are bursting with flavours like raspberry, blackberry, caramel, cinnamon, and chocolate, offering wine drinkers something indulgent and moreish.
Tawny Port is aged in wooden barrels. There the wine develops a golden-brown colour with nuts, dried fruits, and caramel flavours. Age labels – 10, 20, 30, 40 years – signify the wine’s character rather than its precise age. Like Ruby Port, Tawny Port has some similar flavours (raspberry, cinnamon, and caramel) but the additional ageing in wooden barrels adds hazelnut, clove, and fig.
Rosé Port is the newest style of Port, and technically it’s a Ruby Port. It is produced in a similar style to rosé wine – with the red grape skins having minimal contact to produce a pretty shade of pink. It has bright raspberry, strawberry and cranberry sauce flavours.
White Port stands apart. For starters, it is made with different grapes than Port’s traditional six-grape blend. (Typically, the native Portuguese grapes like Rabigato, Viosinho, Gouveio, and Malvasia). That means it has an entirely different flavour profile, one that is deliciously characterised by citrus, sweet fruits like apricot and baked apple, and sweet toasted nuts. It comes in a range of styles and sweetness levels, from bone-dry to lusciously sweet.
Pairing food with port
With its intense fruit flavours and sweetness, Port can be paired with a variety of dishes, from rich cheeses to smoked meats to dessert;
- The fruitiness of Ruby and LBV (Late Bottled Vintage) Ports goes well with blue cheeses or decadent chocolate desserts.
- Tawny Port is ideal with nutty desserts, creamy cheeses or caramel tarts.
- White Port is a great choice with seafood dishes, almonds or as an aperitif with olives.
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