Wine Lesson #9: What Is Port Wine And When Do You Drink It? (Part 1/3)

WINE LESSON #9: WHAT IS PORT? (PART 1/3)
Unlike dry red or white wines, Port is a versatile product with numerous styles

PORT is a fortified wine. That means spirit is added to a base wine to fortify the alcoholic strength to a designated level, which in the case of Port, is 20% ABV (Alcohol By Volume) or about 18% in some Australian versions.

It is difficult to pinpoint when Port was "invented" but it is pretty sure to be around since the 17th century. The best Port in the world comes from Portugal but the countries that drink the most Port are France and Britain.

Unlike dry red or white wines, Port is such a versatile product that there are numerous styles. Each style can easily be a stand-alone product complete with its own purpose, appeal and characteristics.

Here are some of the more popular styles that you are likely to encounter frequently.

Ruby Port
This is "entry level" port which we can buy for about p300 and up to p1000 for a 'Premium' Ruby. Cheaper versions tend to be a bit harsh, often used in cooking — port reduction sauce for example — or drunk with strong-flavored food and moderately spicy Asian cuisine. Ruby Port is aged in wooden barrels for up to three years and they are ready to drink when bottled.

Tawny Port
The range of quality in Tawny is staggering. True Tawny usually has on its label the number of years it was aged in barrel before bottling. This can be 10 to 40. Long ageing in barrels gives this Port a red-brown color — hence the name Tawny — as well as a dry nutty flavor and raisin notes.

Steer clear of exceptionally cheap Tawny Port even if they show the matured red-brown color. Most of these cheap Tawny Ports are made by adding a little White Port to a basic Ruby to achieve the color that would allow it to pass for a Tawny. We get the color but not the attractive flavor or barrel-aged Tawny Port.

White Port
White Port is made from a variety of white grapes like Arinto, Gouveio, Malvasia etc. It comes in dry or sweet versions, both best served slightly chilled and often enjoyed as an aperitif. A serious dry white port can benefit from a few years of ageing.

Late Bottled Vintage (LBV)
LBV is the most popular style because of its consistently good quality and reasonable price tag. It is a superb introduction to first-class Port. Unlike Tawny and Ruby, LBV is made from a single harvest and a Vintage Year appears on the label.

It is aged in barrel from 4 to 6 years giving it more complexity than a Premium Ruby. Before you serve an LBV, check if it is "filtered" or "un-filtered". If it is unfiltered, you should expect a considerable amount of sediments in the bottle. Decanting is strongly urged.

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Source: Wine Lesson #9: What Is Port Wine And When Do You Drink It? (Part 1/3)