Port for Beginners

Port first became popular with us Brits back in the early 18^th Century when wars with France meant we couldn’t drink French wines anymore. Quelle horreur! So we turned to our friends in Portugal and started importing the yummy wines they were producing in the Douro valley, fortifying them with brandy so that they would survive the long journey home. Unlike Sherry (see my previous blog post), Port is fortified before fermentation has finished so that the wine is not only high in alcohol but also in sugar. A deliciously sweet and boozy red that’s synonymous with Christmas (although there’s a bottle open all year round in our house…)

 But do you really know what you’re buying when you’re faced with all those options in your local wine shop? Now that we’re deep into the festive season, I thought I’d guide you through the various different styles of Port so that you can make a more informed decision when you’re doing your grocery shopping on Christmas Eve.

 

photo courtesy of http://www.taylor.pt

Ruby Port

Ruby port is aged for only a short while in very large wooden vats so as to retain their fruit-forward style (think blackberries and cherries). Cheap ruby port is best avoided to be honest, and I would highly recommend you go with the next option…

 

Late Bottled Vintage

Late Bottled Vintage (or LBV) is not the same thing as a Vintage Port (see below) but is an aged Ruby port, produced from a single vintage (which is stated on the label) and bottled 4 to 6 years after harvest. Unlike Vintage Port, it is made to be drunk young, and it is a great all-rounder for a cheese board.

 

Tawny Port

This is my personal favourite. Tawny port is aged longer than a Ruby and in much smaller vats in order to encourage oxidation, so the resultant wine is more tawny-like in colour and the flavours are more mellow, full of nut and toffee flavours. Delicious with hard cheeses, or nutty and toffee-based puddings. Or just sipped on its own.

 

Vintage Port

Made in only the best vintages (the years for which are declared by the Port authorities), it is kept in barrel for only two years before being bottled unfiltered so that it continues to develop and improve in the bottle. That doesn’t mean that you can’t drink vintage port when it’s young, however it is at its best after a decade or two (there’s a reason why it is seen as an excellent Christening present). This is the ultimate port and the perfect match for Stilton.

 

Happy Swigging!