Approaching the world of so-called 'fortified' wines can sometimes be difficult and complicated. And Port is no exception. In this blog article we will delve into this mysterious but fascinating world of Portugal's most famous wine.
Let us start, however, by understanding what Port is on a general level.a, widespread prejudice of those who think that Prosecco is only and exclusively an industrial wine, cultivated with conventional, intensive and invasive agriculture.
Port is a liqueur or fortified wine, produced in the 'Região Demarcada do Douro', in northern Portugal.
The wine is obtained by the addition of 77% vol. alcohol, obtained from the distillation of the marc, to the fermenting must. This produces a wine with perceptible residual sugar and an alcohol content of between 19% vol. and 22% vol. much higher than any normal wine.
It is difficult to establish the exact historical origin of Port, whose history is intertwined with the various political, economic and social events in Portugal. According to some archaeological discoveries, one could venture that the first wines produced are dated between the end of the 3rd century and the beginning of the 4th. Tools related to wine production have in fact been found dating back to this historical period. It then seems that during the golden age of discoveries and Portuguese colonialism following the voyages of great figures such as Magellan and Cabral, wine was fortified with the addition of alcohol of various kinds precisely to 'resist' the long ocean crossings.
Then there are other, more popular versions that link the invention of Port to trade with England in the 17th century. In particular, it is said that two English merchants, who came to Portugal to discover some oenological goodies, were hosted in the monastery of Lamego on the banks of the Douro river. On that occasion they were served red wine of great sweetness and smoothness that they had never tasted before.
Asking for an explanation, they were told that the monks were in the habit of adding aquavit to the fermenting must in order to obtain a wine as sweet as they desired.
Whatever the origin of this wine, we can certainly say that it is a drink that has deep roots in the country's culture like few others in the world.
Everything that revolves around the Port business is usually located between the cities of Porto and Vila Nova De Gaia, separated only by the Douro River. Whereas the production area with the vineyards is about 70 km from these two cities and is called the Douro Valley precisely because the vineyards are located along the course of the river. There are approximately 250 thousand hectares of vineyards, of which only 32 thousand are authorised for the production of Port grapes. The 'Região Demarcada do Douro' was declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2001 and was the fifth in chronological order after the Loire Valley, Saint Emilion, Cinque Terre, and Wachau.
The entire valley is divided into three sub-areas:
BAIXO CORGO
This is the westernmost area close to the Corgo tributary of the Douro. It is a rainy and humid area and therefore considered less noble. Grapes grown in this area are often used for the production of Ruby and Tawny.
CIMA CORGO
Area located near Pinhao, the hub of quality Port production. A less rainy and warmer area than the others with vineyards with better exposures. Grapes for Vintage and LBV often come from here.
DOURO SUPERIOR
Easternmost zone that reaches the Spanish border. It has an average climate that is warmer and drier than the other two and with mostly flat terrain.
Let's come to the grapes: There are about 80 grapes allowed by the specification, although we can say that the most used and best known are Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca and Tinta Cao.
Why all this variety of cultivated grapes? Because the seasonality is extremely variable and each grape with its own characteristics can bring quality to the final blend.
Traditionally, the vineyards were planted with the Socalcos system, real rock terraces suitable for the steepest areas.
Clearly, all work had to be done by hand because of the steep slopes.
In recent years, the Patamares system has come into its own, terracing not supported by rock walls and wide enough to allow the use of tractors and various machines.
Whereas in the higher parts of the hill with less steep slopes, the system used is that of Vinha Ao Alto.
For the reasons analysed above, Port can only be a blend of grapes, almost always from different vineyards, each with its own peculiarities.
For production, the oenological objective one wishes to achieve must be very clear and on the basis of that one must decide which grapes to use and which production process to follow.
Historically, during the harvest, the grapes were pressed with the feet in special granite tanks called Lagares.
Today, mostly modern machinery is used. The extractive part is fundamental: as Port is a wine of great structure and concentration, the extraction of colour and tannins through maceration of the skins is followed almost maniacally.
During fermentation, when about half of the natural sugar has been converted into alcohol, fortification takes place through the addition of an aqua-vitae with 77% vol. The added alcohol totally blocks fermentation, leaving a wine with a higher alcohol content of between 19% vol. and 22% vol. and residual sugar estimated at between 40 and 130 g/l .
Traditionally, Port is produced in the so-called 'Quinta', properties located in the Douro Valley, and then refined and marketed in Vila Nova De Gaia. Transport was done with the so-called Rabelos, typical boats on which the wooden barrels were loaded for the journey from the Douro Valley to Vila Nova De Gaia.
The time has come to decide which type of Port to produce. There are different styles of red Port, as well as white Port, up to the most recently introduced Rosé type.
WOOD-AGED PORT
Ruby:
Usually wines with 2-3 years of ageing in large wood. Ruby in colour (hence the name Ruby), they are young wines that retain primary aromas for a long time without benefiting from further time in bottle. Ruby Reserva:
have greater grape selection and longer ageing than rubies, presenting greater complexity of aromas and more structure.
LBV:
This is a vintage ruby given the particular quality of the grapes of a single vintage. If the words "filtered" are present, it is to be considered ready at the time of release.
If, on the other hand, we find "unfiltered" written on it, it may have benefited from further time in the bottle and thus present a slight deposit.
Tawny:
usually aged for up to three years in oak casks. It has a light garnet colour resulting from increased exposure to oxygen. It is usually low in concentration but has good complexity of aromas. Tawny Reserva: wines with higher quality than Tawny and longer ageing (up to 5-7 years) Tawny 10-20-30-40 years old: the number following the word tawny indicates the years of ageing in wood. These are wines with a significant oxidative part and tertiary aromas that increase with ageing years.
BOTTLE-AGED PORT
Vintage:
is considered the most important wine with enormous potential for bottle ageing. For this wine, only the best grapes from a single vintage are used after approval by the control institute, which determines whether the vintage can be considered suitable for the production of this wine or not. It is therefore only produced in the best vintages.
Crusted:
Very similar to vintage but with less ageing. It is called crusted because not being filtered it can present a slight natural deposit.
Now all you have to do is close your eyes and imagine yourself at dusk, enveloped in the warm golden light of the setting sun behind the hills of the Douro valley. In front of you, a glass of Port, the ruby nectar essence of Portugal.
Velvety sweetness, rich aromas of ripe fruits, subtle notes of chocolate, caramel and nuts...intellectual and refined, Port is perfect for quiet, contemplative evenings.
Paired with a mature cheese or dark chocolate, Port reveals its true nature, enhancing and complementing each mouthful with its depth and complexity.
But Port is more than just a wine; it is a celebration of reflection, an invitation to stop and enjoy simple but precious pleasures.
Once opened, Port can be kept for varying periods depending on the type. Ruby and Tawny keep well for a few weeks, while Vintage should be consumed within a few days of opening.
Having said that, we hope we have clarified your ideas and above all aroused your curiosity: below is our selection for you to discover.
