Port wine isn’t subtle – it’s a “fortified” wine with added spirits, and because of the increased alcohol content, it has a real kick. Port is a sweet Portuguese style wine that comes from the Douro Valley in the northern provinces of Portugal.
Port is often served as a dessert wine, and there are several imitations of port wine which have been reproduced around the world.
Port is produced from the grapes grown and processed in the Douro region, and it is then fortified with the addition of distilled grape spirits, in order to boost the alcohol content before the wine making process is fully complete.
Port is richer, sweeter and heavier than other wines, and possesses a much higher alcohol content than table whites and reds. There are several different styles of this wine that are available, depending on how they’re aged: via reductive aging and oxidative aging.
The ports which have been matured and aged in sealed tanks or bottles with no exposure at all to air have experienced what is known as reductive aging, while the wines that have matured in barrels and which have had a small amount of exposure to oxygen have experienced oxidative aging.
Vintage Port
Although not as popular a selection of some of the other port varieties, vintage port is truly the flagship wine of all Portugal. It is made entirely from the grapes of a declared vintage year, and the actual decision to declare a vintage is made by each individual port house.
It tends to be more expensive than other port wines, however the flavor is also much more concrete and pungent, and so it is really worth the extra bit of money, at least once so that you can try it out for yourself.
Although it is usually paired with desserts, you can really try it out with a variety of other foods, in order to determine your own personal preferences, especially if the food is sweet.
You can also drink “medicinal” port – the wine is well known as a strengthener, so if you’re feeling under the weather, a small glass of port will make you feel better.
Cooking with port
Port adds richness to recipes. A half glass of port added to onion or vegetable soup tastes wonderful.
Try this great steak recipe – Beef Tenderloin With Port-Balsamic Sauce.
