Port
Port is a sweet fortified wine that has been made in the Douro Valley of Portugal since the 15th century. Port’s alcohol content ranges between 18%-20%, making it resistant to spoilage and oxidation. It is typically served after dinner with the dessert course. There are two major types of Port.
Vintage and Tawny Port Production
Vintage Port is made with grapes from a single year only during good growing seasons. Vintage Ports are only aged for 2 years in barrels, but they can develop for decades in the bottle. The best Vintage Ports have vibrant fruit flavors and a deep purple or red color even after many years.
Tawny port is golden-brown whereas vintage port is a deep purple or red. Most tawny ports are aged for at least 10 years and often for significantly longer.
Port’s historic popularity was the product of hostile trade relations between England and France as well as the English response to the War of Spanish Succession. Signed by England and Portugal in 1703, the Methuen Treaty made Port inexpensive to import to England and gave British companies incentive to distribute it.
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