Drink up
with David Setley
For anyone whom I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with about wine, it likely doesn’t come as a surprise to read that I am a big fan of Portuguese wines. In fact, I kind of geek out on it, as you will soon see in this article. To say I was looking forward to our cruise stop in Portugal is an understatement. I shared a bit about the wines we enjoyed at our stops in Spain in my last two articles. This week, I’d like to discuss the wine that made Portugal famous. You guessed it – Port.
The earliest records of wine production in Portugal date back to 2000 BC when an ancient civilization known as the Tartessians inhabited the southern region and planted grape vines for wine production. Not only did Tartessians drink the wine they produced, it was also used as a form of currency. Wine regions and varietals grown in Portugal grew throughout the ensuing centuries, as the land was inhabited by the Phoenicians, the Greeks, and then the Romans. Interestingly, Portugal endured a time after the fall of the Roman Empire, in which alcohol consumption was forbidden. This was during the reign of the Arabs (Moors) and continued until the Christian reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula between 801-1142 AD. By the 12th century, the wine industry was reinstated in Portugal.
At the same time, Portugal also engaged in a trade relationship with England, cultivated, at least in part, by wine. England’s climate was not conducive to growing grapevines, but its people still had an appetite for wine. Although they may have enjoyed French wines, the political environment between the two nations was not always supportive of trade. Case in point: in 1693, King William III imposed a harsh tax on French wine as part of punitive actions against France. As such, the English signed a treaty with Portugal in 1386, creating an alliance that allowed for consistent trade of numerous commodities, including wine. By 1717, Portuguese wines accounted for at least 66% of the wine in England.
You may have noticed that many of the well-known brands of Port – Sandeman, Graham’s, and Taylor Fladgate – have notably non-Portuguese names. No wine is more representative of the relationship between England and Portugal than Port. Wine writer Karen MacNeil once stated: “if Portugal is the mother of Port, Britain is certainly its father.” England’s appetite for Port, or blackstrap, as it was known at the time, continued to increase through the years. Unfortunately, so did instances of fraudulent wines being sold under the Port name. As a result, authorities in the Douro River area near Porto established the Douro Wine Company, making this one of the oldest Appellations (a designated wine-regulation region) in the world. Much like Chianti Classico and Champagne, for wine to be labeled as Port, the wine must be produced in the designated region while conforming to all established regulations.
Port wine is a sweet fortified wine, typically enjoyed as (or with) dessert. Although there are white ports and even some rosé, the majority are red in color and come in the Ruby or Tawny style. Tawny Ports can be aged for decades before consumption. Both styles can be found at very reasonable prices but if you opt for an “older” Tawny, you will pay a higher price. Port wines are made from grapes indigenous to Portugal. In fact, there are as many as 52 varieties of grapes native to the Douro that may be used, including Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz (aka Tempranillo), Tinta Barroca and Tinta Cão. Interestingly, traditional Port wines are not made from crushing the grapes, but are instead “stomped.” Although some “traditional” wineries still use human labor to stomp the grapes, many have converted to mechanical “feet” to provide this service.
After stomping, the winemaking process commences similarly to how it would for other wines, except the fermentation process ends earlier. This ensures that the wine is still sweet and the alcohol level is low (approximately 6%). At that time, the winemaker will “fortify” the wine by adding a distilled alcohol of about 40% alcohol content, often brandy, to the juice. The wine is then aged, usually in oak barrels, for at least 2 years, or, in the case of Tawny Ports, 10-40 years, before bottling. The result is the wonderful fortified wine that we’re familiar with, with an alcohol content between 19% and 21%. In comparison, non-fortified wines typically have an alcohol content between 10% to 14.5%. As such, a typical pour of Port is only about 3 ounces.
Port flavors vary by style and brand, but by and large, Ruby Ports offer fruitier flavors of blackberry and raspberry with notes of cinnamon and chocolate, whereas Tawny Ports have a profile of caramel, hazelnut, and baking spices, with notes of black raspberry and figs. Either style may be enjoyed as a dessert on its own, or as an accompaniment to chocolates, fruit, or cheese platters. Graham’s Six Grapes Port is an excellent example of a Ruby Port, with all the flavors noted above plus the addition of cherries. Or, try the Niepoort Tawny Port. The caramel and hazelnut notes of this wine make it an excellent dessert with chocolate or aged cheddar.
Ok. So now you may be thinking “wow – he really does geek out on Portugal.” Guilty! I hope you enjoyed learning more about Port wines. Next week I’ll refocus on more about our trip to discuss some of the other great wines from Portugal. In the meantime, feel free to contact me with any questions at dsetley@passionvines.com, or stop into the store. Until next time, happy wining!
David Setley is enjoying his retirement from higher education as a wine educator and certified sommelier at Passion Vines in Somers Point, New Jersey.
