Rich and complex or light and fruity, Port is history in a glass. Hailing from Portugal’s UNESCO-listed Douro Valley, this Portuguese fortified wine is known for its diverse styles and versatility – perfect on its own, in Port wine cocktails, or paired with food. Blending history, innovation, and flavor in every sip, this unique wine is celebrated on Port Wine Day on September 10th. To mark the occasion, Westgarth Wines explores fascinating, fun facts about Port wine.

1. First demarcated wine region

When you think of the wine world’s first appellation, what comes to mind? Châteauneuf-du-Pape? Champagne? Bordeaux?

Think again. Port’s home, the Douro Valley in Portugal, is widely acknowledged as the world’s oldest demarcated wine region. It was established in 1756 to safeguard the standard and reputation of this fortified wine style. This was a direct result of its popularity, especially in Britain, which led to the threat of overproduction and a decline in quality. To preserve its prestige, King Joseph I, with the guidance of the Marquis of Pombal, established the Companhia Geral da Agricultura das Vinhas do Alto Douro. This officially defined vineyard boundaries, introduced regulations on grape varieties and methods of production, and oversaw quality.

This pioneering demarcation not only protected Port’s excellence but also created a framework for future international wine appellations.

2. UNESCO heritage site

The Douro River at its foot, steep slopes dotted with white-washed settlements, the occasional church, and, of course, quintas, the Douro Valley was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2001. Described by UNESCO as a “cultural landscape of outstanding beauty that is at the same time a reflection of its technological, social, and economic evolution”, about 40,000 hectares are under vine, with a portion of this allocated for Port production.

The UNESCO Douro Valley features the famous terraces (dating to the 18th century) carved out of the precipices in two distinct fashions: Socalcos, traditional, narrow stone terraces that need manual tending since they’re located on very steep slopes, and Patamares, found on broader, gentler, stepped terraces which are easier to work.

3. Port cocktails

Traditionally, Douro Valley Port goes hand in hand with a winter log fire, Christmas dinner, and richly fruity and chocolatey desserts. There’ll always be a place for Port in the holiday season, but to limit this versatile wine to the festivities does it a disservice. This iconic fortified wine can be enjoyed all year round on its own, but also adds a luxurious note to cocktails. Try these:

• Ruby Port with tonic for a refreshing highball.
• Tawny Port shaken up with lemon juice and syrup for a velvety sour.
• White Port and tonic, lime, and mint for a new take on the Mojito.
• Rosé Port blended with sparkling wine and a drop of soda for a summery spritz.
• Vintage Port made with egg yolk, sugar, and nutmeg for an indulgent fall drink.
• LBV Port mixed with bitters and orange peel for a fresh version of the Old Fashioned.
• Colheita Port blended with bitters and rye whiskey for a Port expression of the Manhattan.

4. How to pair Port with food?

Port is famed for pairing with opulent desserts, blue cheeses, and tangy snacks. However, this fortified wine is also at ease on the dinner table.

Read on for food pairing suggestions on Fortified wine food pairings.

• Ruby Port is rich and fruity, making it ideal for grilled or roasted red meats and dark chocolate desserts.
• Tawny Port has nutty, caramel notes that complement roast pork with apple sauce as well as almond tart.
• White Port has a light, crisp profile, making it a great apéritif and ideal served with grilled seafood or light tapas plates.
• Rosé Port boasts a fruity, refreshing character, making it a good fit for grilled salmon or light vegetable pasta.
• Vintage Port is concentrated and bold, so it’s ideal for game stews, aged cheeses, and dark chocolate desserts.
• LBV Port pairs well with mushroom risotto, braised beef short ribs, or rich chocolate cake.
• Colheita Port’s nutty, caramel hints complement roast duck with orange sauce and nutty desserts like pecan pie to perfection.

5. Vintage Port: rarely declared

One of the most prestigious styles of Port, the Vintage category is only declared in the very best years – typically only three times per decade.

Vintage Ports are bottled unaged with the intention of decades of cellar aging, meaning they’re highly sought-after for enthusiasts and collectors. The rare declarations and long maturation make Vintage Port a valuable collectible as well as an outstanding drink.

• Made from 100-plus grape varieties in Portugal’s Douro Valley
• 30 varieties are used regularly
• The most important are Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barocca, and Tinta Amarela
• Became a British favorite in the 1600s during wars with France
• Some Tawnies age 40-plus years in barrels
• Celebrated Port producers include Taylor’s, Graham’s, Fonseca, Warre’s, Sandeman, Cockburn’s, Dow’s, Quinta do Noval, Ramos Pinto, and Niepoort.

Looking for more? Read on to discover everything you need to know about the different styles of Port wine.

Port is made in many different styles, qualities and prices. This diversity is mainly determined by the quality of base wine and the form of maturation. Aging times are often legally defined, while viticultural and winemaking decisions are dependent on the growing season and the desired style to be achieved. Below is a breakdown of Port styles, spanning everything from Colheita and Vintage Port to white and rosé.

Basic Ruby

Basic Ruby Port is produced using protective winemaking techniques to retain primary fruit flavors and avoid oxidation. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel or concrete tanks, followed by maturation up to three years in large vessels (stainless steel, concrete, or very old wooden vats). Multiple vintages are usually blended for consistency. Basic Ruby Port is deep ruby in color, with medium body, medium tannin, displaying red and black fruit, and designed for early drinking.

Basic Tawny

Basic Tawny Port undergoes light extraction and early draining of the must during fermentation to achieve its signature pale brown colour, with the remaining more concentrated must often used to add more colour and flavor to Ruby Port. Maturation time is similar to that of Basic Ruby Port, but Tawny Port undergoes oxidative aging in smaller wooden casks which gives it its signature nutty, caramel and dried fruit notes.

Reserve Ruby and Reserve Tawny

Reserve Ruby and Reserve Tawny are more concentrated, higher quality wines than basic Ruby and basic Tawny. There is no minimum ageing period for Reserve Ruby, while Reserve Tawny must be aged in wood for a minimum of six years.

Tawny with an indication of age

These Tawny Ports undergo long periods of oxidative aging in old wooden casks (typically 620 to 640 litres) during which color fades, tannins soften, alcohol becomes more integrated, and primary flavors give way to tertiary. The barrels are old so they do not contribute secondary oak flavors, and they must be racked and topped up from time to time due to slow evaporation. The indication of age can be anywhere from 10 to 50 years, which approximates an average age of the blended vintages – usually the wine would comprise batches that are younger and older than the age specified. Clarification and stabilization typically occur naturally in cask so this style of Port is usually bottled unfiltered. Recent years have seen the growing popularity of very old, non-age-indicated Tawny such as Taylor’s Scion, a Tawny Port of more than 150 years old, and Graham’s Ne Oublie, which dates from 1882.

Colheita 

Colheita is a Tawny Port from a single vintage that undergoes a minimum aging of seven years in small, old barrels of about 550 litres before bottling. The label must state the vintage as well as the year the wine was bottled.

Vintage Port

Vintage Port is a Port from a single ‘declared’ vintage: when the quality of the grapes and young wines is very high, such as 2011 and 2016. Producers must register their intention to release a Vintage Port in the second year after harvest, and the young wine must be approved by an IVDP tasting panel. Other than quality, market conditions also play a role in vintage declarations: vintages are declared roughly three or four years in ten. Grapes for Vintage Port come from the best-graded vineyards, often including a producer’s own vineyards. Some producers create super-premium wines from very select plots, usually of old vines. Vintage Ports undergo a maximum of three years aging in old, wooden vessels before extensive bottle ageing. They are bottled unfined and unfiltered. Young Vintage Ports tend to be deep in colour and full-bodied with high levels of tannins and a pronounced intensity of ripe black fruit and floral notes. As they age, the wine gradually develops dried fruit and forest floor flavors.

Single Quinta

In years when the producer does not produce a Vintage Port, they may produce a Single Quinta Port. This is a wine from one year that is made only from the grapes of one estate (quinta) that is stated on the label.

Crusted 

Crusted Port is made from more than one vintage, aged in old casks for up to two years before being bottled without fining or filtration which creates a deposit or ‘crust’ in the bottle. If the Port is released after at least three years of bottle age, the term ‘bottle matured’ can be included on the label. These wines can be similar in style to Vintage Port and many have considerable aging potential.

Late Bottled Vintage (LBV)

LBV Ports are Ports from a single vintage. They must be bottled between four and six years after harvest. This compares with two to three years for Vintage Port. However, grapes for LBV are usually of lower quality than those for Vintage Port. Maturation is usually carried out in large old wooden casks or stainless steel vats. LBV Ports are bottled ready to drink, with the majority having undergone filtration prior to bottling. They tend to have a little more intensity, body and tannin than Ruby and Ruby Reserve Port.

Rosé Port

Invented by Croft in the late noughties, pink Port is made from black grape varieties that tend to come from cool, high-altitude sites or from the Baixo Corgo. Extraction is limited to a few hours, free run juice is drained and clarified and typically blended with clarified juice from the lightest press. The aguardente is neutral and high-quality to minimise the sensation of alcohol on the palate. The wine is bottled soon after fortification and released for sale within a year. Color typically ranges from pale pink-orange to deep pink.

White Port

Like red Port, white Port is made in a range of styles using white grape varieties, with varying levels of sweetness and reductive or oxidative characteristics. White Ports qualify for the same labelling terms as Tawny Ports: ‘Reserve’ when they have been aged in wood for a minimum of six years, or age indicated (10, 20, 30, 40) when a wine is deemed by the IVDP tasting panel to have the taste of that age. They can also be labeled Colheita when coming from a single vintage and aged for a minimum of seven years.

Fruity unoxidised

Moscatel is the key grape variety used to achieve a fruity, unoxidised style of white Port. Upon arrival at the winery, the grapes are crushed and SO2 is added for protection. Maceration is short and at chilled temperatures to limit oxidation. The must is drained and pressed, and the juice is fermented at 17–18°C (63–64°F), to enhance and retain fruity aromas. Wines may be stored in either stainless steel or in very large, old oak casks for a short period. White Ports in this style are often lemon in color, medium bodied, and have flavors of stone fruits or floral notes.

Oxidative style

White Port wines made in the oxidative style are aged for several years in small, old casks, in a similar way to Tawny Ports with an indication of age. Malvasia is often the key variety, developing honeyed and nutty flavors with time. The maceration is slightly longer than for the fruity white Port and the fermentation temperature is higher. This extracts phenolics which support the wine during maturation. White Ports in this style are often amber or even brown, and tend to have flavours of caramel, citrus peel, dried stone fruits and nuts.

Intermediate style

White Ports can also be made with a slight oxidative character from limited aging in oak. They tend to still show some fresh fruit flavours, but can gain a slight nuttiness.

Very Old Wines

In 2022, new categories for very old wines were approved for White and Tawny Ports: 50 years old; and 'Very Very Old' or 'VVO' or 'W' for bottles aged over 80 years.

Want to read more? Take a look at some of our other blogs:

• • Collector’s Corner: The market for mature wines is booming
  • Symington Family Estates: A legacy rooted in the Douro
  • Red wine and chocolate pairings