W3 Wine School

Vintage Port (Portugal)

Port Wine

Port is a fortified wine from the Douro Valley in Portugal.

It comes in 3 main styles: Ruby, Tawny and Vintage.

Vintage Port is one of the world's great classic wines and is produced in very limited quantities.

It is made from grapes harvested in an exceptional year, stored a short time in barrels, and then aged in the bottle for tens of years.

Vintage Port Flavors

Berries
Wild Berries
Lemon Grass
Lemon Grass
Raisins
Raisin
Plum
Plum
Chocolate
chocolate
Licorice
Licorice
Tea
Tea
Tobacco
Tobacco

Vintage Port Profile

Vintage Ports are Full Bodied, Rich and Elegant.

SUGAR:100g/l
BODY:Medium - Full
ACIDITY:Medium Minus
ALCOHOL20%
Temperature Serving temperature:
16-18°C
61-64°F

The Ideal Glass for Vintage Port

A Small Tulip Shaped glass consentrates the aromas (nutty, chocolatey, and fruity) near the rim for enhanced nose enjoyment.

The slightly narrow opening helps to capture the deep, rich aromas, making each sip more flavorful.

Vintage Port is usually served slightly chilled. A stemmed glass maintains the optimal temperature by preventing your hand from warming the wine.

Food Pairing

Cantucci
Cantucci
Berries
Berries
Fig
Fig
Dried Apricots
Dried
Apricots
Truffles
Cognac
Truffles
Crème Brulee
Crème
Brûlée
Blue Cheese
Blue
Cheese
Cheese
Aged
Cheese
Ham
Iberico
Ham
Roasted Duck
Peking Duck
Spicy Thai
Spicy Thai
Spicy Soup
Rich Chinese

General

Vintage Port is an excellent after dinner drink, served on its own or with dark Chocolate.

Dessert

Vintage Port is a delicious dessert wine that pairs particularly well with: Flavours of Almonds. Walnuts. Berry Fruit. Dark Chocolate. Creamy Desserts. Crème Brulee anf Figs.

The complex flavors of a Vintage Port pairs beautifully with the bittersweet tones of dark chocolate.

Cheese

Vintage Port pairs very well with rich blue cheeses (Stilton, Roquefort, Gorgonzola), but can also be enjoyed with a mature cheese like Manchego, Serra da Estrela or Parmesan.

The flavours of a salty cheese and a sweet Port are both strong enough to stand up to each other.

Exciting

Iberico Ham. Foie Gras. Peking Duck. Spicy Thai. Rich Chinese.

After Dinner

Vintage Port is an excellent after dinner drink.

It also pairs well with Cigar.

About Port Wine

Port is one of the great classic wines as Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne and other historic appellations.

Port is a fortified wine from the Douro Valley in northern Portugal, and comes in 3 main styles: Ruby, Tawny and Vintage. It is made by adding a small amount of grape spirit during the wine making process. It is usually served at the end of the meal with cheese or chocolate, as a dessert wine or as an after dinner drink.

Some styles, like white port, can also be enjoyed as an aperitif.

History

Wine has been produced in the Douro Valley for two thousand years. The first wines under the name of Port were shipped in the second half of the 17th century. At this time, in conflicts with France, the British turned to Portugal as a source of wine instead of purchasing it in Bordeaux and other French regions.


The Grapes

Red Port is built on indigenous Portugal grapes: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), Tinta Barroca, and Tinto Cão.

The Brandy used in the winemaking can be any neutral and colorless grape spirit from Portugal, or from other European wine countries (Spain, France, Italy).

White Port is made the same way as Ruby Port but with white grapes instead of red.


Vintage Port Bottle Aging

Maturation has a significant impact on the aromas and flavors of Vinatage Port which is typically aged in large barrels for a couple of years before being bottled to mature in the bottle for decades.

Bottle maturation transforms a Vintage Port from a bold, fruit-forward wine to one with complex dried fruit, earthy, and nutty characteristics, with softened tannins and a harmonious structure.


Tawny Port Oak Aging

Maturation has a significant impact on the aromas and flavors of Tawny Port, which is aged for extended periods in wooden barrels (typically small casks) rather than bottled early like vintage ports.

Extended barrel aging results in gradual oxidation and other complex changes, giving Tawny Port its distinctive character of dried fruit, caramel, and nutty flavors, smooth texture, and tawny color, creating a complex and distinctive wine that balances sweetness with oxidative, rich layers.


When to Serve Port?

Port is very versatile and can be paired with many different kinds of food. It is commonly served at the end of a meal with a selection of cheeses, dried fruits and walnuts.

It can also be served chilled as a aperitif such as Taylor’s Chip Dry and Tonic poured over ice in a glass, topped with tonic and a leaf of mint. Served with salted almonds and/or olives it is the perfect summer drink.


How to Serve Vintage Port

Opening and decanting an older bottle of Vintage Port requires careful handling to ensure the best drinking experience. By carefully opening, decanting, and serving at the appropriate temperature, you can fully enjoy the rich aromas and flavors of a mature Vintage Port.

Preparing the Bottle

Opening the Bottle

Decanting the Wine

Serving Temperature


The Port Academy

The Vintage Port Academy was formed to promote the appreciation and knowledge of Vintage Port. It was formed by the classic Vintage Port houses:

These six historic firms, all family owned and some dating back to the origins of Port trade over 300 years ago, have come together to develop the understanding and enjoyment of Vintage Port among wine consumers, collectors and professionals around the world.

One of the most majestic and long lasting of all wines, Vintage Port is an essential part of any wine collection.

The Douro Wine Region

Douro

The Douro region is the oldest wine region in the world (1756) and is classified as a World Heritage by UNESCO.

Famous for Port Wine, Douro also produces quality red wines (Douro Tinto) tasting from light Burgund to rich Bordeaux.

Black Grapes

White Grapes

Black Grapes

Touriga Nacional
Tinta Roriz
Tinta Amarela
Touriga Franca
Tinta Barroca
Tinto Cão

Sauvignon


Port Wines

Red Wines

Sauvignon

Ruby
Tawny
Vintage
Late Bottled Vintage

White Port

Red Wine

Douro Tinto
Douro Branco

Douro Climate

Corgo Viaduct

The Corgo Viaduct carries A4 over the Corgo river.

In general, Douro has a warm continental climate, but the climate is not uniform:

Baixo Corgo (below Corgo) in the west, has the mildest climate and produces the lightest wines.

Cima Corgo (over Corgo) is centered around the village of Pinhão, and has the majority of the famous Quintas (Estates).

Douro Superior in the east, is the hottest and driest regions. It goes all the way to the Spanish border. It has cold winters and hot summers and is a source of many wines of good quality.

Soil

Soil

The soil in Douro is very rocky. Terraced vineyards (schist bedrocks) are common.

Port vineyards are planted in silt layers on clay-schist spread over schist rocks.

Table wines are planted on granite-based soils.

Vila Nova de Foz Coa rio Douro

Alcohol can be addictive. Always drink in moderation.

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