Since it is the season of giving, merry-making, and entertaining, how about keeping a delicious Port on hand to fill your cup of holiday cheer? Festive, warming and down right luxurious, Port is lovely all by itself. However, should you pair it with a little indulgence -- a bit of blue cheese, a fine cigar, a bite of caramel nut candy, or a dark chocolate cookie, Port can elevate the spirit, stir the soul, and make everyone happy and content. Isn't that what the holidays are all about?
Portuguese by birth, true Port is, nonetheless, a child of British invention. A 17th century war with France cut off Britain's best wine source. Merchants, desperate to find a new supply for their thirsty public, turned to Portugal, a trusted ally. The wine was plentiful, but less than thrilling. Undaunted, the British headed deeper into the countryside seeking better sources, and improved production. Before long, several traders set up houses, and established transportations systems to get the better wine from the Douro Valley, down to the coastal city of Oporto, and off to England. In order to stabilize the wine for this long journey, the British began the practice of fortifying or adding a "bucket or two of brandy" to the barrels.
Who knows why, but somewhere along the way, someone decided to add the brandy before the wine was fully fermented. That blast of alcohol killed off all the yeast, and stopped the fermentation process before all the sugar was gone. Thus, wines that were once dry and astringent (and high in alcohol) became sweet and fruity (and high in alcohol). England went wild for this new style, and a vibrant industry began. Early on, the Portuguese created very tight controls on production, however, the major houses, such as Churchill, Grahams and Dow, are still quite British to this day.
To be called Port, the approved grape varieties must be grown in the Demarcated Region of the Douro, which is pretty rough terrain; the vineyards were literally carved out of stony mountains. Only a limited amount of Port is produced every year, and only by sites with the highest ratings. The winemaking process traditionally starts with the human foot, but now mechanical feet, toes included, are far more common in pressing the grapes. The wine is then shipped to the coastal town Vila Nova de Gaia and aged for the appropriate time before bottling. The quality of the wine and the aging methods employed determine a Port's style. Here are a few worth noting.
Vintage Port
These are the very, very top of the line.
Exceptional, rare and expensive, they require great patience. After a
brief time in cask, they are bottled and released, but by no means
ready to drink. They require at least 15 years to offer the complexity
that people expect, but can easily go as long as 30. Not every harvest
can make a Vintage Port. Only 9 have been declared in the last 50
years. Here and BNFB we offer Churchill's 1997 Vintage Port ($50), and
three from the stunning 2000 vintage, Graham's Vintage Port 375ml
($45), Smith Woodhouse Vintage Port ($50) and Dow's Vintage Port ($75).
These make treasured gifts for wine lovers, and will only get more
valuable over time.
Crusted Port
Made from several vintages and aged in cask
for up to 4 years, this unfiltered port is bottled and then allowed to
age an additional 2 to 3 years before releasing. Often a crust forms
from the sediment, hence the name. It is ready to drink immediately or
can be held a few years. It should sit upright, undisturbed for 24
hours before decanting or drinking. Churchill's Crusted Port $30, is
dense, jammy and concentrated. A poor, impatient man's Vintage Port.
Late Bottled Vintage or LBV
These are wines from a single,
excellent vintage, aged for 4 to 6 years, and ready to drink when
bottled. Though filtered, they may throw a little sediment. Churchill's
1999 LBV, rich with deep berry flavors and firm structure, is an
excellent example and a steal at $24.
Tawny Port with Indication of Age
A blend of vintages that
age for 10, 20, 30 or 40 years in cask. These are made from high
quality wines and offer a slightly lighter, drier, and nuttier flavor
because of the long wood ageing. They are meant to be consumed when
released. Examples include Churchill's 10 Year Tawny ($32), which shows
ripe fruit and hints of chocolate, and Dow's 20 Year Tawny ($55) with
complex flavors of walnuts and toffee,
Vintage Character or Premium Ruby
Aged 4-6 years in cask,
then filtered and bottled. Good quality, and relatively inexpensive
this is a blend of several vintages and is fruity and full-bodied.
Graham's Six Grapes, ($11 half bottle, $19 full bottle) is a great
choice for a first timer.
Since most Ports hold for days after opening, and cookies stay fresh for a week a sealed container, you'll always be ready for that impromptu guest. Grab a bottle and whip up a batch to treat yourself throughout the holiday season.
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