FEATURES ARCHIVE

The story of Port is one of triumph out of adversity; made from the fruit of vines grown against the odds in the almost perversely harsh and remote conditions of the Duoro Valley. A wine whose exact origins remain a mystery, the threads of Port’s history are woven together with those of the political and trade alliances struck between England and Portugal in times of war and peace. It is also the story of a wine enjoyed and revered around the world for its sublime characteristics. Famous as the drink of choice to finish the perfect meal, its many styles offer equal and often undiscovered pleasures as a chilled aperitif. With so much more to Port than meets the eye, and the palate, here we provide you with a point of embarkation for your passage to Porto.

Drinking in Styles – ‘Bottle Aged’ vs. ‘Wood Aged’
Ports of high quality come in two styles - those that are aged in bottle and those in wood. Wood-aged ports are known as tawny ports and are aged in barrel. They are called tawny due to the colour the wine takes on after about six years’ maturation. The main ‘styles’ are 10 year old, 20 year old, 30 year old and over 40 year old. The ageing time quoted on the label is, in fact, an approximation of the time matured rather than an exact figure. If you come across a ‘colheita’ port, this is a tawny port from a particular year rather than from a blend of different ports. Bottle-aged ports are bottled two years after the vintage and mature in the bottle for many years. As they mature they ‘throw’ sediment and require decanting.

I Declare! – ‘Vintage’ vs. ‘Single Quinta Vintage’
A port is only declared ‘vintage’ in the best years - on average this occurs around three or four times each decade. The producers blend wines from all their vineyards to create a high quality port capable of ageing for decades. Great vintages include 1963, 1970, 1977 and 1994. Single quinta ports (or ‘single property’ ports) are made in lighter years and come from one particular vineyard. Generally they are lighter than a full vintage and are more approachable when young. Famous single quintas include Taylor's Quinta de Vargellas and Graham's Malvedos. They represent excellent value.

A Special Relationship – English vs. Portuguese Shippers
Port has been produced since the 17th century when English wine merchants had to look for alternatives to French wines the import of which was prohibited. Due to close ties between England and Portugal many merchants settled there, particularly in the Douro. The shippers still exist and still have their English names: Taylor, Graham, Dow and Warre among others. These shippers are better known for their bottle-aged ports which are more suitable for the temperate English weather. In a similar way, the Portuguese shippers are traditionally better known for their wood-aged ports, which suit a hot climate – 10 year old tawny, for example, is a delicious chilled aperitif.