Autumn is Here: Time to dust off the Port

Hey gang,

Autumn is here, and if you're anything like my wife and I, you've been enjoying the wonderful crisp nights. I'm not sure why, but we tend to spend more time outside on our deck at night in the fall enjoying some adult beverages. With that in mind, chilly autumn nights are absolutely perfect time to enjoy some Port wine.

If you recall, a while back I wrote a post on the different types of Port wines, as well as some delicious little treats to enjoy with each. To revisit that post "Port Wine. Nature's Candy?", please click here. Since I've been on a diet lately, I won't be enjoying Port with any treats, however, I have been loving it with a nice cigar. I'm sure my friend Matt from the Daily Doormatt can tell you just how great this little libation is with a cigar.

In addition to my post on Port, you may also enjoy this entertaining video by Gary Vaynerchuk, director of operations at Wine Library. Gary pairs some different Ports with blue cheese, and provides commentary as only he can. Check it out.

Anyway, I just wanted to get you guys thinking about another option for you as you take advantage of these delightful Autumn nights. Enjoy it while it lasts!


Cheers.

World Wine Tour: Welcome to Portugal

Boa vinda a Portugal...Welcome to Portugal! This has been one leg of the world wine tour that I've really been looking forward to.

Depending on where you get your info, Portugal is the sixth or seventh largest wine producing country in the world. However, unlike most of the world's wine producing countries, Portugal's wine reputation has been built around its own indigenous grape varieties, and of course, its classic fortified wines - Port and Madeira. Rarely seen are the big 'noble' grapes of Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, the Portuguese preferring to reflect the character of their wines in grapes best suited to the terrain, topography and climatic variations. It is a country of contrasting climatic conditions from the cooler regions of the 'Vinho Verde' in the North with its Atlantic influence to the parched climate of the Alentejo in the South.

In looking at Portugal’s wine regions, it’s helpful to split the country in two, by drawing a line about a third of the way down. This separates the northern regions of the Minho, Douro, Dão and Bairrada, and the central and southern regions of the Alentejo, Ribatejo and Estremadura. Ok, so let's take a look at some of these regions, and briefly touch on what to expect from them.

Minho or Vinho Verde
Portugal's largest DOC region stretches from the hills south of the river Douro to the River Minho in the North. The region is best known for one of my all time favorite types of wines - Vinho Verde. The white wines are crisp, refreshing dry wines, naturally low in alcohol and bottled with a slight sparkle. Vinho Verde wines are largely exported, and are the most exported Portuguese wines after the Port Wine. In the extreme north of the region around the town of Mono the Alvarinho grape produces delicate, dry white wines with slightly higher levels of alcohol.

Douro
Both red and white wines are produced here and, of course, the famous Vinho do Porto (Port Wine). The grape varieties used to make table wines are similar to those in Port, with more than 90 different grapes being permitted. Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz are the most widely accepted grapes and accepted as the best for table wines. Some of the used castas or grape varietals, such has the Touriga Nacional, are unique to the country and do not exist anywhere else. The red wines are deep and dark with ripe aromas and full berry-fruit flavors, which are both intense and concentrated. The white wines are crisp, fresh and fragrant with great flavor. There has been a major influx of red table wines from this region into the US, and the quality seems to improve year over year.

Dao
This region is in north central Portugal, with the reputation of producing some of the country’s best table wines. Over two-thirds of Dão wines are red. Red Dão tends to be firm and tannic, with fruity flavors.

Bairrada
The Bairrada region produces table, white and red wines. The whites are generally dry but fruity.

Alentejo
Located in southern Portugal, with a pretty harsh climate, Alentejo produces some unique, high quality wines. Red and white wines made from healthy grapes share ripe fruity aromas and flavours. White wines are crisp and fresh.

Ribatejo
The region produces two very different styles of wine. Vineyards on the fertile river flood plain produce large amounts of light fruity red and white wine for drinking young. White wines still predominate in the Ribatejo, but it is the reds that are gaining reputation. With so many different soil types and grape varieties, wines from the Ribatejo region vary greatly from lighter red and white wines nearer the river to full flavoured reds capable of long ageing in bottle.

That's all for now. We'll post a review later today.

Port Wine. Nature's Candy?

So I got a call from a buddy on Wednesday night with a wine question. He was curious to know if Port wine would be a good match for a cheese cake desert he planned to enjoy. Man, now I was on the spot...I needed to recall some of the info I learned from my visit to Porto in Portugal over the summer. Me, the wife, and my bro and sis-in-law visited the Sandeman facility there. One word...AMAZING! But anyway, back to my buddy's question. It got me to thinking that I should write a post about Port, since it may be very unfamiliar to many of you.

First, let me tell you that real Port wine is comes only from Portugal, the Duoro Region to be specific. Port wine is definitely a desert wine, and is different because it has above average alcohol content (most range between 19 and 22% volume). It's also special as its color and sweetness range according to the different types of Port.

White Port - Mrs. Vine Guy's favorite!
Made from a selection of white grape varieties, and is then aged and fortified. It is typically a simple multi-year blend of vintages, can be sweet or dry depending on the house style.

Ruby Port
The most basic of port styles. This label given to younger wines that display a deep color; they are fairly fruity and are, on average, 2 years old. This is made with a blend of red grape varieties and is blended from several years. It should not be aged, and tends to taste of berries, with light tannins.

Tawny Port
Is a ruby port that has been aged for several years in small oak barrels. This gives the port a tawny color, as well as a buttery, caramel flavor. If a tawny port is listed as being "10 years" or "20 years", this means that the *average* vintages used in the blend is that number. A 10 year tawny might include some wine from 8 years old, and some from 12 years old, and so on. These are usually sweet. The decreed age indicators are 10, 20, 30, and even more than 40 years.

Dated Port Wines

From a single year can be sold after they have aged for at least 7 years. These uniform types are labeled "dated Port." Mrs. Vine Guy and I bought 3 bottles of a 1999. And also bought a bottle for Grape Nut when we were there.

Vintage Port
Is the high end of port releases. Vintages, as the name suggests, are wines of superior quality, produced in exceptionally great years from distinct areas within the region. Only the best years are declared a vintage and used for this purpose. Vintage Ports account for only two percent of all Port wine made. All of the grapes from a single harvest are used in a given wine - i.e. a 2000 vintage port contains only grapes from the 2000 harvest. This wine is aged in oak and then aged in the bottle. When you buy a vintage port, often you must then age it for another 10-30 years before it is at its best drinking flavor. This is the type of port you find in expensive cellars, waiting for decades to be enjoyed. Vintages are very full-bodied and deep-colored. Once they are in the aging process, they get a smoothness and elegance. Some exceptional vintage years include 1945, 1955, 1963, 1970. Others of note are 1977, 1980, 1983, 1994, 1997, and 2000. 80, 83 and 97 are very good buys compared to the prices of some of the other years I mention.

Late Bottled Vintage (L.B.V.)
Port is also from a single year, only it's borne from years of excellent quality and is aged longer in wood than is the case with vintage Port. It was created specifically for the restaurant market, to give them a vintage type port that did not have a sediment and could last a while after being opened. Generally, it is bottled between the fourth and sixth year after it is made and is red in color, full-bodied and smooth. When you buy your LBV port, you should drink it soon - it is not meant for aging. When you open this bottle, though, you can expect it to last for a full month before starting to lose its flavor. Traditionally, it's more gentle and full-bodied than vintage Port wine (of the same year).

So, which Port is right for You? Well, generally I recommend newer Port drinkers start off with a tawny that provides an excellent introduction to Port drinking and are relatively inexpensive. Moreover, you can drink it at the time of purchase. Tawny Ports of very good quality are often sold with an indication of the time they have spent in cask: ranging 10, 20 or 30 and even 40 years. By the way, I recommended my buddy with the cheesecake pick up a 10 year Tawny.

This info on Port wine is a great segue into our visit to Portugal for the world wine tour. Don't forget, starting Monday, we will review 5 wines from Portugal. I hope you'll join us. Also, don't forget to vote for where we go after Portugal.

That's all for now. If you have questions or comments, let me know. Remember to swirl, sniff and swig. Have a great weekend!