Port of call

Scaling the fortifications of Portugal's greatest wine

Uncorked by Thor Iverson

Ah, summer. The perfect time for light white wines, gentle low-alcohol sippers . . . nah, to hell with that. How about big, thick, obnoxiously sweet red wines with a punishing 20 percent alcohol level? We're talking about port, and despite all its heaviness and alcohol, there is absolutely nothing that compares to sipping a glass of tawny port on the lawn or balcony while watching the sunset aflame on the horizon.

Port was invented and perfected in Portugal's Douro region, and the finest examples still come from there. However, winemakers from Australia to California make similar products bearing the name port. In response, Portugal had the traditional name for the wine -- Porto (from Oporto, an important city for the trade) -- protected by law. To avoid confusion, I'll use the uncapitalized word port to refer to all Port-style wines, and I'll write Port or Porto to refer specifically to the genuine Portuguese article.

Port might be from Portugal, but it's an English invention. In the late 1600s, severe taxes on French wine forced English aficionados to look elsewhere. Merchants soon discovered the heavy red wines of Portugal, but to prevent spoilage during the long boat trips back to England, they topped off the wine casks with brandy. The result was a medium-sweet blend of bitter red wine and brandy. Soon, enterprising Portuguese winemakers began adding brandy before fermentation stopped, leaving a lot of residual sugar in the wine and taming the grapes' natural bitterness.

Port was, and is, made from a wide range of mostly nondescript grapes: touriga nacional, tinta barroca, touriga francesa, tinta roriz (the same as Spain's tempranillo), tintã cão, and others. The genuine article can cost anywhere from $5 for a half-bottle of ruby Port to hundreds of dollars for vintage Port. From Portugal, look for Taylor-Fladgate, Fonseca, Dow, Quinta do Noval, Croft, Martinez, Quinta do Vesúvio, Warre, Cockburn, and Ramos-Pinto. (My personal favorite everyday Port is the Fonseca Bin No. 27, which costs less than $20 and is available everywhere.)

Non-Portuguese ports rarely top $25. Australia makes a lot of port-style wines, and their tawnies are both outstanding wines and tremendous bargains. Seek out examples from Chateau Reynella, Yalumba, d'Arenberg, and Chambers. California ports aren't at the same quality level, though the occasional zinfandel-based port can be quite tasty. South African examples, when you can find them, are the most outstanding bargains of all -- don't pass up the rare opportunity to try one.

Young port goes well with Stilton and other creamy blue cheeses, but the best food match is a bowl of nuts. However, there is a certain interest in the combination of ruby or tawny port and vanilla ice cream that may or may not be a bizarre personal taste of mine. The best match of all -- a ruddy sunset on a cool fall evening -- will be available soon in a sky near you.

The styles of Port

Ruby: Deep red, very fruity, this is the freshest of Ports and ideal for summer sipping. The word ruby rarely appears on modern bottles; it has been replaced by brand names like Bin No. 27, Warrior, and Boardroom. These days, the only sure way to identify a ruby is to determine that it's not one of the other styles. (Hey, no one said this was easy.) Drink soon after purchase.

Tawny: Theoretically a faded ruby with longer barrel aging. Modern tawnies, however, are often blends of inferior grapes and devoid of character. Stick with major producers like Taylor-Fladgate and Fonseca, and drink immediately after purchase.

Aged tawny: This is what tawny Port is all about. It's aged in wood casks and bottled with a general indication of the wine's average age (say, 10, 20, or 30 years) on the label. This is more of a winter drink but can be delicious post-barbecue. The best tawnies possess a wonderful brown sugar-roasted nut flavor. Personally, I think most tawnies over 30 years are too old, but make up your own mind. Buy with confidence in this category. Can be held for a little while after purchase, but oxidizes quickly once opened.

Vintage: The pinnacle of Port (non-Portuguese versions are not comparable), this accounts for only 1 percent of all Port production. Vintage Ports are made only in years when a particular house deems the grapes of sufficiently high quality. They need at least 15 years of bottle age to be worth drinking (and 40 is often better; the best vintage Ports will outlive all of us). They also need careful decanting. Newer vintages (1994 from most producers, '95 from some) cost $30 to $500, but older and more mature bottles can often be had for the same price. Start small, with excellent producers like Martinez, Dow, Croft, and Quinta do Crasto, and if you like the style, try the big (expensive) guns from Fonseca, Taylor-Fladgate, and Quinta do Noval.

Colheita: Single-vintage (and vintage-dated) tawny Ports, these are absolutely outstanding expressions of the tawny style. Ready to drink at release. Rarely seen; buy anything you find.

LBV (Late-bottled vintage): Vintage Ports from less-stellar years, these are delicious while you wait for "real" vintage Ports to mature (they also need decanting, and can handle some aging). However, there's a new, filtered style that is basically a cynical marketing ploy and not worth drinking. Ask your retailer for help.

Vintage character: Sort of a premium ruby, rarely worth the extra money. Another marketing ploy.

Single-quinta vintage: A single-vintage, single-property wine made in the style of vintage Port, but usually only in "non-vintage" years. Sometimes not released until mature. Look for names like Quinta do Bomfim (from Dow), Quinta da Vargellas (Taylor-Fladgate), Quinta da Cavadinha (Warre), and Quinta dos Malvedos (Graham). Depending on the vintage, can be consumed at release or aged; needs decanting.

Crusted: Multivintage blends, unfiltered (or very lightly filtered), deep and rich, these are the "real" vintage-character Ports. The name is rarely used these days.

White: Medium-sweet, made with ultra-short skin contact. Very popular in some countries, but not to my taste.

Thor Iverson can be reached at wine@thephoenix.com.

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