What is a port wine?

A port wine is a fortified wine and is considered one of the world's greatest wines ever made. The name port comes from the city of Oporto that is situated at the mouth of the 560-mile long Rio Douro or River of Gold in Portugal. Many port style wines are made around the world, but the use of the name Port or Porto refers only to wines produced in Portugal, according to intowine.com, a website dedicated to wine information. Real champagne comes from the Champagne region of France. If not, it has to be called bubbly instead of champagne. This rule applies to port wine as well.

The alcohol to produce port wine is under very specific conditions resulting from natural and human factors. According to Brian Hay, a chef and culinary instructor at Austin Community College, the process of making port wine is similar to making a red wine; the red grapes are opened and fermented. When wine gets between 5 and 7% alcohol, brandy or a neutral spirit is added. While it ages in wood, port wine's aroma develops through oxidation with remnants of dried fruit, toasting, wood and spices. The aging process is what makes port wine smooth. The alcohol is then brought up to 18% and 22% alcohol, and then the wine is fortified. The wine ends up with a deep, dark red color and has a high content of sugar because it isn't fermented yet. Normally, the fermentation lasts until it is completely dry, meaning the yeast eats the sugar and coverts it to alcohol. The end product produces a port wine that is a deep red color with a lot of sugar and high alcohol content. "What makes port so different from red wine is its high alcohol content, which makes it hard to muster if you are not a traditional port wine drinker," says Hays.

There are several types of ports, but the most common are: Ruby, which is a younger port wine that is rich in color and has a very fruity taste. The age of Ruby is typically two years old. The other one is Tawny, which is a blended wine that is a little older; it has spent three to four years in casks that are called tawny.

Port wine was developed for shipping reasons. Hundreds of years ago wine had to be shipped from one country to another. The ships rocked, which caused the barrels holding the wine to leak. When the hot temperatures reached the wine, it went bad. The wine was cooked or was exposed to air causing the wine to turn to vinegar, but if extra alcohol was added then it took a longer time for the wine to go bad. The extra alcohol prevented bacteria and oxidation. So the wine was fortified and that is how port wine was born, says Hays.

Traditionally, port wine is served at the end of a meal with dessert. It pairs nicely with chocolate and is considered to be a great experience when paired together. "Port and chocolate are literally made for each other," says Hays.