2009 ~ No. 2
Getting to Know Port
“It
should feel like liquid fire in the stomach [showing] the sugar
of Brazil in sweetness and the spices of India in aromatic flavor.”
This evocative description was written by Association of Port
Wine Shippers, way back in 1754.
With these fiery qualities, is it any wonder Port is the ideal
drink for warding off winter’s chill?
This wine has a storied history dating to the 1630s, when the
first Port trading houses opened for business. But it was a chance
encounter in 1678 between two Englishmen and the Abbott of Lamego
that set the industry on fire. Upon tasting the Abbott’s
wine, the traders asked what made it so “agreeable”
and “sweetish.” They learned it was the addition of
brandy to the fermenting wine and promptly bought up the entire
supply to take back with them.
The next century was a grand one for Port. Many of today’s
famous estates were established, including Warre & Co. in
1670, Croft & Co. in 1678 and Taylor’s in 1692. And
in 1756, the Duoro area where Port is made became the first classified
wine region in the world. The protections established were good
for the business, improving both quality and prices, which tripled
in a mere 20 years!
So, what makes Port Port? It is a wine, just one that has been
fortified to stop fermentation. Crafted from a blend of native
varietals, the process begins as with any wine. The grapes are
crushed then fermented, albeit at higher temperatures than usual,
which does no damage to the wine and is believed to account for
its chocolatey complexity.
Once the wine reaches an alcohol level of six to eight percent,
a grape-distilled spirit called aguardente is added,
giving the wine increased alcoholic strength but not any aroma
or flavor. This act also leaves residual sugar in the wine, thus
its sweetness.
The
wine is then transferred into oak barrels to begin the maturation
process, which can take as little as several months or as long
as decades, depending on the type of port being created. During
this time, the wine may be blended (with wines from other vintages
or vineyards) and racked (to remove sediment.) Eventually, the
wine is bottled, with some Port ready to release and drink at
this time. Other Ports receive additional ageing in bottle before
being released for sale.
Ageing – either in oak or bottle – is a key factor
that differentiates one Port style from another. Here are the
ones you are most likely to encounter:
White Port – Crafted from white grapes,
these are usually sweet and fairly undistinguished.
Ruby Port – Simple, young and fruity,
these Ports spend little to no time in cask. They are not meant
to be kept, but enjoyed upon purchase.
Tawny Port – So named for their faded
brown hue, these wines receive longer ageing in oak than ruby
Port. They are also not keepers and should be enjoyed right
away. Some “tawny style” Ports are actually blends
of ruby and white Port.
Aged Tawny – These are blends of wines
that have been aged in wood for 10, 20, 30 or 40 years, with
the number representing the average age of the wines in the
cuvee. They have a delicate, nutty flavor.
Colheita – A tawny Port from a single
year, with the date of harvest and sometimes the year of bottling
on the label. But due to different production requirements –
it must spend at least seven years in cask – it is not
a vintage port. These wines may also be bottled under the label
“Single Harvest Reserve.”
Late Bottle Vintage (LBV) – Produced
with fruit from a single vintage, these wines must spend between
four and six years in cask, which again prevents it from being
called vintage. They are full-bodied and ripe with notes of
raisin, roasted nuts and spice. Though ready to drink on release,
an LBV will keep for up to six years.
Vintage Port – As in Champagne, Port
vintages are declared only in the best years. It must be bottled
within two years of harvest, then kept to age for roughly 10
to 30 years. Because these wines spend comparatively little
time in oak, they tend to retain their fresh, fruity character.
If you open a vintage Port, it should be decanted and enjoyed
within a day of opening.
The classic food pairing with Port is Stilton cheese, though
it also goes well with anything chocolate. You can also try it
with baked fruits or cheesecake. One of the most interesting pairings
I’ve heard of is vintage Port with rich Chinese dishes!
(Peking duck comes to mind.) So don’t be afraid to experiment
with any matches that strike your fancy. But also remember the
virtues of keeping it simple: Port is also excellent when enjoyed
all on its own.
Quick Tidbit
Port is not named for its country of origin, but rather for Oporto,
the town from which it is traditionally shipped.
My Piedmont
Valentine
Italy’s
Piedmont region produces some of the best wines in the world,
some of which you’ve probably never heard of. So please
take a moment to let these two charming wines introduce themselves.
First, bring a little sparkle to the table with a bottle of Brachetto
d’Acqui. This lightly fizzy red wine offers flavors of black
raspberries and cherries with notes of clove and violet. It is
medium-bodied with a trace of sweetness, making it an excellent
match for fresh fruit or chocolate for dessert. Or fresh fruit
drizzled with chocolate…
Most Brachettos are of good quality, so even a large production
brand like Banfi’s
Rosa Regale will be satisfying. But if find a bottle from
a lesser-known label, that’s the one you should get!
By the way, Brachetto is the name of the grape and Acqui the
region in south Piedmont where it grows. This is one of Italy’s
few sweet wines to have earned DOCG status, the highest appellation
given.
Next, get to know Freisa, a wonderful dry red wine crafted using
an ancient Piedmont varietal of the same name. Though obscure
outside of Italy, this wine is gaining popularity for its lively
feel.
Pale cherry in color with a dashing acidity, this is a wine destined
to pair with food. It has lots of raspberry notes on the nose
and palate underscored with soft earth and mushroom tones.
Best served slightly chilled, this wine shines when enjoyed with
antipasti, steaks, pasta Bolognese, grilled chicken and salmon
or poultry with a soy-ginger glaze.
A Surprising
White to Recommend
In
the course I’m currently teaching, we taste one grape from
six different regions. It’s a great opportunity to see how
factors like climate, soil and winemaking techniques influence
the taste of a wine.
Chardonnay was the focus of the first session, and one wine stood
out in particular for me: Columbia Crest “Two Vines”
Chardonnay.
I know! Your surprise at reading that probably mirrors mine tasting
it. A higher-end label than Columbia
Crest’s everyday wines, the “Two Vines”
Chardonnay showed surprising caramel/butterscotch notes with crisp
undertones of apple and pear. I loved that the aromas jumped out
of the glass, and that the wine felt warm and round on my palate.
There was good nuance and flavor, and this was a favorite of
the class as well. The best part is the price - $10 retail, on
average.
Columbia Crest Two Vines Chardonnay. Retail price: $10. Rating:
B1
One More…
The newsletter was supposed to end above, but
I tasted this sublime, unexpected, wonderful wine last night and
had to share. It was a celebratory dinner at a restaurant known
for its farm-raised, rustic cuisine. We put ourselves in the hands
of the wine director, asking for something “interesting,
but not too challenging.”
He
recommended the Paolo
Bea Arboreus Trebbiano from 2004 as a perfect match for
the menu. It was a very deep hued yellow with some peach tones
to it, which may have been the lighting, although the wine’s
age also accounts for its darker color.
The aromas were very restrained, with crisp fruit notes and
maybe a hint of earth. On the palate, the wine had a distinctly
rustic feel, though the flavors themselves weren’t overly
earthy or mushroomy. As the wine opened, it mellowed out completely
with the individual tones melting seamlessly one into the other.
This isn’t a sipping wine – it definitely should
be enjoyed with food. It’s great with sea scallops, hake
and other light fish, beet salad, potato gnocchi, seafood paella
(though not one that’s too spicy), or pork in a dark berry
sauce.
Paolo Bea Arboreus Trebbiano 2004. Retail Price: $78 Rating:
A2
