Port or Vinho do Porto is a fortified wine produced in northern Portugal’s Douro Valley. This sweet, red wine is known throughout the world simply as Port, and it is a wine that is extremely easy to love – even for beginners.
The Making of Port
Port can be made from a wide variety of grapes, but the five most widely cultivated varieties are Tempranillo, Touriga Francesca, Tinta Cão, Tinta Barroca, and Touriga Nacional. Of these five, Touriga Nacional is considered the best grape for Port.
Port is one of the many wines that are fortified. This means brandy or some other grape spirit is added to the midstream during the fermentation process. This allows the wine to retain the original flavor and sweetness of the grape so that each sip is smooth, round, and rich. Once the wine has been fortified, it is stored and allowed to age in oak barrels. [Read more…]
