A Magnificent Sweet Red Wine

Port is a fortified candy purple wine that’s thought-about the sweetest of any kind of purple wine. (It must also be famous that Port could be dry and white, so one should take care to learn the labels!) As a fortified wine, brandy has been added to the Port through the fermentation course of, leading to the next alcohol content material – round 17 – 20%. This technique of including brandy to wine started when ship crews on lengthy voyages of a number of months, or extra, discovered that the addition of alcohol to their wine barrels prevented the wine from going dangerous. The method continues immediately, although not for a similar causes. Immediately, Port is matured in both sealed glass bottles, or wood barrels.

Port originated in Portugal and the grapes are from the Douro Valley. The wine takes its identify from the Portuguese metropolis from which it was shipped – Porto. Whereas many would think about the one true Port to come back from Portugal (simply as the one true champagne comes from France), it is usually made in America, Argentina, Australia, Canada, India, and South Africa.

Candy purple Port is usually seen as a dessert wine, however it will also be served as an aperitif, or as an after dinner drink. Resulting from its excessive alcohol content material, the Portuguese serve Port in very small four-ounce wine glasses. Then, they solely fill the glass midway!

There are three types of candy purple Port: Ruby Port, Tawny Port, and Classic Port. Ruby Port is, as its identify suggests, a deep, wealthy purple shade. It doesn’t must be decanted and is served finest at room temperature. As a dessert wine, Ruby Port pairs effectively with fruity desserts, or wealthy, creamy desserts.

Tawny Port is a lighter shade that Ruby Port with classes of ten, twenty, thirty, and over forty years. Tawny Port doesn’t must be decanted and could be served at room temperature, or barely cooler. It might be served after dinner, or with desserts. Fruity desserts, wealthy and creamy desserts, or milk chocolate are wonderful compliments to Tawny Port.

Classic Port tends to be the lightest in shade because of the size of growing old. It represents solely 2% of all Port produced and in Portugal, a “classic” 12 months is said about each three to 5 years. Classic Port is taken into account to be the perfect. It does must be decanted by utilizing a small funnel with a strainer. It must be served at room temperature as an after dinner drink, or with the dessert as a dessert wine. It pairs effectively with fruity desserts, wealthy and creamy desserts, or darkish chocolate.