Not Just Any Port in a Storm

I’m not sure when I began this tradition but I always have a bottle of Port on hand during the holidays. There is something about the richness and warmth of Port that really gets me in the spirit for the craziness of the season. Incidentally, this fortified wine from Portugal can also make a nice, last-minute gift for the wine lover in your life.

Port is an example of a liqueur wine made by adding a high alcohol spirit to stop the fermentation before all the sugar has been converted to alcohol. It comes in a variety of styles (all with some level of sweetness) from easy drinking and inexpensive to collectible vintages that are rare and expensive. There are price points for every budget.

Here are some of the more common styles.

White Port: This golden-colored wine is made with white grape varieties and has honey and nut aromas and flavors. Styles can range from off-dry (just slightly sweet) to sweet—the level of sweetness should be mentioned on the label. White Port pairs nicely with fruit-based desserts like apple or pumpkin pie.

Ruby Port: This is the most basic and fruit-forward style of port—made from a blend of younger wines from various years. The flavors of dark red fruits are rich and sweet and make this a great partner for chocolate mousse.

Tawny Port: These can be young, basic, uncomplicated, and inexpensive. I usually upgrade to a Reserve Tawny Port, the product of at least seven years of aging in oak casks or a Tawny Port with an indication of age—ten, twenty, thirty, or more than forty years old, with the age stated on the label being the average age (not the minimum) of the wine in the bottle.

Both styles of Tawny Port would pair nicely with pecan pie or nut-laced cake and cookies. Age-dated Tawny Port is complex and layered with flavors of caramel, walnuts, raisins, coffee, and chocolate. I like this type of Port for late-night sipping with biscotti, other sweets with nuts or sometimes with sharp cheeses.

Vintage Port: Most other wines automatically state a vintage on the label but for Port, declaring a vintage is only done in exceptional years and these wines are typically crafted from the best vineyard sites. They are full, rich, and tannic when young and can mature slowly for at least twenty years—often for many more. Vintage Port is classically paired with stilton, blue, or camembert cheese, or with dark chocolate truffles and chocolate tarts.

Late Bottled Vintage Port (LBV): This is confusing because LBVs are made every year (not just in exceptional years), and are not of the same quality as Vintage Ports. Nor are they intended for long-term aging. Although LBVs are not as complex and rich, they are wines of very good quality and are about half the cost of a Vintage Port. This is another good choice for chocolate lovers or for a plate of chestnuts—roasted on an open fire, of course.

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