In this video which is a clip from our Port episode we’re going to talk all About what is Port how it’s made the Three different styles as well as the Difference between vintage and Non-vintage Port here we go [Music] Welcome to the most important part of This episode what is Port it’s the Answer is a bit long but hang with me The information is worth it now there’s Always been some confusion about Port so Let’s get one thing clear right off the Bat it’s just wine it’s not a liqueur or Spirit like some people believe Port is Simply made from grapes specifically a Blend of grapes they’re about 110 Different grapes allowed in Port but in Practice 30 your most common and six in Particular are almost always used The process starts with regular must or Unfermented grape juice nothing new here Yet from there we’ll start to see the Difference between Port and other wines Port is a fortified wine which means a Clear neutral spirit in this case a 77 Alcohol Brandy is added mid fermentation Making about a quarter of our final Product Brandy to three quarters lime And this is what sets Port apart from Other wines when the brand is added it Raises the overall alcohol to 20 and Kills the yeast wine makers do this when The yeast has eaten and converted only
About half of the grape sugar to alcohol And thus leaves the other half in the Wine this is why Port is sweet and I Don’t say that lightly most Port has About 100 grams per liter of sugar which Puts it deliciously on par with Coca-Cola so now at this point we have a Sweet 20 alcohol fortified wine but the Process doesn’t stop there Our wine now approaches a fork in the Road before it can reach its final Destination its bottle white Tawny or Ruby let’s start simple white port this Is the only Port made from white grapes And the only Port that is sometimes made Dry it’s either standard white port or Reserve which has been aged in Oak for Seven years these wines have flavors of Apricot roasted nuts Citrus honey and Are great on their own or with tonic or Soda as an aperitif there are fun Fresh And Easy drinking Next we have Tawny Port Tawny ports are Aged in small barrels so the wine is Exposed to oxygen from the breathable Oak and has a lot of juice to Wood Contact you can even see it in the color Hence its name Tawny the wood and oxygen Give Tawny a signature nuttiness and Oak Presence flavors like dried fruit Coffee Caramel toffee cinnamon almond and toast Are all common from there we have our Subcategories of Tawny port and yeah There’s a bunch first up regular Tawny
Aged two years next is Reserve age six Years then you have what’s called aged Tawnies tenure 20-year 30-year and 40 Year I mean how crazy right how often Can you drink a wine that’s older than You or close to your age anyway at an Affordable price Also note that all these are the average Age of the wine I say average because Most of these wines are blends of Different vintages or non-vintage the Longer a Tawny wind ages the more of Those oxidative properties it takes on They get smoother more nutty and take on Flavors like butterscotch and vanilla The last subcategory is collierta Port Which is single vintage Tawny it’s Usually very high quality and aged at Least seven years in Barrel but Sometimes up to 50 before release Easiest thing to remember about Tawny Ports they can all be drunk when you Purchase them just like white ports Tawny has been aged for you by the Producer and won’t really benefit from More aging okay we’re almost there this Brings us to where things get Interesting the boss level of ports if You will Ruby while Tawny ports remind Us of brown things caramel and nuts Ruby Port reminds us more of fruit this is Because they’re made from red grapes and Aged in large Oak barrels that impart Very little oxygen or Oak flavors but
It’s in the subcategories where things Get really exciting basic Ruby Port is The most popular style of pork made and Has flavors like Blackberry raspberry Cinnamon and chocolate Reserve Ruby sometimes called vintage Character special or finest has five Years of Oak aging is full-bodied and Richer than standard Ruby and is one of The best values in port wine both Ruby And Ruby Reserva are non-vintage so You’re drinking these right at release But let’s talk vintages this only Applies to certain tawnies and rubies a Vintage year in the land of Port is a Really big deal it’s only declared by a Producer about three to four times a Decade when the producer decides it was An exceptional year vintage ports are Made differently besides the grapes Being from just a single vintage they Spend only about two to three years in Oak are bottled and then released Immediately then you the consumer or the Retailer or the restaurant are expected To age them in the bottle for 20 to 40 Years until they’re in their Prime and Ready to drink but good things come to Those who wait this is the height of Port wine Rich full-bodied integrated Tannins licorice plums Bramble toffee Violets tar tea spiced fruit cake these Wines are exceedingly complex and while They aren’t quite as affordable as the
Other styles they’re still relatively Accessible twenty-year-old vintage ports Can be had starting around a hundred Dollars for finally there’s one last Style lbv or late bottle vintage these Are vintage ports made in years that Aren’t officially declared vintage years And are aged longer and bottled later Than vintage ports hence late bottle Vintage they’re top quality wines ready To drink on release and a good Approximation of vintage port but at a Lower price Still with me I know it was a lot but It’s worth demystifying a lioness Specialist Port if you’re still Scratching your head try drinking a Glass or two yourself to help bring it All into Focus Foreign And see the gorgeous Porto andoro River Valley make sure to watch our full port Episode which is available for free on Our page or the link to the left and Don’t forget to subscribe [Music]
