Port

The main types of port wine

• Ruby Port : Young, fruity and deep red port wine without significant barrel aging. Often fresh and berry-like in expression.
• Reserve Ruby : Selected higher quality ruby ​​with more concentration and structure.
• Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) : Ruby style from a single vintage, aged 4–6 years in barrel. Ready to drink upon release, but can be stored for 5–10 years.
• Vintage Port : Top level. Aged only briefly in cask and then for a long time in bottle. Often requires 10–30 years of aging.
• Tawny Port : Aged longer in cask, giving oxidative notes of nuts, caramel and dried fruit. Typically in 10, 20, 30 or 40 year versions.
• Colheita : Vintage Tawny from a single harvest. Aged for a minimum of 7 years in barrel.
• White Port : Lighter style made from green grapes. Can be dry, semi-sweet or sweet. Often used as an aperitif.

Grapes and production

Port wine is typically made from a blend of local Douro grapes:

• Touriga Nacional : Structure, color and aroma. The most prestigious grape.
• Touriga Franca : Softer character and floral notes.
• Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo) : Structure and acidity.
• Tinta Barroca and Tinto Cão : Gives fullness and spice.

Most port wines are still produced in the mountainous Douro region, where the climate creates intense, aromatic and concentrated wines. Fermentation is stopped with aguardente (grape spirit), after which the wine is aged in either large barrels (Ruby, LBV, Vintage) or small wooden barrels (Tawny, Colheita).

Frequently asked questions about port wine