Port

Port wine is an alcoholic drink with a centuries-old and very interesting history. This is the name of the Portuguese fortified wine, which is produced according to a certain technology in the north-eastern region of the country, in the Douro River valley. The strength of the drink varies from 18 to 23 degrees.

Port wine owes its name to the place of its “birth” – the city of Porto, which is located on the coast of the Douro. However, in fact, the production process of the world-famous drink is associated with two “twin” cities at once: Porto, which is located on the right bank of the river, and Vila Nova de Gaia, which is located on the left bank. It is in Vila Nova de Gaia, connected to Porto by several bridges, that the final process of “ripening” of wine takes place.

Historical information

The history of the emergence of port wine is rooted in the very depths of centuries. It is believed that its ancestor is Henry II of Burgundy. Having married a Castilian princess, he received the county of Portucale as a dowry from her father. It was on his orders that vines of varieties brought from Burgundy were planted along the banks of the Douro River.

It should be noted that the place for the vineyards was not chosen the best. The banks of the Douro are high and steep, the land is not very fertile, and the grapes grew in conditions that can only be described as extreme – on narrow terraces and much higher than recommended. In addition, summers in the region are incredibly dry and hot. Moreover, baskets with the harvest had to be delivered to the city by hand, because due to the terrain, neither horsemen nor carts could drive up to the vineyards.

The wines that were produced in Porto were in fact no different from Burgundy wines and most likely would not have competed with French producers if it were not for the trade war that unfolded between England and France at the end of the seventeenth century. In 1688, the Sun King Louis XIV imposed a ban on the export of French winemakers to England after King James II was overthrown in Foggy Albion. As a retaliatory sanctions, the new British monarch William III banned the import of French wines into the territory of Foggy Albion. To fill the deficit formed in the market, British merchants went to Portugal for wine. In 1703, England officially reduced the import duty on the products of Portuguese winemakers.

However, new problems were not long in coming. As it turned out, Portuguese wines simply could not withstand shipping by sea. In order to prevent the drink from spoiling during long-term transportation, winemakers began to add brandy to the wine without waiting for the fermentation to complete. The result is a completely new drink – sweet, strong and able to withstand a sea voyage.

Demand for “porto-vine” (literally “wine from the city of Porto”) in England grew rapidly. However, in 1730, an unexpected scandal broke out that dealt a serious blow to the industry. As it turned out, unscrupulous producers added sugar and elderberries to port wine in order to make its taste and aroma more attractive to buyers. British traders massively complained about the counterfeit. As a result, port producers turned to the Prime Minister of Portugal, Marquis Sebastien José de Pombal. In 1756, almost a century before the French, the Portuguese introduced a concept similar to A.O.S. (certificate of controlled appellation of origin). In other words, the region of port wine production was clearly defined, located in the Douro Valley. Vineyards outside this territory, the raw materials from which were used to produce this wine, were destroyed. In addition, the Marquis de Pombalu introduced a restriction on the production of the drink and measures aimed at controlling sales. A General Agricultural Company of Upper Douro Wines was also created to oversee how all initiatives were implemented.

Types of port wine

Like any alcoholic drink, port wine has several types:

1. Tawny is the classic and most common variant of this wine. It is left to mature in pipis oak barrels that can hold 550 liters of the drink. In order for the wine to mature in the most favorable conditions, only barrels that have previously been in use are used. Thanks to this trick, the port wine does not have the characteristic taste of wood. This type of drink got its name due to its reddish-brown hue. This color is the result of oxidative reactions that take place in barrels, as a result of which the wine partially loses its color. It is Tawny that is considered to be the most common type of port wine.
2. Ruby is a drink of rich scarlet color, really reminiscent of a ruby. They keep it for a very short time so that it retains its unique shade. The law of the Institute of Wines of Porto and Douro states that Ruby should not be aged for more than three years. It is noteworthy that oak barrels are rarely used for this, more often steel or cement containers are used, the capacity of which can reach 30000 liters. This helps to minimize the contact of the drink with oxygen, as a result of which it is possible to prevent its oxidation. Port wine has a bright fruity taste.
3. Colheita is a unique type of port wine, sales of which do not exceed 1% of the total volume. This wine is created exclusively in those years when the grape harvest is characterized by very high quality. This is a drink that is aged for at least twelve years. It is stored in barrels and bottled just before it is sent for sale. A distinctive characteristic of this type of port wine is a light aroma of dried fruits and a golden color.
4. Garrafeira is another elite variety of port wine, which is aged for seven years in oak barrels, after which it is poured into glass containers with a capacity of ten liters. There, the drink is aged for at least another eight years. Its name comes from the Portuguese word for bottle.
5. Branco is a port made from white grape varieties such as Fina or Codiga. Berries are harvested at the moment of their maximum maturity, when the content of sugar and tannins in them literally rolls over. Branco is left to mature in oak barrels with a capacity of up to 20000 liters. It is noteworthy that the longer such a port wine is stored, the more intense its shade becomes.
6. Lagrima is a gift for those with a sweet tooth. This port wine is considered the sweetest among the wines of this type. Use it chilled with olives and meat dishes.
7. Late Bottled Vintage – vintage port wine of the so-called “late spill”. The thing is that classic vintage ports are very expensive, and therefore wine materials for them are harvested in limited quantities in order to put as much wine on the market as it can consume. The reason for this is obvious – with overproduction, the price of an elite product will decrease, which cannot be allowed. Once the wine materials were prepared more than necessary. As a result, in addition to vintage port, a series of Late Bottled Vintage was released, the price of which was an order of magnitude lower.
8. Crusted is a rare Portuguese port that uses high quality grapes. It got its name from the word “sediment”, since this wine is not filtered. Before serving, it is poured into a decanter.
9. Vintage is an elite variety of port wine that is aged in bottles for twenty to fifty years. It is distinguished by its rich scarlet color, the taste of berries, fruits and dark chocolate.

Manufacturing technology

To date, the technology of making port wine is strictly regulated. Grapes are grown exclusively along the Douro River, starting from the village of Barqueros, located seventy kilometers upstream from the city of Porto, and up to the Spanish border. Over the past centuries, the conditions in which the grapes intended for making port wine ripen have not become less extreme. The river flows into a gorge, the depth of which is several hundred meters. The slopes are incredibly steep. The terraces where grapes grow are very narrow, and they can still only be reached on foot. Therefore, all work related to the cultivation of vineyards, the picking of berries and their delivery are carried out exclusively by hand, like many centuries ago. If we add to this the suffocating summer heat, it becomes clear why the Portuguese call port wine “the wine that exists against all odds.”

In total, more than eighty varieties of grapes are grown in the Douro Valley, but only half of them are allowed to be used to produce the legendary wine. These varieties are divided into three categories: recommended, permitted and acceptable. Among the recommended ones are only ten varieties of black grapes and two white ones.

Harvest begins at the end of September. Clusters are cut by hand, sorted in the same way, not enough good berries are rejected. In small baskets, the grapes are carried to the sites, where they are reloaded into giant baskets with a capacity of up to fifty kilograms, and then carried down to the road, where a truck pulls up, carrying the crop to the winepress.

Previously, port wine grapes were crushed with their feet so as not to crush the seeds, which could add bitterness to the drink. Now special devices are used. The finished juice, along with the peel, is placed in tanks, where the fermentation process begins. This takes two or three days. During fermentation, the peel floats, and the resulting “cap” is stirred to activate the process. At the same time, the amount of natural sugar is constantly monitored. When it drops to the prescribed level, the wine is diluted with 77% alcohol. As a result, fermentation stops, and the resulting mixture is characterized by a strength of 18-23 degrees with a sugar content of 8-10%.

All winter the future port spends in wineries, and at the end of February it is taken to Vila Nova de Gaia, the twin city of Porto. In warehouses, the wine is blended, poured into huge barrels and left to mature. This process can take from two to forty years. Elite varieties of port wine mature in barrels made of American oak wood, which are characterized by high density. Portuguese oak casks are considered to be of lower quality because the wood is looser, so the wine can develop a characteristic taste.

Calorie and chemical composition

The energy value of port wine is 163 kcal per 100 g of product. Proteins and fats are absent, and the carbohydrate content is 12 g.

The chemical composition of the drink contains sodium (9 mg) and potassium (95 mg), as well as magnesium, phosphorus and vitamins B2 and PP.

Benefit for health

The beneficial properties of the drink are due to its composition. When used in moderation, this drink has tonic and antibacterial properties. In addition, it has the ability to thin the blood, preventing the formation of blood clots.

Port wine contains the antioxidant resveratrol, which in its action resembles antibiotics. In addition, it has the ability to prevent malignant degeneration of cells, which allows it to be used for the prevention of cancer.

Also, port wine “works” very effectively as a means of cleansing blood vessels from “bad” cholesterol. A moderate amount of the drink also normalizes appetite and metabolic processes in the body.

How to drink port wine

Like all noble alcoholic drinks, port wine has its own drinking traditions, which true gourmets consider to be a real crime to violate.

First of all, a few days before opening the bottle, it is placed in an upright position. In the event that the port is unfiltered, immediately after uncorking the bottle, the drink is poured into a decanter. Filtered port is allowed to be served in the original bottle.

After opening the bottle, it is customary to throw away the cork immediately, since it is impossible to re-close the port wine, this will spoil its taste.

Red ports are usually served at a temperature of 18 degrees, and white – chilled to 10 degrees.

In Portugal, it is customary to drink port wine from special glasses that taper upwards, resembling a tulip. Fill the glass no more than half, so that true gourmets can enjoy the aroma of the drink.

At home, port enjoys a reputation as an exclusively “male” drink. Instead, women are offered a sweet fortified wine – sherry.

Real gourmets say that port wine should be drunk without gastronomic “accompaniment” and on an empty stomach – in other words, snacks should not be served with it. In extreme cases, it is allowed to drink this wine after meals – for example, after soft cheese or nuts, cold cuts, candied fruits or sweet pastries.

As for drinks, port wine is combined with fruit juices and strong coffee, as well as mineral still water, which helps to reduce the strength of the drink. At the same time, true connoisseurs of port wine do not dilute.

Use in cooking

In cooking, port wine is used to prepare sauces that help bring out the taste of a variety of meat and fish dishes. In addition, it can be used to make cocktails.

Cooking mullet with cherry and port wine sauce

To prepare this original dish, you will need the following ingredients: 600 g of mullet, 40 g of savoy cabbage, 15 g of breadcrumbs, the same amount of parmesan cheese, 5 g of butter for cooking fish, 20 g of butter for cooking potatoes, 150 g of sweet cherry or cherry, 250 g of red wine, the same amount of red port wine, 400 g of potatoes, 80 g of red onion, salt, pepper, garlic, thyme to taste.

Remove pits from cherries. Pour wine and port into a saucepan, add cherries there and cook until the mixture acquires the consistency of a sauce.

Peel the potatoes and cut into slices 3-4 mm thick. Cut the onion into strips, fry.

Salt the potatoes, place in a small frying pan, drizzle with melted butter and sprinkle with fried onions. After that, it should be baked in the oven at 180 degrees until cooked.

Now prepare the savoy cabbage chips. Put the cabbage leaves into boiling water and leave for one minute. Then take it out and immediately put it in ice water. When the leaves have cooled, dry them on a paper towel, then carefully brush with butter and fry in a pan. Sprinkle the fried leaves with croutons and grated parmesan, then send them to the pan. Parmesan should melt and turn golden, and the cabbage itself should be crispy.

Fillet the fish with the skin on, remove the bones, salt and pepper. Fry in a skillet until golden brown, laying the fish skin side down. After that, turn over, add a cube of butter, garlic and thyme. Simmer the fish for a couple more minutes, brushing it with melted butter.

Put the finished mullet on cabbage chips, pour over with cherry sauce and serve with potatoes.

Preparing a cocktail “porto chocolate”

Mix in a tall glass 45 ml of red port, a teaspoon of vanilla ice cream and the same amount of chocolate syrup. Sprinkle grated dark chocolate on top and garnish with cherries.

Preparing a Porto Lime Cocktail

Put ice cubes (50 g) on ​​the bottom of the glass, then pour in 20 ml of lemon juice, 40 ml of white port and mix. Garnish with a lemon wedge.