Dec 11 2009
Portugal Port wine traditions
Fortified wines from Portugal are noble all over the world for its marvelous taste and bouquet. When we think about Portugal wines we usually mean such wine kinds as Madeira and Port, although these wines are produced on an island outpost Portugal, but don’t be hurry to say that you know Portugal wine world, this country have a lot of surprises for you.
Now let us touch the basic element in wine making and as you could guess the conversation will be about grapes in Portugal. Climate conditions of this country allow growing of grapes of various types. We ought to tell that nobody brought grapes there, so all grape types in this country are native for it.
Portuguese use different grapes for their red and white wine types.
For their red wine people from Portugal use grapes called Touriga Nacional, this grapes is also an important element in producing Portugal port wine. Also they can use such types of grapes as Periquita or Baga.
If you ask someone of Portugal inhabitants what grapes is necessary to produce white wine type, then they will tell you about Alvarinho, Fernгo Pires, Bual, Malvasia, Sercial or Verdelho. Last three grape types Portuguese use for their noble madeira wine.
Now let us touch one of the most famous Portugal wines called Port. Because of centuries of wine making Portugal people have different styles in making this delicious kind of wine. So we are here to discover them.
First type of Port wine is called Vintage Port. If you will find Vintage Port be sure it is an excellent wine that was probably stored from 1 to 15 years or even more. The year Portuguese begin to store wine is called Vintage year, but not every year in Portugal they can declare as a Vintage year. Vintage Port is a mix of different grapes varieties from different vineyards. These wines are rare and expensive, but they worth it, because it is the best port wine type Portugal can offer to you.
Second type of Port is called Single-Quinta Vintage Port. This wine is also very good, but the year they produced it was not so well to be called vintage. The main difference between these two Port types is in the fact that Single-Quinta Vintage Port is made from the grapes of one vineyard.
Third type is called Late Bottled Vintage and I must warn you that this type is not a real vintage. Wines which are labeled like “Late Bottled Vintage” can come from different years but all of them are stored in oak barrels. Portuguese use such method to provide similar taste as good as Vintage Port has. Sometimes they manage to do that, sometimes not, so if you decide to buy Late Bottled Vintage then should be prepared for a wine lottery.
Forth type of Port is Ruby Port and if you like sugary wines this type is for you. Ruby Port is not stored for a long and for storing it they use wood barrels.
Tawny Port is a fifth type of Portugal port. This type is very similar to a previous one but the difference is in the time and the way of exposure. Tawny Port Portuguese store in oak barrels and the time of storing is longer than they do for Ruby Port.
The sixth and the last one Port type is called White Port which is usually very good before food.
