📜 Port
The famous fortified wine of the Douro Valley, aged in the cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia near Porto.
Port is a famous fortified wine from the Douro valley in northern Portugal. Grape spirit is added to wine while it is still fermenting. The spirit stops fermentation, so natural sugar stays in the wine, which makes it sweet and strong.
The wine is then taken down the river and aged in the cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia, right opposite the city of Porto. That is where the name comes from. Port can be red, white or rosé. The main red grapes are Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca and Tinta Cão.
Port is protected as an appellation, and only wine from the Douro has the right to the name. Other sweet and fortified wines are related to it, but Port remains the best known. It is served in small glasses, with cheese, desserts and nuts. Because of its high strength it is drunk in small portions. An opened bottle of Port is usually finished within a few weeks, though this depends on the type.
How it connects to Wine
📜 Port ← main grape of ← 🍇 Touriga Franca → kind of → 🍇 Grape varieties → kind of → 🍷 Wine
Links
- Related to
- 📍 Douro
- Main grapes
- 🍇 Touriga Nacional, 🍇 Touriga Franca, 🍇 Tinta Barroca, 🍇 Tinta Cão
- Wines
- 🍷 Red wine, 🍷 White wine, 🍷 Rosé, 🍷 Fortified wine, 🍷 Sweet wine
Frequently asked questions
What is Port?
A sweet fortified wine from the Douro valley in Portugal, made by adding grape spirit.
Why is Port sweet?
The spirit stops fermentation, so part of the natural sugar stays in the wine.
Where is Port aged?
In the cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia opposite the city of Porto.
What to read next
- 🍷 White wine — Wine made from grape juice without the skins; it can come from pale and even dark berries.
- 🍷 Red wine — Wine from dark grapes that ferments with the skins and takes its colour from them.
- 🍷 Sweet wine — Wine with a lot of sugar, drunk with dessert or instead of it.
Similar
📜 Duriense · 📜 Grand Roussillon · 📜 Banyuls · 📜 Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise · 📜 Tarragona · 📜 Floc de Gascogne
⚠️ Wine contains alcohol: adults only, drink in moderation. Wine usually contains sulphites; egg white or milk proteins are sometimes used for fining — important for allergies and for vegans.