PORT - VINHO DI PORTO - OPORTO - PORTO - PORT
A Port in the Storm
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These days, Port wines are all the rage. Why have they suddenly become so popular in today's society? Why the sudden interest? If we review the history of this unusual wine, we find that Port is reminiscent of a time and a culture that bespoke wealth, elegance and refinement. A cordial of Port perhaps even more so than a humidor of cigars is an image that impresses upon the onlooker a vision of courtliness and a sophisticated urbanity. “A Port in the Storm” was born amidst the whirling tempest of products now flooding the market. We are your sextant and point of compass in the wild sea of wines, and we'll tell you precisely which of the port wines are truly majestic and thus worthy of safe harbour in your personal wine cellar.
Port wine originally comes from the ancient Douro Valley in the northern provinces of Portugal. Defined as an appellation or 'protected region' in 1756, it is the second oldest established wine region in the world. The wine received its name in the last half of the 17th century from the seaport city of Porto which sits at the mouth of the Douro River. Much of the product was exported to other European countries from the Leixões docks. Served primarily as a dessert wine, there are several imitations that are produced by countries such as South Africa, India, Australia and the United States. Nonetheless, the European Union stipulates that only the product from Portugal be labeled as a Port. In the United States, one can identify a genuine Portuguese Port wine by a label that reads “Porto” or “Vinho do Porto.”
Port wines have a fascinating history and rose to fame as a result of war and happenstance. When King William III of England (a.k.a. William of Orange) became tired of the trade wars between England and France, he placed an embargo on French wines. Having lost their wine source (a great cause for dismay for any Brit of the 1700's), they turned to their ally, Portugal, to supply them their wine. Concerned that the wine might spoil during the long voyage, Portuguese wine merchants added a dark and astringent brandy to the barrels at dock as a natural preservative. The final product, thus born of political conflict, became quite popular in the pubs--served with lemon, of all things!
Peaked by the curious successes of this dark and thick and liquorous wine, local English wine merchants went to Portugal in search of a more elegant and potentially more profitable version of this dark and tangy nectar. Not an uncommon story in the world of wine, the merchants discovered that the smoothest and most palatable wines were in production at the monasteries nestled in the hills of the Douro. There, the friars added brandy to the wine during the fermentation process instead of at the end to stabilize and soften the wine. Intensification of sweetness, a rounding out of the flavour, was one intriguing result which lent itself well to pairings with sweetmeats, and dolci or desserts. Upon return to the Island, the 'new' Port was a tremendous success that quickly spread across Europe. And in the advancing Victorian period, the Americans imitated the lengthy British-style formal dinners which were followed by a 'port service' in which the gentlemen were dispensed port from decanters accompanied by cigars.
Today, the grapes of the remote Douro region are processed just as they would be in the manufacture of traditional wine, and then fortified mid-aging with distilled grape spirits that boost the alcohol content. The fortified wine is then stored and aged, typically in barrels stored in caves (which mean “cellars” in Portuguese). One does not find that latest wine making techniques and fancy equipment are used in this process. Instead, the Douro Valley's wine industry appears today much the way it did over a hundred years ago. Apparently, one can still find grapes pressed by hand and other limbs, although the details of this rumour we do not find to be gentlemanly or appetizing in the least.
Below are the recent winners of “A Port in the Storm's” self-proclaimed prestigious competition.
Yes, this site was brought forth in the complex world of wine snobbery and hype to help you find a haven and a good port with which to cuddle up by the light of moon. Below are the recent winners of “A Port in the Storm's” self-proclaimed Prestigious Port Competition.
Taylor and Norton Nieport 10 year Tawny Port
Taylor and Norton Barros 1960 Colheita Tawny Port
Montesquieu Wines 1999 Ferreira Vintage Port
Montesquieu Wines Tuke Holdsworth Vintage Port