Guides
Port, Portamento
In America it’s the after-dinner drink of champions, and it’s not just for winter anymore. Whether gunning for a spot in the boardroom or a way to impress friends, if you know a thing or two about this sweet stuff, says CLAIRE MICCIO, you’ll go far.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
- Better Baby Names Bureau (The Non-Expert)
- This Is Not a Eulogy (Profiles)
- The Vanishing Date (Spoofs & Satire)
Also by Claire Miccio
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- 2007
HolidayChristmas Survival Guide forSlackersCultural Warriors (December 21, 2007) - Gift Subscriptions (December 20, 2007)
- The 2007 Good Gift Games (November 28, 2007)
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If you think a mild winter abates one’s affection for port, you’d be in line with just about everybody I know. You’d also be wrong. I love port in March as much as I do in January, which brings me to my point: Although great in the winter, port shouldn’t be confined to it. There are a number of occasions to enjoy port in spring—for one, spring cleaning. I mean, what better way to shake the dust off those rugs than to wrestle them in a fit of drunken rage?
For those of you who haven’t been hitting the bottle, port is a sweet, fortified wine: Partially fermented red wine is combined with brandy to produce a thick, highly alcoholic mixture that is then aged. Officially, to be called “port” or “porto,” the wine has to come from the Douro river valley region in Portugal. However, “port-style” wines are now produced around the world. There are a number of grape varieties that can be used, but you’ll often find Tinta Roriz (known as Tempranillo in Spain) and Touriga Nacional in your glass.
With port, a little bit goes a very long way. Because of its high alcohol content (usually between 20 and 30 percent) and its sticky sweetness, it takes only a few ounces of the stuff to warm your heart like a kitten batting a ball of string. This inner heat is probably why we associate port with roaring fires, studded-leather armchairs, and rich, lonely, lecherous men.
Not that port doesn’t have other, more social, applications. In America it’s enjoyed as a dessert wine and can be the perfect finish to, if not the highlight of, any dinner. In France, it is presented as an aperitif, steadying the body and mind before a long meal. Though no matter where you are in the world, when served with a strong, stinky blue cheese, port is a religious experience.
Port has that reputation—and it’s one you can use to your advantage. Say you’re entertaining at home and those adorable little appetizers from Trader Joe’s have emerged from the oven as charcoal nuggets. As long as you’ve got port on hand, you could dump store-brand croutons on a plate and your guests will be impressed. Out to dinner with someone you’re trying to impress? Order port for dessert. Port earns points; it paints you as a bon vivant more than a fruit tart ever will.
What port is undoubtedly best for, however, is making simple things feel special. It’s rich and comforting, and there is nothing I’d rather be drinking while dreaming myself away from this cruel city. If only I were rich and lecherous, the portrait would be nearly complete.
* * *
Port, like any wine, comes in a number of styles and varies from vineyard to vineyard, year to year. Tawny ports are aged in wood, soft in taste and texture, and lighter in color. Although they are aged 40 or more years, I believe the 20-year tawnies are the tastiest, Sandeman in particular. Bottles labeled “Colheita” are ready-to-drink tawnies that contain grapes from one year’s harvest. If you come across any cheap bottles labeled “Tawny” with no mention of age, avoid them: They are a blend of ports with caramel color added and should only be poured into your new alternative-fuel vehicle.
Finding what port you prefer isn’t difficult—trial and error has never been so fun. Young ports can be very good, so long as you know what to look for and drink it within a year or two of its bottling date. In fact, right now my favorite port is Graham’s Six Grapes, a blend of two or three harvests that is aged for only five or six years. It’s affordable and has a bright, unique taste. I’ve also discovered that you can store it in the fridge and make it last up to a month, which is awesome if you’re someone like me, who in a week won’t finish off a whole bottle of port, even if you tried. Just make sure you let it sit out at room temperature to open up before you drink it. Otherwise, it will stay tight and you’ll miss out on that lovely sensation of warm, thick liquor on your tongue.
Ruby ports are aged in glass and are less expensive because their blend is usually comprised of lesser grapes. They are dark red in color, sharp in taste, and best for cooking. Dow’s Fine Ruby Port is decent, as is Cockburn Fine Ruby Porto.
Late-bottled vintage, or LBV, is meant to provide the serious flavor of vintage port without obligatory decanting or years of waiting. For LBVs you’ll want to go with the big-name shippers, such as Warre’s, Taylor’s, and Dow’s. The port will vary greatly among shippers, due to different processing methods, but it will remain somewhat consistent within one brand. Finding what brand you prefer isn’t difficult—trial and error has never been so fun. If you can find Graham’s 1997 LBV, give that a shot. It’s my favorite of those I’ve been able to try.
Vintage port is fussy. But, given the right tender lovin’ care—a decanter, a temperate cellar, and an awfully long time—it can be unforgettable. Since most people, including myself, don’t have the wherewithal to deal with vintages, I’m going to suggest this: Next time you’re at a nice restaurant, order it. Now, I can’t say I’ve been lucky enough to sample many vintages, but I did have the pleasure of tasting Warre’s 1983 Vintage Port in October, and let’s just say I still think about it.
If you’re worried that you won’t like port (and don’t want to waste a lot of time or money finding that out), then you should look for half-bottles. Your local wine shop should stock a few, and it’s a good way to test your taste without commitment. I suggest my favorite, Six Grapes if you’re either broke or totally new to port and Taylor’s 2003 Vintage Port if you really want to floss it.
You made it through winter, however mild. So, drink up, you lucky bastard! And good luck stripping the bed without passing out on it.
For those of you who haven’t been hitting the bottle, port is a sweet, fortified wine: Partially fermented red wine is combined with brandy to produce a thick, highly alcoholic mixture that is then aged. Officially, to be called “port” or “porto,” the wine has to come from the Douro river valley region in Portugal. However, “port-style” wines are now produced around the world. There are a number of grape varieties that can be used, but you’ll often find Tinta Roriz (known as Tempranillo in Spain) and Touriga Nacional in your glass.
With port, a little bit goes a very long way. Because of its high alcohol content (usually between 20 and 30 percent) and its sticky sweetness, it takes only a few ounces of the stuff to warm your heart like a kitten batting a ball of string. This inner heat is probably why we associate port with roaring fires, studded-leather armchairs, and rich, lonely, lecherous men.
Not that port doesn’t have other, more social, applications. In America it’s enjoyed as a dessert wine and can be the perfect finish to, if not the highlight of, any dinner. In France, it is presented as an aperitif, steadying the body and mind before a long meal. Though no matter where you are in the world, when served with a strong, stinky blue cheese, port is a religious experience.
Port has that reputation—and it’s one you can use to your advantage. Say you’re entertaining at home and those adorable little appetizers from Trader Joe’s have emerged from the oven as charcoal nuggets. As long as you’ve got port on hand, you could dump store-brand croutons on a plate and your guests will be impressed. Out to dinner with someone you’re trying to impress? Order port for dessert. Port earns points; it paints you as a bon vivant more than a fruit tart ever will.
What port is undoubtedly best for, however, is making simple things feel special. It’s rich and comforting, and there is nothing I’d rather be drinking while dreaming myself away from this cruel city. If only I were rich and lecherous, the portrait would be nearly complete.
Port, like any wine, comes in a number of styles and varies from vineyard to vineyard, year to year. Tawny ports are aged in wood, soft in taste and texture, and lighter in color. Although they are aged 40 or more years, I believe the 20-year tawnies are the tastiest, Sandeman in particular. Bottles labeled “Colheita” are ready-to-drink tawnies that contain grapes from one year’s harvest. If you come across any cheap bottles labeled “Tawny” with no mention of age, avoid them: They are a blend of ports with caramel color added and should only be poured into your new alternative-fuel vehicle.
Finding what port you prefer isn’t difficult—trial and error has never been so fun. Young ports can be very good, so long as you know what to look for and drink it within a year or two of its bottling date. In fact, right now my favorite port is Graham’s Six Grapes, a blend of two or three harvests that is aged for only five or six years. It’s affordable and has a bright, unique taste. I’ve also discovered that you can store it in the fridge and make it last up to a month, which is awesome if you’re someone like me, who in a week won’t finish off a whole bottle of port, even if you tried. Just make sure you let it sit out at room temperature to open up before you drink it. Otherwise, it will stay tight and you’ll miss out on that lovely sensation of warm, thick liquor on your tongue.
Ruby ports are aged in glass and are less expensive because their blend is usually comprised of lesser grapes. They are dark red in color, sharp in taste, and best for cooking. Dow’s Fine Ruby Port is decent, as is Cockburn Fine Ruby Porto.
Late-bottled vintage, or LBV, is meant to provide the serious flavor of vintage port without obligatory decanting or years of waiting. For LBVs you’ll want to go with the big-name shippers, such as Warre’s, Taylor’s, and Dow’s. The port will vary greatly among shippers, due to different processing methods, but it will remain somewhat consistent within one brand. Finding what brand you prefer isn’t difficult—trial and error has never been so fun. If you can find Graham’s 1997 LBV, give that a shot. It’s my favorite of those I’ve been able to try.
Vintage port is fussy. But, given the right tender lovin’ care—a decanter, a temperate cellar, and an awfully long time—it can be unforgettable. Since most people, including myself, don’t have the wherewithal to deal with vintages, I’m going to suggest this: Next time you’re at a nice restaurant, order it. Now, I can’t say I’ve been lucky enough to sample many vintages, but I did have the pleasure of tasting Warre’s 1983 Vintage Port in October, and let’s just say I still think about it.
If you’re worried that you won’t like port (and don’t want to waste a lot of time or money finding that out), then you should look for half-bottles. Your local wine shop should stock a few, and it’s a good way to test your taste without commitment. I suggest my favorite, Six Grapes if you’re either broke or totally new to port and Taylor’s 2003 Vintage Port if you really want to floss it.
You made it through winter, however mild. So, drink up, you lucky bastard! And good luck stripping the bed without passing out on it.
—Published March 27, 2006
