"Port" and "Porto" are closely related but distinct terms, often causing confusion.
"Port" refers to a type of fortified wine, while "Porto" is the name of a city in Portugal where this wine is produced. Specifically, "Port" is a designation for fortified wine made from grapes grown in the Douro Valley in Portugal and produced in and around the city of Porto. The wine gets its name from the city because it was traditionally shipped from Porto.
The city of Porto is located in the Northern part of Portugal.
From a trip we took to Portugal where we visited several different cities from Lisbon up to Porto, we found Porto to be the most interesting and fun. It was like the Disneyland of Portugal. There are many different sites to see throughout the town, but the main area of attractions is by the waterfront and the Dom Luis I Bridge. You will find several different wine cellars to visit for tastings and tours. There is a gondola ride from the top of the bridge down to the water's edge, boat rides, restaurants, bars and other sites. If you visit Portugal, be sure to include Porto as a stop for a few days.
Fortified wine is wine that has had a distilled spirit, usually brandy, added to it, increasing its alcohol content. This process, called fortification, was historically used to stabilize wine for long sea voyages and is now a celebrated technique used to create a range of styles from dry to sweet.
 |
|
Port Wine |
|
Porto Portugal |
A couple of the different wine cellars we visited for tours and tastings. Be sure to book your tour time ahead of time.
Also located in Porto on the hill, just above Sandeman and Calem are the Taylor Cellars.
Taylor Tawny Port is relatively inexpensive compared to other port styles, like vintage or colheita ports, primarily because it's a blend of multiple vintages aged in wood for a shorter period. The aging process in large oak vats allows for oxidation and mellowing, but it doesn't require the meticulous selection and long-term aging of vintage or single-harvest tawny ports.
I mention this because it's one of my favorites and about half the price compared to an aged 10 year or others. You can usually find this at Safeway, King Soopers and some liquor stores. Sometimes you have to look around, as they may not have the tawny, but ruby or others.
 |
|
Taylor Tawny Port |
|
Types of Port Wine |
|
Sandeman Founders Reserve |
Named in honor of the Founder, this Reserve is one of Sandeman´s greatest Ports. Selected from the finest lots of each vintage and aged for 5 years. Full of the power, fruit and fire that distinguishes classic Port, Sandeman Porto Founder's Reserve is the culmination of two hundred years of expertise. |
|
|
|
Colheita |
Colheita Port is a single-harvest Tawny Port, meaning it's made from grapes of a single vintage year. It's aged in wood for at least seven years, giving it a nutty, oxidized character similar to regular Tawny Port. However, the key difference is the vintage designation, which means you can trace the wine back to a specific harvest. |
|
|
|
Ruby |
As Ruby Port wines do not have much contact with wood, they are subject to a low level of oxidation, which allows them to keep their dark colour (a more or less intense red) and a very fruity character. In ascending order of quality, we have the Ruby, Special Reserve, Late Bottled Vintage (LBV), and Vintage Ports categories. The famous expression “just like Port wine, the older the better” is inspired by Vintage Port. Produced from a single year harvest that is considered exceptional, this wine has enormous potential to develop in the bottle over time. Ruby Port Wines pair very well with desserts with berries, chocolate and hard cheeses. |
|
|
|
Tawny |
Tawny Ports wines are aged with a strong presence of wood, which gives them a seductive amber hue. Nutty, spicy woody aromas. The older the wine, the more pronounced these characteristics are. The existing categories are: Tawny, Tawny Special Reserve, Tawny with age indication (10 years, 20 years, 30 years, and 40 years), and Colheita Tawny. When these wines are bottled, they are ready to be consumed and they will continue to age in the bottle. Tawny Port wines pair well with desserts with nuts, spices, eggs, puff pastry, or soft cheeses. |
|
|
|
White |
These are more fruity and floral wines with different degrees of sweetness and acidity according to their production process and the more or less prolonged ageing period. As for sweetness, White Port wine can be classified as extra dry white port, white dry port , sweet, or Lágrima (the latter being the sweetest of all). It is also possible to find White wines with an white aged ports (10, 20, 30 or over 40 years old) and Colheita White Ports. Due to its characteristics, this is a type of wine suitable for pairing with savory aperitifs or with a marked acidic or white fruit component. |
|
|
|
Rose |
Rosé Ports is a highly aromatic style of Port made in the demarcated region of the Douro, in Portugal. As the name suggests, this style of Port has a distinctive pink color and typically displays notes of cherry, raspberry, strawberry and caramel. |
|
