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FrontRangeLiving.com -> Cooking -> Port
 PORT--THE BRITISH INVASION
By Sally Mohr, Master Sommelier
"Women still regard Port as their natural enemy."
Auberon Waug
Name an English movie, book, or play that doesn’t have an after-dinner
scene where the men retire to the drawing room to drink Port and smoke cigars
without female scrutiny. Port has long been considered a British institution.
The British stronghold dates to the 17th century
when France was the largest supplier of wine to the British, but continual trade
problems prevented sufficient quantities on a regular basis.
Excursions by British wine merchants found a solution in the Douro Valley of
Portugal. Here was a steady supply of big, hearty, alcoholic red wine. Worried
that the wine would not survive its journey home, winemakers added a dollop of
brandy as a preservative. This hearty fortified red was a huge hit.
Then they discovered a sweet version made at a Portuguese monastery.
Merchants set up their own storage facilities in the Portuguese city of Oporto,
which names this sweet fortified red wine. The British dominated the Port
industry with names of the family-owned firms completing the picture--Taylor, Symington, Sandeman, Cockburn.
Food Complements
Classic food and wine combinations apply to Port: vintage port with Stilton cheese, pears and walnuts—try
it on a cold winter night in front of the fireplace. Also, Port and anything chocolate
applies to a ruby version only. Other full-flavored cheeses (Cheddar, Gouda,
Brie) work well with ruby styles.
Tawny styles are best with nuts and nut-based desserts (pecan pie, fruitcake,
hazelnut torte), non-blue cheeses (Manchego, smoked Gouda, Gruyere), fruit-based
tarts (apple pie), and burnt sugar preparations (crème brûlée, crème
caramel).
Even though the British control the majority of the production, they are not
the largest consuming country. It’s the French who import the most. They
prefer the lowest grade because they mix it with soda as an aperitif! Ah, those
French.
Still Made By Ancient Methods
The Portuguese valley of the Douro is rugged terrain. The principal mode of
transport up and down the valley has been by river or rail. Some Port quintas
(estates) only recently received electricity! Terraces were cut into the steep
valley slopes creating a beautiful patchwork to the landscape. Unfortunately,
these original terraces could only be tended by costly hand labor. New and
updated vineyards have been altered to allow tractors to maneuver among the rows
of vines.
The Port-making process is still follows the ancient methods. In this
part of the world people stomp recently picked grapes. The Port producers claim
the human foot is the best grape crusher ever invented.
Fermentation occurs like any other red wine except that when the wine reaches
about eight percent alcohol, the fermentation is stopped by the addition of
neutral grape brandy (aguardiente). This leaves some sweetness to the wine and
brings the total alcohol up to around 20 percent. The wines are tasted and left
to sit until their destiny is determined.
There are many different styles of Port. They can be broken into two camps –
the rubys and the tawnys (sounds like two feuding families). This actually
refers to the color of the wine. Rubys have been aged for a short time in wood
and then in bottle. Tawnys have been aged in wood for a long time and then
bottled. Here is a list of what to expect on a label and what it means.
Ruby
Base for all vintage, vintage character and LBV Ports. If just labeled
"Ruby", then a very simple, inexpensive version of a vintage Port.
Aged for 2-3 years in wood, concrete, or stainless.
Vintage
The ultimate in Port, best of a producer and most expensive.
Accounts for less than one percent of total production.
Only produced in exceptional years, usually three out of 10.
Bottled after two years in wood cask.
Continues to age in the bottle. Made to age for at least 25 years.
The accumulation of sediment in the bottle necessitates decanting before
serving.
Single Quinta Vintage
Vintage of a single estate, will say the name of the estate on the label
(e.g. Quinta de Vargellas).
Same rules as vintage.
Seen more often than a producer’s vintage because it is their best estate.
Can be a better value that will age as long as a regular vintage.
LBV (Late Bottle Vintage)
Wine of a single year.
Must be aged for four to six years in cask.
Ready to drink when released unless label refers to "Traditional"
style, then will need decanting. All others are fined and filtered to remove
sediment.
Vintage Character
Created to taste like an aged vintage.
Must be aged at least four years in cask
This is a producer’s proprietary blend. Will see names like "Bin
27", Six Grapes, First Estate.
Crusted
A blended ruby that will age in the bottle and require decanting, similar to
a traditional LBV without the vintage.
Requires three years aging and three years in bottle before shipping.
Aged Tawny
Label will say "10 Year Old", "20 Year Old", "30
Year Old", or "40 year Old".
A blend of an average of the age declaration, not an exact average, but what
that age "should" taste like.
Progressively tawnier in color the older the age, plus more caramel, raisin,
and nutty tones.
Price increases dramatically with older declarations.
Colheita (Dated Tawny)
Aged in wood for at least seven years.
Made from a single vintage.
Must have the date of bottling printed on the label.
White
Usually made from white grapes instead of red.
Aged for 18 months in concrete or stainless tanks. No wood since that would
add undesirable flavors.
Usually drier and fruitier than any of the red ports plus slightly lower in
alcohol.
Serve chilled as an aperitif. Great summer sipper.
Local version – over ice with tonic and a fresh mint leaf.
Port--it’s not just for dessert--enjoy it as an aperitif or by itself.
Discover the wide array of styles from this British outpost.
The following recipe comes via Skye Chokel, a former Colorado resident and
Port wine enthusiast who now lives in West Virginia.
PORT WINE CHEESECAKE
Makes one 9-inch cheesecake
Crust
- 6 oz graham cracker crumbs
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Filling
- 16 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- pinch of salt
- 3 large eggs
- 4 tbsp Port wine
Topping
- 8 oz sour cream
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 tbsp Port wine
- 1 cup toasted almonds, chopped
- 2 cups shaved semi-sweet chocolate
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Crust: Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter. Press mixture
firmly into bottom of 9-inch spring-form pan.
Filling: Mix cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and salt until well blended, then
add eggs, one at a time and mix until well blended. Carefully, with a fork, fold
the Port wine into the filling batter, leaving the pretty streaks made
with the fork to have a marbled effect after pouring it into the crust. Pour the
mixture into crust and bake it for approximately 40 minutes or until golden
brown. Take it out of the oven and carefully loosen the cake from rim of pan.
Let it cool and then remove the rim of the pan.
Topping
Mix sour cream, sugar, vanilla, port and spread it evenly over
the cheesecake. Carefully sprinkle the toasted almonds over the top and then lay
the shaved chocolate in and around the nuts on the top. You can garnish by
laying some beautiful chocolate leaves accented with whole toasted almonds in
the center of the cheesecake. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until firm.
Special Hint: If you really want an extravagant and outstanding
dessert, make 2 cups of chocolate ganache (a chocolate cream) with 2 tablespoons
of Port wine blended in, and spread it between the cheesecake and the sour cream
topping, then garnish with shaved chocolate and toasted almonds.
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