The so british history of port
At the end of the 17th century, Colbert, Prime Minister of King Louis XIV, prevented the free circulation of French wines in England. King Charles II of England did not let this happen and broke off all trade with France and turned to Portugal, which produced a small red wine greatly appreciated by the English. The problem was that the wine could not stand the journey from the upper Douro valley to Porto, as it had to travel 100 kilometers before reaching the port of Porto for its crossing to England.
An English merchant, in need of turnover, had the brilliant idea of cutting the wine with must brandy. Although it would be tempting to get upset when seeing English names on the bottles such as Taylor's or Graham's, they are actually the oldest brands! This addition of brandy during the fermentation of the wine is the key step in what will differentiate port from other wines from the 1850s. This operation is called mutage.
Having finally found a way to preserve wine for as long as possible, huge quantities of wine were produced, often at the expense of quality. In 1756, the Marquis of Pombal, the Portuguese Prime Minister, decided to regulate production and export by creating a draft of the very first Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (A.O.C.) for port wine. By way of comparison, the first French A.O.C. for a wine was created in 1936. A method of production is developed, a system of points is established, a geographical area is delimited, marked by granite markers, some of which are still visible. Each parcel of wine is scrupulously evaluated according to a classification ranging from A (the best) to F (the worst). Several factors come into play, such as the sun's exposure, the quality of the soil, the age of the vineyard... The Douro is thus the only wine region in the world where there is a completely hierarchical classification.
In the 18th century, quality was still not specifically favored. Pombal wanted the company he founded to have control over the transport of the wineries on the Douro and to know who was trading with whom. The real legislation of quality control will come in 1932 under the aegis of theInstitute of Douro and Port Wines, still in function.
Since the lightning passage of Napoleon's troops, France, not rancorous when it comes to alcohol, has become the first customer of port, but the best vintages go to the English. A journey through the history of port wine is offered by Real Companhia Velha - Museu da 1ª Demarcação in Vila Nova de Gaia.
The process of making port wine: from the Douro vineyards to the cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia
A little wine lexicon: a grape variety is a vine variety that gives grapes. It can exist in a single place, we speak then of an autochthonous variety, or grow in several places of the world as it can be the case for trees or plants. The majority of wines are grown above 500 m. The climate in the Douro Valley can be translated by the Portuguese saying: "9 months of winter and 3 months of hell", which gives the grapes a great complexity revealing explosive and surprisingly rich wines. The vines grown are some very old, with a mixture of many varieties that give unique aromas. The grapes are taken to the quintas to be pressed at the foot if the tradition is respected. The port wine then undergoes the fermentation process until it reaches the desired sugar level. During the process,aguardente (brandy) at 77° is added to stop the fermentation. It is the mutage. For sherry, for example, the brandy is added at the end of the fermentation process, because the aim was not to obtain a wine that could withstand transport as with port wine.
The wine is then transported to the cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia to age in oak barrels. For a long time the transport was done on the rabelos that can be seen parked on the banks of the Douro, between Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia. It required a lot of skill and courage for the bargemen to drive these large flat boats with six oars up the river with the help of a high sail. The helmsman perched on his platform made sure that the barrels were shaken as little as possible.
As soon as the wine arrived, the oenologists tasted the wine and decided how long it would be aged (over varying periods of time) and in what content, in 550-liter barrels or in large barrels of several thousand liters, known as foudre. The blending will be done much later. The wineries of Vila Nova de Gaia are therefore houses of merchants who own quintas or buy the harvests from independent quintas. If a port wine comes from only one property, it bears the name Quinta followed by the name of the estate, for example Quinta do Tedo. The biggest houses to visit in Vila Nova de Gaia, which it is worth noting is the city with the most alcohol per square meter in the world, are Taylor's, where the largest barrel in Europe of more than 1,000 liters is proudly displayed, Cálem, Ramos Pinto, featuring a small collection of advertising posters made by French people, Cockburn's, Graham's and Sandeman. Or theEspaço Porto Cruz, a multimedia center that interactively reveals the secrets of port wine.
A visit to the cellars on the banks of the Douro costs between 4 and 15 €.
Find your way around all the different types of port, in barrels or in bottles
The complex blending and the length of time the wines are aged give port wine its richness and diversity. Many types of port exist. All Port wines are aged for an average of two years in oak barrels. After this stage, there are two kinds of port wines. Those that will remain in the barrel, the rubys, tawnys, tawnys with age indication (10, 20, 30, 40 years) are called "oxidative" wines They are a blend of different wines and vintages. Those that will continue their maturation in the bottle are called "reducing" wines. Among them, the vintages, wines of race, come from a single vintage but several wines, and are kept in bottle between 5 and 50 years before being opened. The Port Wine Institute is the only one to declare a vintage. The Single Quinta Vintage are vintage wines produced from a single quinta. Colheita, aged in casks between 7 and 50 years, and Late Bottled Vintage, aged between 4 and 6 years, are ready to be drunk as soon as they are bottled but are made with a single vintage.
Barrel-aged port has an amber color and roasted and almond aromas. In contrast, bottle-aged port wines have a dark red color and a fruitier flavor. Branco is a white port made from white grapes. When young, it is dry and clear. As it ages, it darkens a bit and becomes sweeter.
How to accompany the port ?
Port can be served directly and does not need a pause for tannin as is recommended for other wines. "It is good to serve it a little cool at 12 or 13 °C, or even a little cooler for white and rosé wines. Red wines should not be served too hot, because the wine, as it rises in temperature, will release its aromas and alcohol. We will have something with a much more pleasant grain," advises an oenologist. Port branco or extra seco is drunk chilled as an aperitif, a specialty almost unknown in France. Red port is usually drunk with a strong cheese, with dessert or as a digestive. An old port wine is appreciated like an excellent wine, one does not leave a bottle unopened. Considered as a dessert or aperitif wine, a meal can be made entirely with port. We often forget that a well-chosen port wine is a luxury wine, so don't hesitate to show your guests the gastronomic quality of this wine.
To help you find your way around, there is white port, which is soft enough for an aperitif, but also goes well with a cake. Port Select is a full-bodied, fruity red that goes well with cheese and chocolate desserts. The vintage is the most expensive.
Wine tour along the Douro River
This is undoubtedly one of the most charming routes to discover the secrets of Port Wine. The Douro River, which originates in Spain, defines the Portuguese and Spanish borders north of Miranda do Douro (Trás-os-Montes) until Barca de Alva. Then it crosses Portugal for more than 200 km to Porto. It is the region between the Spanish border and Peso da Régua, also called Alto Douro (Upper Douro Valley), which is linked to Port wine and was declared a natural heritage of humanity in 2001. It includes 250,000 hectares, of which 42,000 are planted with vines.
The road that follows the Douro, from Peso da Régua to Pinhão, will take you along the kilometers to discover the mysteries of the wine that has been the life of generations of men and women for many decades. During the harvest period, the quintas are bustling with activity, the roads following the curve of the Douro being used by small trucks transporting the grapes that will be crushed at the foot for the quintas closest to the tradition of making port wine. You will find a multitude of farms that offer tours and tastings. An advice, visit the Douro region in autumn or spring, you will discover splendid colors and light. It is best to go by car for more freedom. Train and bus are also options. Many travel agencies offer cruises on the Douro.
Some suggestions on your route: Quinta do Tedo in Vila Seca, an 18th century farmhouse, belongs to a Burgundian owner, you will find it following the direction of Pinhão. Quinta do Seixo, on the road before arriving in Pinhão, is a modern farm that offers tasting and a video of the visit, with the added bonus of an exceptional view of the Douro. Quinta do Panascal, 5 minutes by car on the road to Pinhão, offers the possibility of visiting it with audioguides. The unmissable port wine tasting can be followed by a meal on site. Heading to São João da Pesqueira, the visit to the Quinta de Ventozelo offers a breathtaking view of the river, with the possibility of having a meal and staying there. A visit to the Quevedo winery will give you an unparalleled view of the Douro Valley from the road. Quinta das Carvalhas, at the entrance to Pinhão, is the oldest Port wine farm in the region. It has a huge estate that can be visited by minicar. At the end of the road, in Pinhão itself, a visit to Quinta do Bomfim, an emblematic Douro quinta, is an instructive visit full of historical anecdotes. For access to the different wine addresses in the region, visit www.ivdp.pt.
