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. Undaunted, King Charles II of England broke off all trade with France and turned to Portugal, which produced a small red wine greatly appreciated by the English. Problem: the wine didn't take well to 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 wine merchant with a shortage of sales had the brilliant idea of blending the wine with must brandy. Although it's tempting to take offence at seeing English names like Taylor's or Graham's on the bottles, these are actually the oldest brands! The addition of brandy or eau-de-vie during fermentation is the key stage in the process which, from the 1850s onwards, will differentiate port from other wines. This operation is called mutage.
Having finally figured out how to preserve wine for as long as possible, huge quantities were produced, often to the detriment of quality. In 1756, Portugal's Prime Minister, the Marquis de Pombal, decided to regulate production and exports by creating the first-ever 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 production method, a points system, was developed. A geographical zone was defined, marked by granite markers, some of which are still visible today. 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 sun exposure, soil quality, age of the vineyard... The Douro is thus the only wine region in the world with a totally hierarchical classification.
In the 18th century, quality was still not specifically prioritized. Pombal wanted the Company he founded to have control over transport from the wineries along the Douro, and to know who was trading with whom. Real quality control legislation came in 1932 under the aegis of theDouro and Port Wine Institute, still in operation today.
Since the storming of Napoleon's troops, France, which holds no grudges when it comes to alcohol, has become the leading customer for port wine, but the best vintages go to the English.
The Port Wine Making Process: From the Douro Vineyards to the Cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia
Wine glossary: a grape variety is a vine variety that produces grapes. It may exist in a single place - in which case it is referred to as an autochthonous grape variety - or grow in several places around the world, as is the case for trees and plants. Most wines are grown above 500 m. The climate in the Douro Valley can be summed up by the Portuguese saying: "9 months of winter and 3 months of hell", which gives the grapes great complexity, revealing explosive and surprisingly rich wines. Some of the vines grown here are very old, with a blend of many grape varieties giving unique aromas. The grapes are transported to the quintas for pressing, if tradition is respected. The port wine then undergoes fermentation until it reaches the desired sugar content. During this process, aguardente (brandy) at 77° is added to stop fermentation. This is called mutage. In the case of sherry, for example, brandy is added at the end of fermentation, but the aim is not to obtain a wine that can withstand transport, as is the case with port.
The wine is then transported to the cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia to age in oak barrels. For a long time, transport was carried out on the rabelos, which can be seen parked on the banks of the Douro between Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia. It took a great deal of skill and courage for the bargemen to steer these large, flat, six-oared boats up the river with the help of a high sail. The helmsman perched on his platform to ensure that the barrels were shaken as little as possible.
As soon as the wine arrived, the oenologists tasted it and decided how long it would be aged (for varying lengths of time), and in which container: a 550-liter barrel or a large, several-thousand-liter cask known as a foudre. The blending will take place much later. The wineries of Vila Nova de Gaia are therefore the houses of merchants who own quintas or buy the harvests from independent quintas. Such is the case of the well-known Churchill's, which has acquired the vineyards Quinta da Gricha (100 hectares on the south bank of the Douro), Quinta da Rio (20 hectares in the Rio Torto valley), and also operates Quinta da Perdiz (30 hectares).
If a port comes from just one property, it is called Quinta followed by the name of the estate, e.g. Quinta do Tedo. The biggest houses to visit in Vila Nova de Gaia, which it's worth pointing out is the city with the most alcohol per square metre in the world, are Taylor's, where Europe's largest barrel of over 1,000 liters stands proudly, Cálem's, Ramos Pinto, featuring a small collection of advertising posters designed by the French, Cockburn's, Graham's, Sandeman and Ferreira, where the eye is drawn to the small tasting room decorated with azulejos. 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.
Finding your way around all the different types of port, in cask or in bottle
The complex blending and ageing of the wines give port its richness and diversity. There are many different types of port. All port wines age for an average of two years in oak casks. After this stage, there are two types of port. Those that remain in barrel, 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 continue to mature in bottle are known as "reductive" wines. Vintages, or pedigree wines, are made from a single vintage but several wines, and are kept in bottle for between 5 and 50 years before being opened. The Port Wine Institute is the only one to declare a Vintage vintage. Single quinta vintages are vintage wines produced from a single quinta. Colheita, aged in casks for between 7 and 50 years, and Late Bottled Vintages, aged for 4 to 6 years, are ready to drink as soon as they are bottled, but are made from a single vintage.
Barrel-aged port has an amber color and roasted, almond-like aromas. By 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 little 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 will release its aromas and alcohol as it warms up. We will have something with a much more pleasant grain", advises the 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 as an excellent wine, one does not leave an opened bottle. Considered as a dessert or aperitif wine, a meal can be made entirely with port. It is often forgotten that well-chosen port 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. The port select is a full-bodied and fruity red that goes well with cheese and chocolate desserts. The vintage is the most expensive.
Wine tour along the Douro
This is undoubtedly one of the most charming itineraries for discovering the secrets and knowledge of port wine. The Douro River, which rises in Spain, defines the Portuguese and Spanish borders north from Miranda do Douro (Trás-os-Montes) to Barca de Alva. It then flows through Portugal for over 200 km to Porto. The region between the Spanish border and Peso da Régua, also known as the Alto Douro (Upper Douro Valley), is linked to Port wine and was declared a World Heritage Site in 2001. It covers 250,000 hectares, 42,000 of which are planted with vines.
The road along the Douro, from Peso da Régua to Pinhão, will take you mile by mile into the mysteries of the wine that has sustained generations of men and women for decades. At harvest time, the quintas are bustling with activity, the roads following the curve of the Douro being used by small lorries carrying the grapes that will then be crushed by foot for the quintas closest to the port-making tradition. You'll find a host of farms offering tours and tastings. A word of advice: visit the Douro region in autumn or spring, and you'll discover splendid colors and light. The best way to get there is by car, for greater freedom. Trains and buses are also options. Many travel agencies offer cruises on the Douro.
A few suggestions along the way: Quinta do Tedo in Vila Seca, an 18th-century farmhouse belonging to a Burgundian owner. You'll find it if you follow the signs for Pinhão. Quinta do Seixo, on the road before reaching Pinhão, is a modern farm offering tastings and a video tour, with an exceptional view of the Douro. Quinta do Panascal, a 5-minute drive down the road to Pinhão, offers audio tours. The unmissable port tasting can be followed by a meal on site. Quinta das Carvalhas, at the entrance to Pinhão, is the oldest port farm in the region. It boasts a huge estate that can be visited... by minicar. At the end of the road, in Pinhão itself, a visit to Quinta do Bomfim, the Douro's emblematic quinta, is an instructive tour packed with historical anecdotes. Moving on to São João da Pesqueira, a visit to Quinta de Ventozelo offers breathtaking river views, with the option of a meal or overnight stay. Then, if you continue on to São João da Pesqueira, a visit to the Quevedo winery will give you an unparalleled view of the Douro valley from high up on the road.
To find out more about the region's wineries, visit www.ivdp.pt
