In wintertime, it’s always good to stay fortified, and Spec’s suggests that fortified wine in port form is a delicious way to meet that requirement! We stock plenty of ports in all styles, but the two most popular ports are ruby and tawny ports. These ports range in flavor and texture from light and sweet to heavier and nutty, so there’s a port for many palates. Here’s a few facts about these flavorful fortifications.
All ports are considered “fortified wines,” since an additional spirit, known as aguaradente, is added to the wine blend in order to stop the fermentation process and retain a sweeter flavor profile.
Ruby port is the most widely produced port style. These ports have a brighter reddish color in the glass and sweet notes, as they spend less time aging in wooden barrels.
Tawny ports rest longer in the barrel. This additional barrel-aging gives the final product an amber hue – hence the “tawny” title! These darker-hued ports also exhibit more concentrated, caramelized notes on the palate.
If you’d like to try an aged tawny (which come in increments of 10, 20, 30 and 40 years), you will be sampling port that has been aged a minimum of the years shown on the label, but which could have been blended with other ports that have aged even longer. The age specified on the bottle is the minimum amount of ageing allowed in order for a port to be placed in a bottle with an age-specific label. (Aged ports often benefit from some aerating time, and our experts will be happy to give you some pointers on decanting these delights).
Historically, ports are enjoyed as an aperitif after a meal, but their enjoyment doesn’t stop there. They’re great paired with a smooth cigar while lounging or relaxing, or sipped with dessert or a cheese tray. Whatever your port preference, Spec’s is sure to have a fantastic fortified wine for you!
