Since day one, I’ve wanted a map of the wine regions of Spain and Portugal. Seems like a simple request, and if I couldn’t have one of Iberia, at least you would think that there would be one of Spain and another of Portugal. You would think. You would also be wrong, sort of. Announcement […]
Exciting Announcement – The DeLong Iberian Wine Map – with help from Catavino Read More »
Two weeks ago, after a very relaxing holiday in Galicia, we chose to make our way home to Jerez via Portugal, stopping off for two nights in Oporto on the way. I’ve been to where they make Madeira, I live where they make sherry but I had never been to Oporto, so this was an
Wine Tourism in Sherry Country and a Lesson from Portugal Read More »
Two weeks ago, my boyfriend and I decided to take a weekend holiday up North to Guimarães, though each of us seemed to have different intentions for going. I wanted to visit all the wineries of Minho and enjoy a series of tastings, while he just wanted to relax and take it easy. In the
Leitão Assado da Bairrada with Tinto Espumante: A Truly Sensory Experience Read More »
Most people are familiar with Ruby Port, the fortified wine which inherited its name from its lovely red color, renowned for its ripe fruit flavors and sweetness that pairs perfectly with the dark, bitter flavors of chocolate. So what if I told you that there existed another delicious and unctuous wine that still marries beautifully
For All You Port Lovers, A Delicious Alternative: Ginja with Chocolate Read More »
It’s summertime in Portugal and as the tourists flood Lisbon, the Portuguese retreat to their local restaurants and bars to enjoy the gastronomic tradition of the season: snails! Yes, that’s right, Caracóis are to the Portuguese as hot wings are to Americans. Though savvy to the tradition of eating snails in France, most Americans remain perplexed
Suck it Up and do What the Portuguese do, Eat Caracois! Read More »
You may not be aware of this, but the Portuguese are excellent bakers and pastry makers, each famed for their traditional local pastries. If you haven’t nibbled your way through Lisbon, savoring their varied and highly addictive pastry culture, let us tempt you! Pasteis are pastries in Portuguese, and the Pasteis de Belem is one of
Pasteis de Belem: The Best Pastry in Portugal Read More »
How often have we raved about Portugal’s wine diversity to an eager and attentive audience craving more availability in their own local wine shops? How many times have we made you lick your lips, while we reminisced over the various Portuguese meals we’ve savored ranging in both style and in flavor? And how frequently have
Book Review – The Wine and Food Lover’s Guide to Portugal Read More »
I woke up this morning with a very odd thought clanking in my brain, “If the Fantastic Five port varietals are so famous, why don’t I have a clue as to how they each contribute to the pot?” I’ll readily admit that I rarely wake up…scratch that, I NEVER have woken up with a question
The Fantastic Five Port Wine Grapes Read More »
Question time for Catavino readers: Who out there loves wine and chocolate? Although this may sound like the most obvious pairing in the world, it’s not. In my many years of both selling and writing about wine, I’ve heard numerous debates on the subject, both for and against this rather contentious chocolate and wine pairing.
Port Wine and Chocolate Read More »
Flavor Profile Unlike entry-level port wines, vintage port wines cannot be summed up in a few adjectives. These are wines that can drank anywhere from a few months to over a century in bottle. Over a century! What else can you possibly consume that has not been sealed in an air tight container a century
Wanted: Vintage Port Wine Read More »
Background
Tawny port wine is made from red grapes aged in wood, exposing them to gradual oxidation and evaporation, for longer than a ruby port wine. As a result, the wine loses its brilliant ruby color, becoming a dark amber or a tawny hue with a characteristic “nutty” flavor imparted by the wood. Finally, through a system of fractional blending with various older port wines to match the house style, the resulting tawny wine is elegant and soft, showing delicate wood notes and rich mellow fruit.
Although there are several various kinds of tawny port wine, the two main types are: a young tawny that lacks any indication of age, and an older tawny labeled with a specific age.
Basic NV Tawny Port
Although the term “tawny’ refers to a wine that has been aged in wood for longer than ruby port wine, the majority of young tawnies are made from a blend of both red and white grapes, aged for approximately the same time as a ruby port wine. Come summer, several bulk tawnies are shipped up river to the Douro valley in cement baloes where they literally stew from the ambient heat, referred to as the Douro Bake. The Douro Bake is a traditional expression used to explain a particular characteristic imparted to Port when aged in a hot, arid climate, as opposed to the milder, cooler temperatures in Vila Nova de Gaia. Consequently, the resulting wines mature rapidly, losing their bright red color, and display a slightly brown tinge around the rim. On the palate, although lacking in the powerful fruit characteristics normally associated with a young ruby port wine, tawnies tend to be softer, more subtle, and many times, slightly more approachable.
Wanted: Tawny Port Read More »
As we have done with both Sherry and Portuguese table wine, our goal is to provide you with a solid understanding as to what Port wine is throughout the month of November. Over the next two weeks, we will be providing you port wine profiles of each style with the occasional tasting note thrown in
Wanted: Ruby Port Wine Read More »
The Windy Road of the Portuguese Wine Label If there was one wine style synonymous for Portugal, it would be Port. The sweet, creamy and fruit forward wine has been a personal favorite of mine since our first visit to Oporto not four years ago. Unable to escape the fame for their fortified wines, Portugal’s
Interpreting the Portuguese Wine Label Read More »
