Port

Question 1

What is port wine?

Answer 1

It is made by adding grape spirit to a fermenting juice to create an alcoholic sweet wine. It is made in red, white and rose styles.

Question 2

Name the two cities where the Port industry is centred

Answer 2

Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia.

Question 3

Name the three sub-regions where the vineyards are planted.

Answer 3

Three sub-regions: Baixo Corgo (lightest wines), Cima Corgo (top vineyards) and Douro Superior (sparsely planted but known for top quality wine).

Question 4

What is the climate like?

Answer 4

Warm continental climate and is shielded from the Atlantic winds by the Serra do Marao.

Question 5

Describe how the soil benefits the vines.

Answer 5

Viticulture is possible because of the schist bedrock which fractures vertically allowing the wines’ roots to access deep water reserves built up by winter rains.

Question 6

How are the vineyards planted in Baixo and Cima Corgo?

Answer 6

The vineyards in Baixo and Cima Corgo are planted on very tall, steep slopes on the banks of the Douro and its tributaries.

Question 7

What are socalcos?

Answer 7

Narrow terraces where the vines are planted and supported by stone walls. Each terrace can only support a few vines and the walls prevent mechanisation in the vineyard and can be costly to maintain.

Question 8

Describe patamares.

Answer 8

new style of terrace which allows some mechanisation. They are built without walls and allow access for tractors

Question 9

Describe vinha ao alto.

Answer 9

When the slope is low enough, an unterraced system is used.

Question 10

Describe the grapes used in making Port.

Answer 10

Red ports are complex blends of many different varieties which in the Douro tend to be thick-skinned and high in tannin with black fruit and floral aromas. The five preferred varieties are Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Touriga Nacional and Tinto Cao

Question 11

How long does Fermentation last?

Answer 11

Fermentation only lasts 24-36 hours. Due to the short time on the skins, other techniques have to be employed to increase the levels of tannin and colour expected of Port. It is stopped by fortification once the alcohol level reaches 5-9% to create a sweet wine.

Question 12

Name three methods used to extract colour and tannins for Port production.

Answer 12

Foot treading, autovinifiers, piston plungers & robotic lagares.

Question 13

Describe foot treading.

Answer 13

The traditional method that can last 3-4 hours in shallow granite troughs called lagares until fermentation is underway and then it stops. Then the cap is regularly punched down to extract more colour and tannin. Used for more premium wines.

Question 14

Describe how an autovinifier works.

Answer 14

Earliest way to automate the extraction process. Crushed grapes are put into sealed bats and the rising pressure of the CO2 given off by the fermentation pushes the juice up through pipes into a holding tank. When the pressure of the CO2 reaches a set level, a valve is automatically released and the wine in the holding taken, no longer supported by the gas pressure, floods down over the cap. The valve resets and process starts again. Similar to pumping over but the amount of contact between the wine and skins in much higher a cycle will complete every 15-20 minutes during active fermentation.

Question 15

Describe how piston plungers and robotic lagares work.

Answer 15

Piston plungers are round shallow open topped, stainless steel vats where the cap is pressed down with robotic pistons. The robotic lagar involves the use of a shallow and rectangular stainless steel tank which is adapted to carry a self-propelled gantry with robotic feet. Once the robotic treading is completed, the machines carry out regular punch downs.

Question 16

Describe the fortification process in Port.

Answer 16

kills the yeast to create a stable sweet wine with between 19-22%abv.
Sweetness levels range with different Port producers.
The spirit aguardente, that is used, can be no stronger than 77%abv. A lot of spirit must be used because prior to fortification, alcohol levels are very low. On average 20% of the total volume of a bottle of Port is spirit.

Question 17

Describe the maturation process for Port.

Answer 17

Ports are transferred to Vila Nova de Gaia for maturation because the cooler coastal climate is well suited to the slow maturation of Port wines. Tawny Port is stored up the Douro for faster ageing and a loss in colour due to higher temperatures.

Question 18

Describe the style of Ruby Port.

Answer 18

Primary fruit character. Minimum oxygen contact and these wines will only age for a short period of time in very large oak vessels or stainless steel tanks. Ruby, Reserve Ruby, Late Bottled Vintage and Vintage Ports are all aged this way.
They will all be deeply coloured and have intense primary fruit flavours when bottled.
Aged Ports will have a garnet colour and tertiary cooked fruit and vegetal (prune, leather and wet leaves) flavours.

Question 19

Which styles of ruby Port are fined and filtered and don’t benefit from ageing?

Answer 19

Ruby, Reserve Ruby and some LBVs.

Question 20

Which styles of Port are not filtered and can benefit from ageing?

Answer 20

Some LBVs and all Vintage Ports.

Question 21

Describe Tawny Ports

Answer 21

They undergo long oxidative maturation in barrels called pipes. They are made exactly the same as Ruby Ports but the difference in colour and flavour is down to the difference in maturation. The wines turn garnet and then tawny. Only the oldest become fully brown. The primary fruit fades and becomes raisiny with flavours of walnuts, coffee, chocolate and caramel. They are fully developed upon release and don’t benefit from further bottle ageing.

Question 22

Describe two inexpensive Ports.

Answer 22

Ruby - blends of wines typically 1-3 years old. They lack concentration, complexity or tannins of more premium ruby styles.
Tawny - no older than ruby ports even though they have a browning in colour and have not undergone a long period of oxidative ageing. The colour is achieved by using less heavily extracted or lighter wines from the Baixo Corgo, blending in White Port, or a period of hot maturation in the Douro and/or heavy fining to remove colour.

Question 23

Describe a reserva/reserve Port.

Answer 23

This can be applied to Ruby or Tawny Ports that are higher quality. A reserve Tawny must be wood aged for a minimum of six years.

Question 24

Describe a Late Bottled Vintage Port.

Answer 24

(LBV) - vintage wines ages between 4-6 years before bottled. They are fined and filtered and similar in style to a high quality Reserve Ruby Port. Ready to drink on release and rarely benefit from extra bottle ageing.
Unfiltered LBVs are more similar to Vintage Port and can benefit from bottle ageing. They often need decanting as a sediment forms.

Question 25

Describe a Tawny with an Indication of Age Port.

Answer 25

These undergo a long period of oxidative maturation in pipes. They can be labelled 10, 20, 30 or 40 years old. The wine must have characteristics typical of a wine that age in order to qualify. These are the finest of all Tawny Ports and the best are exceptionally complex and concentrated.

Question 26

Describe a Vintage Port.

Answer 26

Producers must register their intention to release a Vintage Port in the second year after the harvest and the wine must be bottled no later than the third year. Ageing will take place in large oak vessels or stainless steel tanks and the wines are unfined and unfiltered. These are the most concentrated and tannic of all Ports. Capable of ageing for decades and develop a heavy sediment.
Flagship wine for most producers.
Single Quinta Vintage Ports are the product of a single estate or quinta.