Port wine (also known as Vinho do Porto, Porto, or simply Port) is a sweet, Fortified wine from the Portuguese Douro Valley in the northern part of Portugal. Port is produced with grapes from the Douro region, fortified with distilled grape spirits, and stored in caves in Vila Nova de Gaia. The drink was named Vinho do Porto in the second half of the 17th century when it was first sold in the city of Porto. Much of the wine would then be exported to the rest of Europe from the Leixões docks. The Port Wine protected region was established in 1756, making it the oldest in the world.
2006-12-17 10:54:24
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answer #1
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answered by Anonymous
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By definition, Port has to come from Portugal. If it is from any other country than it is called Port Style Wine.
Port is aged & classified according to its quality:
Vintage port is a single vintage wine from the very best years. It spends 2 years in cask and the rest in bottle. Vintage ports are undoubtedly the region's greatest wines. Generally, vintage ports are deep red colours.
Single-quinta is made from the grapes of an individual quinta ("farm"). It has become popular in recent years to make a single quinta int eh years which are not quite great enough to make a full vintage.
Colheita means "harvest" - that is, wine produced from the harvest of a single vintage. It cannot be called "vintage" simply because that would confuse it with vintage port. Colheita ports are single vintage ports aged in wood until just before bottling. These may be very old, tawny coloured and delicately nutty in flavour.
Tawny, as its name implies, is a lighter style of port, blended from different vintages and aged in wood for six to seven years before bottling and sale. There are some very fine old tawnies of 20, 30 and 40 years old.
Late bottled vintage is a vintage port, typically from a second string year and aged in wood for four to six years or so before release.
Vintage character describes a port made in the vintage style but blended from a number of years.
Ruby is a basic everyday port wine which may be any age at all. It can be variable in quality. The best rubies will have been aged for around four years.
2006-12-19 00:59:12
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answer #2
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answered by Patricia D 4
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It is only bottled on the better years. If the port is not up to the acceptable quality it will then be blended with other years and bottled without a year on it. There is also winemakers in the US that are making some port.
2006-12-17 23:33:46
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answer #3
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answered by Winebum 1
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See this excellent website for a good explanation. I love port w/a sliced apple & a good sharp cheese. http://www.portwine.com/what-is-port/index.php
2006-12-17 19:13:59
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answer #4
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answered by Taffy Saltwater 6
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It is a fortified wine
2006-12-17 17:39:49
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answer #5
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answered by susanne_smiley 1
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