By Ray Spaziani
Wine Talk
Ray Spaziani
Porto is a natural, rich fortified wine produced from grapes grown in the Douro region of north Portugal. The wine is matured in wood before being blended and bottled.
Vines and wine existed in the Douro region since the times of the Romans and the Visigoths. The Methuen Treaty of 1703 between Portugal and England was crucial for the future of Porto, granting it preferential taxes for the Portuguese over French products, including wines.
Porto as we know it today was not yet discovered. Douro wines were full-bodied, intense in colors and flavors. They were also likely to ferment during transportation, which was a long journey during those times. Some “brandy” was added to help stabilize the wine for its long journey, and Porto was born.
The Douro Valley is among the oldest wine growing regions in the world. It was first delimited in 1756 by order of the Marquis de Pombal. It comprises approximately 900,000 acres and has unique climatic conditions. Winemakers had to cut and hand-build terraces to hold the rocky soil and prevent erosion. The mountains and valleys, proximity to the river, exposure to sun and shelter from wind create a patchwork of microclimates that result in a wide variety of wines. Both the climatic and human factors contribute to the classification and registration of the vines in the Douro in quality scale, from A to F.
Native red and white grapes are grown, traditionally mixed in the vineyard. Varieties such as Touriga Nacional and Touriga Francesa were selected to make the best Porto. Both of these are red wine grapes. The vines struggle for nourishment in the poor rocky schist soils. The rocks absorb heat in the daytime and release heat at night, maintaining a relatively constant temperature. This is important for sugar concentration. The grapes mature in the summer and are fully ripe by September. The harvest lasts four to six weeks.
Due to the difficult landscape, the harvest is done by hand, traditionally by women, while men transport the grapes in big baskets that can weigh 60 pounds each. Today, top quality grapes are transported in small interlocking boxes that give a more gentle treatment and prevent premature crushing and fermentation. Traditionally, the grapes were trodden by men’s feet in open stone tanks. Today, they are vinified in modern wine centers to guarantee the best and most consistent quality.
On arrival at company wine centers, grapes are assessed for quality, de-stalked and crushed, and the resulting mass is transferred into stainless steel tanks where fermentation takes place under controlled temperature and pH levels.
When fermentation has reached the desired sugar levels, the fermenting must is taken into a storage vat and brandy is added at the same time. This addition results in a naturally sweet, fortified wine. The new Porto will age for three years before being released to the market, first in large oak vats in the Douro valley. Within a year the wines are transported to traditional aging lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia. Transport is made in sealed stainless steel tanker trucks to guarantee quality. Upon arrival at V.U. Gala, the wines are tasted and stored according to quality.
There are three basic types of Porto wine: ruby, tawny and white. White Porto is made from white grapes using the same winemaking process as red Porto. White Porto can be made dry, medium or sweet. Ruby and tawny Portos are both made from red grapes, but have different evolutions. All red Portos initially have deep purple colors and fresh red fruit aromas. These are classified as rubies. Take this wine and place it in oak and the color changes to amber. The aromas also become more complex. These are called tawny.
With the exception of dated wines, Porto is generally a selection of different wines from several years. The head taster continuously monitors the wines, and they are blended and finalized according to the commercial brand and style of the company. Vintage Porto is also classified under a special category. This wine is matured in the bottle and is an exceptional wine from a single year. These are aged from five to over 15 years and are bottled two years after the harvest.
Try some tawny, ruby or white Portos and see which one becomes your favorite.
Ray Spaziani is the chapter director of the New Haven chapter of the American Wine Society. He is on the tasting panels of Winemaker Magazine and Amate del Vino and is a certified wine educator and award-winning home winemaker. Email Ray with your wine questions or activities at realestatepro1000@gmail.com.