Trying to understand a Port label can sometimes give you a headache. There is simply too much terminology that has little or no meaning. The purpose of tonight’s tasting, therefore was to look at the various Port styles, and taste a number of different examples. Beforehand, it’s worth recapping on how Port is made.

After the grapes are pressed, the wine is fermented for just a few days until it reaches between 6 and 8 degrees alcohol. At this stage, the must is run off into a pipe, an old 550-litre cask filled to one-fifth with a neutral grape-spirit. This process, known as mutage, immediately arrests fermentation, but allows the wine to retain its natural sweetness from the unfermented grape sugar. The result is a fortified wine of between 18 and 20 degrees.

Essentially, there are two main styles; Bottle-Aged Rubies and Wood-Aged Tawnies (cheap tawnies are a blend of red and white ports). The main points to remember are that wines mature more quickly in wood than in bottle, and that, in bottle, the Port retains its primary fruit.

The Port Styles

a. White Port
White Port is simply Port made with white grapes. (nearly 90 different varieties, both red and white, are permitted). Often described as dry, it is usually sweet, and often recommended to be served as a mixer or “on the rocks”. Personally, I’d always opt for sherry.

1. Churchill’s Dry White (£11.95)
Unusually for a White Port, this has a considerably degree of barrel age, producing a sweet sherry-like style. Spicy aroma and a little fierce, it did have a lingering finish, but not much personality. (CHP 13, Bin Ends 0 votes)

b. Ruby Port
These are young wines with up to 4 years barrel-age, and with a reputation for being hot and fiery. The better examples may have the terms “Reserve”, “Special Reserve” or “Vintage Character” on the label, but have no official or legal meaning, and may only denote a more rigorous selection.

2. Croft Triple Crown (£6.99 Majestic, Morrisons)
A stinky rubbery aroma gave way to liquorice and chocolate flavours. Quite rich and full, it was better on the palate than on the nose (CHP 14, Bin Ends 0 votes)

3. Warre’s Warrior (£8.99 Waitrose)
A Ruby with a fine reputation. On the palate, there was liquorice, blackberry and spice, developing into chocolate. Fine, with a long finish. Good value (CHP 17, Bin Ends 3 votes)

4. Fonseca Terra Prima Organic (£10.99 Waitrose)
Lighter and juicier in style, and more elegant than above, but possibly not worth the extra outlay, although it had excellent balance. (CHP 17, Bin Ends 2 votes)

c. Crusted Port
Crusted Port is a superior Ruby whereby, after several years barrel-ageing, the Port is blended and bottled unfiltered. The Port, like Vintage Port, continues to develop in bottle and throw a sediment or “crust”. The year on the label is the year of bottling, not the vintage year, so the style generally has more maturity than an LBV (see below).

5. Churchill’s Crusted, Bottled 2002 (£18.99)
Upfront and fruity, with flavours of jammy plums supported by firm ripe tannins and developing into a full chocolate finish. Light, elegant and well integrated, it has the potential for further development. (CHP 16.5, Bin Ends 0 votes).

d. Late Bottled Vintage (LBV)
LBVs are a superior Ruby Port from a single vintage, with around 4-6 years cask age. The vintage is declared on the label, and the best versions are invariably unfiltered.

6. Grahams LBV 2003 (Waitrose £11.99)
Strong characters of liquorice and chocolate, but ultra-sweet, spirity and fiery, almost gauche. (CHP 14, Bin Ends 1 vote).

7. Noval LBV 2003 (unfiltered) (£12.99 Tesco/Oddbins)
Juicy mulled blackberry, quite fresh, with a slight bitter backnote, but developing complex characters of chocolate (CHP 16, Bin Ends 3 votes).

e. Vintage and Single Quinta
Vintage Port is the pinnacle, representing the finest wine from the very best years, and is usually only declared three times a decade. Representing not more than 1% of total production, the Vintage wine is a blend of several estates, aged for around 2 years in cask before bottling. Vintage Ports generally need 15 years before they are approachable, but can age for up to 50 years in the correct storage conditions. Prices start at around £35 a bottle.

Traditionally, Single Quintas are generally released in those years when a Vintage is not declared and, significantly, it’s a Port from a single estate. The style is generally lighter and more quickly maturing than true Vintage, and are ready after 10-12 years.

8. Dow’s Quinta do Bomfim 1998 (£22.99 Sainsbury/Thresher)
Developed caramel nose with complex flavours of black fruit, figs and chocolate, although still fiery. Light and fine, but mature and well integrated. (CHP 17+, Bin Ends 4 votes).

9. Fonseca Guimaraens 1988 (£21 Waitrose/Sainsbury)
Disappointing flat nose, but on the palate flavours of mocha and chocolate. Silky smooth. (CHP 17, Bin Ends 4 votes).

f. Wood-Aged Tawnies
As the port matures in cask (as opposed to bottle), the primary colour and fruit drops out, producing more complex secondary and tertiary flavours of dried fruits, orange-peel, nuts and butterscotch. These are released immediately for drinking, and the average age of the blended wines is declared as a 10, 20 or 30 year old. Price reflects the age. Aged Tawnies are regarded as the connoisseurs’ Port.

10. Taylors 10 year old (£18.99 widely available)
Silky smooth, with strong flavours of orange-peel and nuts. Complex and sweet. (CHP 18, Bin Ends 3 votes).

11. Sandeman’s 20 year old (£26.75 Stevens Garnier)
Pale amber, with rancio and damp woodland flavours. The complex flavours include orange-peel, walnuts and spice, and linger to an infinite finish. Glorious. (CHP 19, Bin Ends 5 votes)

12. Sandemans 30 year old (£50.95 Stevens Garnier)
Again rancio and woodland flavours, with a vinous texture and flavours of raisins and nuts. Still juicy and spirity, with a long finish. Somehow, though, it was not as good as the 20 year old. (CHP 18+, Bin Ends 1 vote).

Those who attended on a rotten snow-bound night, all agreed that they were treated to a true Port Masterclass. Amongst the Rubies, the Warre’s Warrior was the most popular, and the Noval LBV was favoured, too. The quality really kicked in with the Single Quintas and, generally, both examples were well-liked.

Perhaps not as fashionable, the Tawnies gave a good account of themselves. The Taylor’s was well-received, and the Sandeman’s 20 year old was easily the wine of the night. Surprisingly, the Sandeman’s 30 year old was a little disappointing, bearing in mind its price.

Coming Up ....

Tuesday, 25th November 2008
Fine Wines from The Lebanon.
The UK importers for leading Lebanese wineries will offer us a
Rare chance to sample a fascinating range of wines
(£10 per head entry)

Tuesday, 16th December 2008
A great opportunity to explore the hierarchy of the great
Rhone Reds, contrasting the AOCs of the North and South, such as
Chateauneuf du Pape and Crozes-Hermitage. Nibbles will be provided.
(£15 per head entry)

Saturday, 17th January 2009
Bin Ends Annual Fine Wine Dinner
To be held at Opus Restaurant in Birmingham City Centre
Price: £50 per head (5 wines, 3-course dinner and service included)
Tickets will be on sale from next meeting (November)
Book your tickets through Margaret Hale
(margaret.hale@tiscali.co.uk) or telephone 0121.454.4005

Tuesday, 24th February 2009
Affordable Bordeaux
A tutored tasting by Wine Educator,
Laura Clay

Please note my website link:
www.clives-wines.com