The so british history of port
At the end of the 17th century, Colbert, Prime Minister of King Louis XIV, prevented the free circulation of French wines in England. Undaunted, King Charles II of England broke off all trade with France and turned to Portugal, which produced a small red wine greatly appreciated by the English. Problem: the wine doesn't take well to the journey from the upper Douro valley to Porto, as it has to travel 100 kilometers before reaching the port of Porto for its crossing to England.
An English merchant in need of turnover has the brilliant idea of cutting the wine with must brandy. Although it's tempting to take offence at seeing English names like Taylor's or Graham's on the bottles, these are actually the oldest brands! This addition of brandy or eau-de-vie during fermentation is the key step that will differentiate port from other wines from the 1850s onwards. This operation is called mutage.
Having finally figured out how to preserve wine for as long as possible, huge quantities were produced, often to the detriment of quality. In 1756, Portugal's Prime Minister, the Marquis de Pombal, decided to regulate production and exports by creating the first-ever Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (A.O.C.) for port wine. By way of comparison, the first French A.O.C. for a wine was created in 1936. A production method was devised, a system of points was established, and a geographical area was delimited, marked by granite markers, some of which are still visible today. Each parcel of wine is scrupulously evaluated according to a classification ranging from A (the best) to F (the worst). Several factors come into play, such as sun exposure, soil quality, age of the vineyard... The Douro is thus the only wine region in the world where there is a totally hierarchical classification.
In the 18th century, quality was still not specifically favored. Pombal wanted the company he founded to have control over transport from the wineries on the Douro, and to know who was trading with whom. Real quality control legislation came in 1932, under the aegis of the Institutodos Vinhos do Douro e Porto (Douro and Port Wine Institute), which is still in operation.
Since Napoleon's troops stormed the region, France, which holds no grudges when it comes to alcohol, has become the leading customer for port wine, but the best vintages go to the English. A journey through the history of port wine is offered by Real Companhia Velha - Museu da 1ª Demarcação in Vila Nova de Gaia.
The process of making port wine: from the Douro vineyards to the cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia
A little wine lexicon: a grape variety is a vine variety that produces grapes. It can exist in a single place, and is therefore called an indigenous grape variety, or grow in several parts of the world, as is the case with trees or plants. Most wines are grown above 500 m. The climate in the Douro Valley can be summed up by the Portuguese saying: "9 months of winter and 3 months of hell", which gives the grapes a great complexity revealing explosive and surprisingly rich wines. Some of the vines grown here are very old, with a mixture of many grape varieties giving unique aromas. The grapes are transported to the quintas, where they are foot-pressed if tradition is respected. The port wine then undergoes fermentation until it reaches the desired sugar content. During this process,aguardente (brandy) at 77° is added to stop fermentation. This is called mutage. In the case of sherry, for example, the brandy is added at the end of fermentation, as the aim was not to obtain a wine that could withstand transport, as is the case with port.
The wine is then transported to the cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia to age in oak barrels. For a long time, transport took place on the rabelos that can be seen parked on the banks of the Douro between Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia. It took a great deal of skill and courage for the bargemen to steer these large, flat, six-oared boats up the river with the help of a high sail. The helmsman, perched on a platform, ensured that the barrels were shaken as little as possible.
As soon as the wine arrived, the oenologists tasted it and decided how long it should be aged (over varying periods of time) and in which container, either a 550-litre barrel or a large, several-thousand-litre cask known as a foudre. Blending will take place much later. The wineries of Vila Nova de Gaia are therefore the houses of merchants who own quintas or buy the harvests from independent quintas. If a port comes from just one estate, it is called Quinta, followed by the name of the estate, e.g. Quinta do Tedo. The biggest houses to visit in Vila Nova de Gaia, which it's worth pointing out is the city with the most alcohol per square metre in the world, are Taylor's, where Europe's largest barrel of over 1,000 liters stands proudly, Cálem's, Ramos Pinto, featuring a small collection of advertising posters designed by the French, Cockburn's, Graham's and Sandeman. Or theEspaço Porto Cruz, a multimedia center that interactively reveals the secrets of port wine.
A visit to the cellars on the banks of the Douro costs between €4 and €15.
Find your way around all the different types of port, in barrels or in bottles
The complex blending and the length of time the wines are aged give port wine its richness and diversity. Many types of port exist. All Port wines are aged for an average of two years in oak barrels. After this stage, there are two kinds of port wines. Those that will remain in the barrel, the rubys, tawnys, tawnys with age indication (10, 20, 30, 40 years) are called "oxidative" wines They are a blend of different wines and vintages. Those that will continue their maturation in the bottle are called "reducing" wines. Among them, the vintages, wines of race, come from a single vintage but several wines, and are kept in bottle between 5 and 50 years before being opened. The Port Wine Institute is the only one to declare a vintage. The Single Quinta Vintage are vintage wines produced from a single quinta. Colheita, aged in casks between 7 and 50 years, and Late Bottled Vintage, aged between 4 and 6 years, are ready to be drunk as soon as they are bottled but are made with a single vintage.
Barrel-aged port has an amber color and roasted and almond aromas. In contrast, bottle-aged port wines have a dark red color and a fruitier flavor. Branco is a white port made from white grapes. When young, it is dry and clear. As it ages, it darkens a bit and becomes sweeter.
How to accompany the port ?
Port can be served directly and does not need a pause for tannin as is recommended for other wines. "It is good to serve it a little cool at 12 or 13 °C, or even a little cooler for white and rosé wines. Red wines should not be served too hot, because the wine, as it rises in temperature, will release its aromas and alcohol. We will have something with a much more pleasant grain," advises an oenologist. Port branco or extra seco is drunk chilled as an aperitif, a specialty almost unknown in France. Red port is usually drunk with a strong cheese, with dessert or as a digestive. An old port wine is appreciated like an excellent wine, one does not leave a bottle unopened. Considered as a dessert or aperitif wine, a meal can be made entirely with port. We often forget that a well-chosen port wine is a luxury wine, so don't hesitate to show your guests the gastronomic quality of this wine.
To help you find your way around, there is white port, which is soft enough for an aperitif, but also goes well with a cake. Port Select is a full-bodied, fruity red that goes well with cheese and chocolate desserts. The vintage is the most expensive.
Wine tour along the Douro River
This is undoubtedly one of the most charming itineraries for discovering the secrets of port wine. The Douro River, which rises in Spain, defines the Portuguese and Spanish borders north from Miranda do Douro (Trás-os-Montes) to Barca de Alva. It then crosses Portugal over 200 km to Porto. The region between the Spanish border and Peso da Régua, also known as the Alto Douro (Upper Douro Valley), is linked to Port wine and was declared a World Heritage Site in 2001. It covers 250,000 hectares, 42,000 of which are planted with vines.
The road along the Douro, from Peso da Régua to Pinhão, will take you mile by mile into the mysteries of the wine that has sustained generations of men and women for decades. At harvest time, the quintas are bustling with activity, the roads following the curve of the Douro being used by small lorries carrying the grapes that will then be crushed by foot for the quintas closest to the port-making tradition. You'll find a host of farms offering tours and tastings. A word of advice: visit the Douro region in autumn or spring, and you'll discover splendid colors and light. The best way to get there is by car, for greater freedom. Trains and buses are also options. Many travel agencies offer cruises on the Douro.
A few suggestions along the way: Quinta do Tedo in Vila Seca, an 18th-century farmhouse belonging to a Burgundian owner, can be found following the signs for Pinhão. Quinta do Seixo, on the road before reaching Pinhão, is a modern farm offering tastings and a video tour, with an exceptional view of the Douro. Quinta do Panascal, a 5-minute drive down the road to Pinhão, offers audio tours. The unmissable port tasting can be followed by a meal on site. Heading towards São João da Pesqueira, a visit to the Quinta de Ventozelo offers breathtaking river views, with the option of a meal and overnight stay. A visit to the Quevedo winery offers an unparalleled view of the Douro valley from high up on the road. Quinta das Carvalhas, at the entrance to Pinhão, is the oldest Port farm in the region. It boasts a huge estate that can be visited by minicar. At the end of the road, in Pinhão itself, a visit to Quinta do Bomfim, the Douro's emblematic quinta, is an instructive tour packed with historical anecdotes. To find out more about the region's wineries, visit www.ivdp.pt.
