2 - Port Styles

Question 1

-basic ruby

Answer 1

• medium body
• medium tannin level
• mixture of red and black fruit

-generally produce to be drunk early not suitable for ageing

• produce using protective winemaking techniques to retain primary fruit flavours
• fermenting is stainless-steel or concrete and ageing the wines in bulk for maximum 3 years
• generally acceptable to good quality
• inexpensive to mid-price

Question 2

basic tawny

Answer 2

• lightness and browning colours in common with other tawny
• short period of oxidative ageing but longer than ruby port
• light extraction during fermentation to give them a paler colour reminiscent of an older wine

Question 3

reserve ruby and reserve tawny

Answer 3

• higher quality than the basic
• reserve tawnies must be aged in wood for minimum of seven years
• reserve ruby is no minimum age period however need to be tasted and approved by IVDP’s tasting panel
• more concentrated, higher quality done the basic
• the both normally have a premium price done the basic

Question 4

tawny with an indication of age

Answer 4

• aged for long periods of time in wood barrels
• pipes holding 620-640L
• the pipes permit a controlled exposure to oxiygen
• over time soften the tannins
• alcohol becomes more integrated
• primary flavours develop to tertiary flavours dried fruits
• oxidation caramel and nuts flavours

-because the long ageing clarification and stabilisation occurs naturally in the pipe

• 10,20,30,40
• the age specified is not the minimum amount of time the wine must be age
• the wines are blended with more than one vintage older or younger
• the wine is tasted by a panel within the IVDP and must be deemed to have the characteristic of a wine of that age
• sub category very old aged tawny (non age indicated
• super premium prices

Question 5

colheita tawny

Answer 5

• made from grapes the some vintage
• must be age in small barrels for a minimum 7 years before being bottle
• the label must state the vintage as well the year was bottled
• don’t need to bottle all after 7 years can be bottle according to demand

Question 6

vintage

Answer 6

• declared vintage
• producers must register their intention to release a vintage port in the second year after harvest
• the young wine is approved by an IVDP panel
• usually only declared in years where their grapes and young wines are of exceptional quality
• as well as considering quality producers will decide to release according to market conditions
• touriga franca and touriga nacional are usually key component
• giving colour
• tannin and flavours concentration
• suitable for long-term ageing
• maximum 3 years in large old wooden vessels
• the majority are bottle during the second spring after the harvest (18-20 months in wood)
• the small oxygen exposure during this time ensure the stability of the colour
• bottle without fining and filtration
• young vintage port deep colour, full body, high levels of tannins, pronounced intensity of ripe black fruit some times floral notes
• they age and gradually develop flavours of dried fruit and the tannins and alcohol integrate
• very good to outstanding quality
• premium to super premium price

-wines that do not become vintage port after the 2 years after harvest may become single Quinta, LBV, crusted even tawny

Question 7

single quinta

Answer 7

-wine made from a single quinta and from one year (were the weather has not suitable to produce grapes sufficient quality to make vintage port)

Question 8

Crusted

Answer 8

• is a non-vintage port
• aged in wood for up to 2 years before bottling
• bottle without fining and filtration
• bottling date must appear on the label
• can be released any time after bottling but normally only after 3 years of bottle age (can include the term bottle matured on the label)
• similar in style to vintage port
• considerable ageing potential
• good to very good quality
• mid priced to premium

Question 9

LBV

Answer 9

• are wines from a single year
• must be bottle between 4 to 6 years after harvest
• the grapes used in the LBV is not the some quality as for vintage port
• because of the quality of the fruit and the longer ageing before bottling the LBV is ready to drink on release
• stored in large old wooden vessels or stainless-steel vats to avoid oxidation
• most are filtered before bottling
• tend to have more intensity, body, tannins than ruby or ruby reserve
• quality good to very good
• medium price
• some are unfiltered
• tend to by fuller body done the filtered LBV benefits from bottle maturation
• some spend some years in bottle ageing before release
• in the label tend to say unfiltered or bottle matured
• quality very good
• taste similar style young vintage port
• medium price

Question 10

rose port or pink port

Invented by Croft in the late 2000s

Answer 10

-made from red grapes coming from coolest areas and high altitude or from Baixo cargo

• macerated for a few hours before draining the free run juice and clarification
• some of the light pressed juice may be used
• fermentation around 15-16C
• to retain the red berry fruit aromas
• the aguardente used is neutral as possible not to stand out because of the style
• less intense flavours and usually little tannin compared to red ruby
• bottle after the fortification and released within a year
• inexpensive to mid price
• colour and flavours profile depends on the producer (from pale salmon to almost ruby)

Question 11

white port

Answer 11

• the vineyards with white parcels will be harvest first
• but often the white grapes are scattered within mixed vineyards and therefore are harvest at the some time
• muscatel tends to be one of the main grapes, lending aromatic fruit and floral nots
• made in a range of styles, varying degrees of sweetness and oxidation
• fruity, unoxidised style
• after crushed SO2 is added and maceration may last a couple of hours at chilled temperatures to limit oxidation
• the must is then drained and pressed
• the juice is fermented off the skins under 18C to try to retain the fruity aromas
• stored in either stainless-steel or vary large old oak casks for a short period
• white ports are often lemon colour, medium body, flavours of stone fruit and floral notes
• the highly oxidised style
• malvasia key part of the blend subtle flavours in youth becoming honey and nutty with age
• this wines spend longer on their skins to extract more phenolics to support the wine during the ageing process
• aged for several years in small casks like premium tawny ports
• amber or even brown in colour, showing flavours caramel, citrus peel, dried stone fruits and nuts
• can be made with some slight oxidation from limited ageing in oak. Showing fresh fruit but can gain slight nuttiness
• white tawny port
• white tawny port reserved minimum age 7 years
• white tawny port 10/20/30/40 after tasted by IVDP tasting panel
• white tawny port colheita single vintage and aged minimum 7 years