Ch.3 – Port

Question 1

What is Port?

Answer 1

• a sweet, fortified wine from the Douro region of Portugal
• made from over 100 grape varieties

Question 2

How did Port come about?

Answer 2

• Trade wars between France & England in 17thC meant England increased trade with Portugal
• Popular dry powerful red wines were stabilised with brandy for voyage
• British merchants visited Abbot of Lamego, preferred his sweet wine (fortified during fermentation), and shipped it all to England

Question 3

When and how did most port houses start out?

Answer 3

• In the 17th C when France-England trade wars led to increased England-Portugal trade/ sales of port grew
• Kopke (1638) Warre (1729) Croft (1707) Taylor’s (1692) all became Port shippers
• Shippers traditionally agents taking commission for shipping port abroad or acquiring port from brokers and storing it in “lodges” (cellars/warehouses) in Vila Nova de Gaia (across River Douro to Porto)
• Most now dominant players with own vineyards, wineries and bottling facilities

Question 4

Port in the 18th Century

Answer 4

• 1703 Methuen Treaty gave Portugal lowest duty rates
• Port too popular - mass of poor quality, thin spirits, colour bolstered with elderflower juice - demand slumped - oversupply, prices dropped.
• So in 1756 Portugeuse PM Marquēs de Pombal official
  
  • regulations and demarcation of Port vineyards
  • created Companhia Geral da Agricultura das Vinhas do Alto Douro (aka Real Companhia Velha)
• Real Companhia Velha
  
  • sold all port for exports
  • fixed prices
  • exclusive supplier of fortification spirit
• not everyone happy, but quality and sales increases

Question 5

History of port in 19th Century

Answer 5

• Challenging
  
  • Peninsular Wars
  • Portuguese Civil War
  • Mildew
  • Phylloxera
  • Many small growers sold land/ property
  • Shippers took advantage of low prices - vineyards and quintas (estates)

Question 6

What key events happened in the 1930s in the Port industry?

Answer 6

• 1933 Instituto do Vinho do Porto (IVP)
  
  • admin & supervision of Port industry
• 1932 Casa do Douro
  
  • a secondary authority to supervise growers within the Port demarcation
• Vineyard parcels in Douro rated A to I based on suitability for making port - classification remains today in the Beneficio
• the IVP also controlled the purchase of the aguardente (the fortifying spirit)

Question 7

What was Casa do Douro and what happened to it?

Answer 7

• 1932 Casa do Douro a secondary authority to supervise growers within the Port demarcation, controlled the purchase of the aguardente until IVP in 1933
• 1990 controversially bought 40% of big shipper Royal Oporto - to allow growers to trade own products. Failed, Casa do Douro bankrupt
• 2003 new interprofessional body IVDP (Instituto dos Vinhos do Porto e do Douro created to supervise both Port & Douro producers (reflects growing importance of dry wines of Douro)

Question 8

What major initiatives to improve quality occurred in Port in the 1980s and 1990s

Answer 8

• the World Bank Scheme offered low-interest loans to Douro growers to plant/replant up to 10 hectares
  
  • of A or B grade vineyard
  • with 5 prescribed grapes Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Touriga Nacional, Tinto Cão
• major shippers (incl Cockburn’s, Ferreira, Ramos Pinto) & local university funded vineyard research; 2500 ha planted the 5 grapes on patamares (wider terraces)
• 1986 Portugal in EU, by 1991 producers sourced own aguardente and quality improved

Question 9

Latest developments in Port?

Answer 9

• new improved patamares design
• alongside the 5 major grapes, other local varieties being used for characteristics can bring to the blend
• Depopulation in vineyard areas has meant alternative solutions to foot-treading (“modern/robotic lagares”) now prevalent

Question 10

Where is Port made?

Answer 10

• Douro region, N-E of Portugal
• 250,000 ha in region
  
  • of which 43,500ha vineyards,
  • of which 32,000ha registered for DO Porto (production of port)
• Vineyard area follows River Douro. 3 sub-regions
  
  • Baixo Corgo (west nr Atlantic, wet, basic grapes)
  • Cima Corgo (middle, top vineyards/grapes)
  • Duoro Superior (east, most inland, hot, flatter, some premium, some mechanisation)

Question 11

Climate of Douro

Answer 11

• Warm continental - 40C in summer, can freeze in winter
• Winding river/tributaries, hills, differing altitudes (0-1000m+) & aspects = microclimates - even within single vineyard - diurnal range, good acidity
• Vineyard area 70km from coast (and cities Porto and Vila Nova di Gaia) sheltered by Serra do Marão to west.
• Baixo Corgo westerly, nearest Atlantic, coolest, wettest 900mm- produces grapes inexpensive Ruby/Tawny
• Cima Corgo middle, warmer, drier 700mm, Age-Indicated Tawny & Vintage ports. Best known producers have vineyards here
• Douro Superior furthest from coast, hottest, driest 450mm, drought an issue, more sparsely planted, flatter land allows mechanisation, plantings increasing

Question 12

Soils of the Douro

Answer 12

• Stony, shallow, free-draining, poor in nutrients - limits vigour.
• Schist bedrock unusually fractured vertically allows roots to penetrate deep to find water. Irrigation only permitted in extreme drought.
• Schist vital - vineyards follow schist, because in wider area granite impenetrable.

Question 13

Name the three types of vineyard layouts in the Douro

Answer 13

1. Socalcos traditional, narrow terraces, dry rock walls
2. Patamares wider terraces, steep earth ramps, not walls
3. Vinha ao Alto vines planted vertically up & down: good for mechanisation.

Question 14

Pros & cons of socalcos?

Answer 14

• Describe: Narrow terraces supported by walls of dry rock
• traditional vineyard layout in Douro
• PROS
• 2 rows per terrace: high densities 6000 vines/ha
• allows grape planting on steep slopes (+30% gradients)
• prevent soil erosion
• look nice
• CONS
• Labour intensive (work by hand, also maintain walls, small tractor possible if lower density planted)
• uneven ripening as inner row shaded by outer
• UNESCO protected (cannot change)

Question 15

Pros & cons of Patamares

Answer 15

• Describe: (modern) vineyard terraces in the Douro, wider than Socalcos, supported by steep earth ramp, not stone wall, to allow mechanisation (tractors). 2 kinds
  
  • Original form: wider 2 row terraces, made by bulky bulldozers. Diagonol ramps. Pros cheaper to build & maintain, not UNESCO protected, mechanisation. Cons - uneven ripeness of one row shading other. Reduced vine density 3-3500 vines/ha. Wasted space - access ramps. Weeds on ramps. Soil erosion.
  • New improved narrow 1 row terrace, precision (laser technology), often tilted toward slope & from one side terrace to other for water retention/drainage/ reduce erosion. 1 row - less uneven ripeness. Less wasted space.

Question 16

Pros & Cons of Vinha ao Alto

Answer 16

• Vertical planting up & down slopes
• Pros:
  
  • least expensive to plant & maintain
  • allows q high density 5000 vines/ha
  • can be mechanised
• Cons
  
  • mechanisation unuseable above 40% incline
  • water run-off/ erosion

Question 17

Vine training in the Douro

Answer 17

• Cordon trained/ spur-pruned OR head-trained and cane-pruned AND VSP trellised
  
  • Promotes even sun exposure/ ripening
  • allows mechanisation where viable
• Summer pruning (e.g. leaf removal) throughout growing season, esp. for late ripening varieties.

Question 18

Root-stocks used in the Douro

Answer 18

• V. rupestris & v. berlanieri 110R and 1103P because drought tolerant

Question 19

What are key considerations when replanting in the Douro

Answer 19

• Increasing vine density
• Vineyard layouts that allow mechanisation
• Best grapes/rootstock for that precise area of land (even diff varieties on same terrace)

Question 20

Maximum yield for Port wine production?

Answer 20

• 55hl/ ha but drought and other hazards us mean 30hl/ha

Question 21

Risks, pests and hazards in the Douro

Answer 21

• late spring frosts esp at altitude
• early summer cool wet weather from West (at flowering and fruit set)
• Downy mildew, botrytis bunch rot - esp in wetter Baixo Corgo (solution canopy management/ fungicide spray)
• poor soils - can fertilise
• weeds on patamares slopes (compete for water/ nutrients - herbicides, poss mower)
• erosion, esp on vinha ao alta slopes - cover crops (help with nutrition/ weeds) Organic/ sustainable growing

Question 22

Harvesting in the Douro

Answer 22

• Us by hand as most topography unsuitable for machines
• Ageing regional population/ depopulation is an issue
  
  • Symington Family Estates (largest single grower) developing machine to harvest if no pickers
• Climate means starts in Douro Superior, ends in Baixo Corgo.
• As diff microclimates, diff grapes, mainly hand-harvest, takes several weeks

Question 23

What grapes are permitted in the production of port?

Answer 23

• over 100, with field blends still used by many small producers. Good insurance!
• since 1980s focus on five (grants/ research/ clones)
  
  • Touriga Franca
  • Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo, Aragonez other Portugal)
  • Tinta Barroca
  • Touriga Nacional
  • Tinta Amarela (Tricadeira other Portugal)
• Also major - Tinta Cão, Sousão
• white grapes
  
  • Malvasia Fina (Boal in Madeira)
  • Moscatel Galego Branco (aka Muscat Blanc a Petit Grains)

Question 24

Which is most grown, popular grape for Port

Answer 24

• Touriga Franca
• Pros
  
  • late ripening (good for low, South face hot sites)
  • thick skinned, resists fungal
  • Colour, tannin, acidity, juicy red & black fruit, floral aromas
• Cons
  
  • Vigorous - can need summer pruning

Question 25

What is tempranillo called in Port and what does it contribute?

Answer 25

• Tinta Roriz (also Aragonez elsewhere in Portugal)
• Early ripening, prone to water stress (likes cool sites, elevation)
• Body, deep colour
• Need to limit high yield as can get dilute

Question 26

Touriga Nacional’s role in Port?

Answer 26

• Pros
  
  • (Best Grape) Mid-ripening, thick-skinned, deep colour, high tannins, med high acid, concentrated black fruit, violets, floral aromas.
  • Long-ageing, important in premium
• Cons
  
  • Over-vigour can require summer pruning
  • coulure (lowers yields)

Question 27

Describe Tinta Barroca

Answer 27

• Key grape in port
• Early ripening, best on coolest sites (high, N facing Baixo Corgo, Cima Corgo) to retain acidity and avoid heat damage/ shrivelling
• Earthy flavours, colour fades quicker, can lack acidity, but high yielding

Question 28

What is Trincadeira called in Port and what does it contribute?

Answer 28

• Tinta Amarela
• Tight bunches, so prone to fungal diseases
• Full-bodied, concentrated black fruits, spicy notes, approachable young but can age

Question 29

Tinta Cão

Answer 29

• important key grape - in 1980s scheme
  
  • low yielding, thick skinned, resistant to fungus
  • ripens late, heat tolerant
  • concentrated wine, spicey, high acidity, age well

Question 30

Sousão

Answer 30

• Increasingly popular thick skinned grape for Port
  
  • deep colour
  • retains high acidity

Question 31

What are the key white grapes for Port production?

Answer 31

• Malvasia Fina (Boal in Madeira)
  
  • neutral, med acidity, full-body, slight honey
• Moscatel Galego Branco (Muscat Blanc a Petit Grains)
  
  • aromatic, often used in unaged styles

Question 32

The advantage of a wide range of varieties in Port?

Answer 32

• Differing characteristics
• Reduce vintage variation (eg cool wet years disrupt some varities more than others)
• Spread out the harvest (us hand / labour intensive) so can pick all at optimum ripeness
• Old wines (vinha velha) key part in premium/ super-premium Ports

Question 33

What is Port’s challenge with extraction?

Answer 33

• It needs to be very effective
• Port is made by stopping fermentation by adding grape spirit to create sweet wine (usually 80-120g/L residual sugar).
• Therefore maceration with the skins to extract all tannins and colours can only last a maximum of two days - requires very effective extraction methods.

Question 34

What are the options for extraction in port?

Answer 34

1. Foot treading in lagares
2. Modern lagares
3. Pumping over
4. Stainless-steel pistons
5. Autovinifiers

Question 35

What are lagares and how have they been modernised?

Answer 35

• Traditional lagares are shallow (0.8m) square granite tanks for treading grapes - large surface area between must and grape skins. Still used some premium ports.
• Foot-treading effective extractor, gentle enough not to crush seeds (bitter tannins). People add heat to ferment.
• Modern lagares (aka robotic lagares) silicon “feet” on stainless steel gantry, press grapes onto lagar floor and later punch down cap. Quality equal to foot treading.
• Initial investment higher, but no need for large hired unreliable workforce.

Question 36

Apart from lagares name three other extraction techniques used in Port production

Answer 36

1. Pumping over - can produce ports deep colour/tannin, but not as effective as lagares. Used for non-fortified too
2. Stainless-steel pistons - open stainless-steel vats, pistons punch down cap to programme. Used together with pumping over for a more even extraction. Then seem as good as lagares.
3. Autovinifiers - sealed concrete/ s-steel tanks manage cap w/o electricity. Rising CO2 pushes juice up pipes to holding tank until pressure valve triggered & releases wine sprayed over cap.
   
   • No electricity, so cheap, but reliant on CO2, so very little extraction before fermentation, and results in lighter colour, body and flavour - basic Tawny, White & Ruby Ports.

Question 37

Advantages of stainless steel fermentation vessels in Port (though some use granite, concrete or old wood for small volume wines)

Answer 37

• easy cleaning
• easy temperature control (if necessary cooling to slow fermentation & period of extraction)

Question 38

Port fermentation temperatures

Answer 38

• RED 28-32C
  
  • warm enough to allow sufficient extraction, but not so warm as to accelerate fermentation and reduce the time needed for extraction
• WHITE 17-22C
  
  • fruity, unoxidised 17-18C with Moscatel Galego Branco major part of blend
  • oxidised style 20-22C with Malvasia Fina major part of blend

Question 39

Are Port grapes de-stemmed before fermentation?

Answer 39

• Not necessarily. If ripe, stems can aid pressing (reduce compaction of pomace and improve drainage)

Question 40

Yeasts used in Port?

Answer 40

• Often ambient, as sufficient to start ferment in warm temperature (28-32C) and no need to completely ferment.

Question 41

What is different about the fortification of port compared to other fortified wines?

Answer 41

• Legislation: spirit (aguardente) to fortify must come from grapes/ grape-derived products & be 77% abv (+/- 0.5%)
• Low compared to 95-96% of other fortifieds
• 95% is neutral, 77% has more character, why Port has spirity aromas.
• Because of lower alcohol, need 1 L of spirit for every 4 L of fermenting must to produce wine of 20% abv, so style & quality of the aguardente has significant influence

Question 42

Where do Port producers source their aguardente?

Answer 42

• Since 1991 (EU law) wherever they want
• From 1967-76 had to buy from Casa do Douro
• 1976 IVP tendered contract and all producers had to use same cheap spirit from Portugal, then France
• Now producers better understanding
  
  • some neutral to show wine’s character
  • some aromatic (fruity esters) to add character
  • high quality added to premium wines: affects price

Question 43

When and how is fermentation stopped in Port?

Answer 43

• When wine reaches sugar concentration producer wants (80-120 g/L), alcohol 5-7%. Will depend on house style.
• Wine is drained from skins and aguardente added, the spirit kills the yeast cells and fermentation stops

Question 44

Why is quick drainage after fermentation important in Port production?

Answer 44

• Because the wine is drained from the skins before the aguardente is added, so fermentation will continue, using up sugar that may be desired in the final wine.
• Modern vessels (incl modern lagares) are designed to drain v quickly, compared to the traditional lagares - can take hours.

Question 45

What happens to the grape skins left after draining?

Answer 45

• They will be pressed & press wine blended into fortified free run wine to provide greater colour and tannin - important for wines to undergo long ageing

Question 46

Acidification in port?

Answer 46

• Common
  
  • Port grapes are picked when flavours/tannins ripe (pot alcohol not an issue), so acidity can be low and PH high

Question 47

Malolactic conversion in Port?

Answer 47

• No. Lactic acid bacteria cannot tolerate high concentration of alcohol in the wine after fortification.

Question 48

What happens to Port after fermentation and fortification?

Answer 48

• All Ports spend first winter in Douro
• Wines are left to clarify before being racked off the gross lees. Then rotary vacuum filter to extract remaining wine from lees.
• In Spring wines may be shipped to lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia for maturation (cooler, more constant temperature - Atlantic influence); but tourism & congestion means increase in producers building insulated, humidity controlled lodges in vineyard area.

Question 49

Blending in Port - when and why?

Answer 49

• At any time
• V important (more varied stock held the better)
  
  • diff vineyard parcels
  • diff varieties (though often co-fermentation)
  • diff ages/vintages (complexity)
  • diff styles (vintage v ruby) but also for diff markets
  • consistency (NV and general House style)
  • price
  • volume
• Also make wines differently as blending options eg
  
  • Range of young wines sweet to dry to use to adjust sweetness in final blend

Question 50

What is Port matured in?

Answer 50

• Oak, even if short time
• Sizes vary according to oxidation required
  
  • Balseiros (100,000l vats) store wines fresh
  • Pipes (600l barrels) gentle oxidation
• Only old oak: don’t want new oak aromas

Question 51

Why is racking carried out during Port maturation?

Answer 51

1. To remove accummulating lees which could create off flavours
2. To control the amount of oxidation (more frequent, more O2, though topping up also affects that)

Question 52

List all the styles of Port

Answer 52

1. Basic Ruby
2. Basic Tawny
3. Reserve Ruby/Tawny
4. Tawny with an indication of age
   
   1. also very old, no age indicated super-premium
5. Colheita
6. Vintage
7. Single Quinta
8. Crusted
9. Late Bottle Vintage
10. Rosé Port
11. White Port

Question 53

What influences the style of Port?

Answer 53

• Mainly quality of base wine and form of maturation
• Minimum ageing wines legally defined and analysed by IVDP before permitted to label
• Producers start to make decisions on grapes/styles during growing season - weather crucial - but producers can impact
  
  • re canopy management and harvest dates
  • in winery eg gentle extraction on least ripe grapes to avoid underripe flavours/tannins, so suited to less concentrated styles like basic Tawny

Question 54

What is the difference between Basic Ruby and Reserve Ruby?

Answer 54

• Basic is med-body, med tannins, mix of red & black fruits
• From wines not suitable long ageing (eg fruit not tannin)
• Protective wine-making to retain primary fruits - stainless steel/concrete ferment, aged in bulk (steel/concrete or large old wood) for max 3 yrs
• Blend of years, consistent style
• Use cheap spirit (to hit low price point) so often slightly harsh alcohol
• Reserve Ruby no min age requirement (unlike Reserve Tawny which is 7 yrs in wood)
• tasted/ approved by IVDP’s tasting panel
• more concentrated, higher quality and price than basic

Question 55

What is the difference between Basic Tawny and Reserve Tawny?

Answer 55

• Basic Tawny shows some lightness of colour/browning but not from long oxidative ageing, instead light extraction (like rosé port) to look older.
• Fermenting must is drained early concentrating remaining wine which can be used to add more colour/flavour to Ruby Port.
• Reserve Tawny higher quality/ more concentrated
• Must be aged min 6 years in wood (unlike Reserve Ruby which has no min age)

Question 56

Describe Tawny with an Indication of Age?

Answer 56

• Long ageing in wooden barrels (pipes 620-640l)
• Controlled exposure to O2, over time tannins soften, alcohol integrates, primary become tertiary (dried fruits), oxidation (caramel, nuts). Old barrels so no oak flavours.
• Long ageing means clarification and stabilisation occurs naturally in barrel, so don’t need filtration pre bottling.
• 10, 20, 30, 40 on label is “the characteristics of a wine that age” (IVDP panel) - NOT min or average age. Usually blend of diff vintages, can be older and younger
• Must state year of bottling - important as these wines lose their freshness after bottling.
• Relatively expensive (long ageing, need racking, topping up as evap), sales increasing, stocks decreasing, prices rising.
• Quality can be extremely complex and concentrated - outstanding

Question 57

Give two examples of a very old non-age indicated Tawny

Answer 57

• Taylor’s Scion 150yrs + £2.5k bt
• Grahams Ne Oublie (1882) £4.5k bt

Question 58

Define Colheita Port

Answer 58

• Tawny Port from single vintage
• Aged in small barrels min 7 yrs before bottling
• Label must state vintage of wine and year it was bottled
• Producer can bottle according to demand eg once reached 7 years, could bottle part in one year, then more in following years
• Wine in barrel can be topped up with wines/spirit to avoid ullage.
• Usually cheaper than vintage ports, but some v old colheitas super-premium

Question 59

What is key difference between Vintage Port and Tawny Port?

Answer 59

• Tawny Port is aged in barrels and when Tawny is bottled, it is ready to drink and will not improve in bottle.
• Vintage Port is aged in bottle and will improve in bottle (depending on age)

Question 60

What is a “declared vintage” in Port?

Answer 60

• Vintage Port - when grapes/ young wine exceptional
• Producers register intention declare Vintage in 2nd year after harvest, IVDP panel approve the young wine
• Some years everyone declares (2011, 2016), some years mixed (2015).
• Market conditions matter: if 2 years in a row, second vintage may take sales from first (2017 and 2016 declared)

Question 61

Describe the grapes in Vintage Port

Answer 61

• Very high quality plots, often shipper’s own vineyards.
• Some super-premiums from v select plots, old vines eg Quinta do Noval’s Nacional (old, ungrafted vines)
• Touriga Franca & Touriga Nacional key components - colour/tannin/flavour concentration for long term ageing

Question 62

How do producers determine whether to declare a vintage?

Answer 62

• quality & ripeness of fruit from best vineyards
• quality of lots (batches) of young wines stored in large old wooden vats to avoid too much oxidation
  
  • tasted over next 2 years
• Those lots not suitable for Vintage may become Single Quinta, LBV, Crusted or poss even Tawny

Question 63

Ageing of Vintage Ports

Answer 63

• Maximum of 3 years in large old wooden vessels, but majority bottled in 2nd Spring after harvest (18-20mths in wood)

Question 64

What is the benefit of 18-20 months of wood ageing for young Vintage Ports

Answer 64

Allows small amount of O2 = anthocyanin-tannin bonding which stabilises colour for long ageing in bottle

Question 65

Are Vintage Ports fined and filtered before bottling?

Answer 65

No, so heavy sediment forms

Question 66

Describe flavour profile of young vintage Ports

Answer 66

• Deep in colour, full-bodied, high tannins, pronounced intensity of ripe black fruit, sometimes floral notes. Can be quite spirity as alcohol takes time to integrate.
• Very good to outstanding in quality

Question 67

Why are Vintage Ports so profitable for Producers?

Answer 67

• Outstanding quality so (super) premium priced
• Limited time in wooden vessels (us 18-20 mths) early release from winery.

Question 68

Describe Single Quinta Port

Answer 68

• Grapes from one estate (Quinta) and one vintage
• Made when grapes not good enough for Vintage declaration
• eg Taylor’s Quinta de Vargellas, Graham’s Quinta dos Malvedos

Question 69

What is Crusted Port?

Answer 69

• Non-vintage Port aged in wood for up to 2 years before bottling without fining or filtration: hence a deposit or “crust” forms in the bottle.
• Label must state bottling date
• After 3 years can include “bottle matured” on label (can release earlier w/o it)
• Style can be similar to Vintage Port, can age a long time and usually good to very good, med-premium priced

Question 70

LBV (Late Bottled Port)

Answer 70

• Single vintage wines, aged for 4-6 years in large old wood/ stainless steel to avoid oxidisation before bottling
• This extra ageing makes the wines more approachable on release than Vintage Ports.
• filtered (normal) or “unfiltered”
• filtered bottled ready to drink (undecanted) because
  
  • fruit less quality than Vintage
  • longer ageing before bottling
• More body/tannin/intensity than Ruby, good-v good, mid price

Question 71

How do “unfiltered” LBVs differ from normal LBVs?

Answer 71

• “unfiltered” on label
• Because they are unfiltered, they will improve in the bottle.
• Tend to be more full-bodied, spend 4-5 years in wood then a few years in bottle (LBVs 4-6 in wood or stainless steel before bottle and release)
  
  • if min 3 years in bottle “bottle matured” like Crusted
• very good quality, can taste like young Vintage
• us mid-priced

Question 72

Rosé Port (aka Pink Port)

Answer 72

• Invented by Croft in late 2000s
• Black grapes from coolest sites - altitude or Baixo Corgo
• Must macerates few hours, before draining free run juice and clarifying (can also use lightest press juice)
• Fermentation 15-16C to keep red berry fruit
• Aguardente neutral & high quality (to not stand out) as less intense flavours/tannins
• Bottle soon after fortification/ released within year
• Inexpensive-mid priced, colour varies pale salmon to almost ruby. Flavour varies with producer.

Question 73

What are the two basic styles of White Port?

Answer 73

1. Fruity, unoxidised, Moscatel dominated, aromatic, fruity & floral. Crushed grapes, add SO2, 2 hours maceration, chilled (limit O2), must is drained, pressed, juice fermented off skins at under 18C (normal white) to retain fruit. Stainless steel/ v large old oak short period. Lemon colour, med body, stone fruits/ floral notes
2. Highly oxidised, Malvasia dominated (subtle in youth, honeyed, nutty with age). Longer on skins, more phenolics to support ageing. Several yrs in small casks (like premium Tawny). Amber/brown, flavours of caramel, citurs peel, dried stone fruit, nuts
3. There is a half-way: slight oxidation, less oak aged - fresh fruit, but slight nuttiness.

Question 74

White Port labelling options

Answer 74

• Like Tawny Ports
• Reserve if aged in wood min 7 years
• Indication of Age 10, 20, 30, 40 if characteristics deemed by IVDP tasting panel
• Colheita if single vintage and min 7 years

Question 75

Businesses involved in Port Production

Answer 75

• 21000 growers (43% less 0.5ha, 92% less 5 ha)
• Most sell grapes to med/large producer or co-op
• Cooperatives make 20% wine, mostly sold to producers
• Brokers often employed to trade grapes & wine
• 30-35 producers make significant volumes
• Top 5 make 80% vol
  
  • Porto Cruz
  • Symington Family Estates
  • Sogrape
  • Fladgate Partnership
  • Sogevinus

Question 76

Name the top 5 Port Shippers (producers) and their key brands

Answer 76

1. Porto Cruz: largest, with largest brand Gran Cruz
2. Symington Family Estates: Cockburn’s, Dow’s, Graham’s, Warre’s
3. Sogrape (Portugal’s biggest wine co): Sandeman, Offley, Ferreira (and many non-port)
4. Fladgate Partnership: Taylor’s, Fonseca, Croft, Kroh
5. Sogevinus: Burmester, Barros, Calem, Kopke

Question 77

What is the IVDP and what does it do?

Answer 77

• 2003 Instituto dos Vinhos do Porto e do Douro (succeeding IVP 1933) new interprofessional body created to govern & represent Port & Douro producers (reflects growing importance of dry wines of Douro)
• registers vineyards/ cos involved in wine prod/ shipping
• regulates amount of Port made in a year - the Beneficio
• controls volume Port released each year (1/3 shipper’s total stocks)
• analyses/tastes Port to meet legally defined Port styles
• helps promote Port and unfortified wines from Douro

Question 78

What is the beneficio?

Answer 78

Both

• the amount of port must that can be produced in any one year and
• the system that regulates it

Question 79

What is the aim of the beneficio system?

Answer 79

to keep grape and wine prices stable through a balance of supply and demand

Question 80

How are vineyards rated for the benefico system?

Answer 80

• Each vineyard parcel is classified according to its capacity to produce quality grapes for Port; eg location, altitude, soil, grape varieties etc
• Each factor is given numerical value, total gives a letter A to I denoting how much Port can be made from parcel
• A is highest quality; can make most wine. Vineyards below F cannot make Port, but unfortified wine or spirits

Question 81

Who decides what the beneficio (amount of Port wine must that can be made) is each year?

Answer 81

• The three main bodies:
  
  • IDVP
  • growers
  • producers
• They take into account market demand and current stocks, aiming to keep grape and wine prices stable

Question 82

How does beneficio card trading work (or not?!)

Answer 82

• Landowners get card (certificate) for each parcel of land, and can trade that card for the grapes grown on it
  
  • in reality may be from different parcel of land
• The beneficio sets prices for Port grapes - relatively high 1.2-1.4€ inside system, 0.25-0.4 outside
• So growers give lesser quality grapes as beneficio cards (guaranteed a high price), and sell their best quality grapes on open market (no price controls, will get higher price)
• Producers may then substitute the inferior beneficio grapes for their own high quality grapes that are not part of beneficio system to make a better quality Port!
• the inferior grapes may be used/ resold for unfortified wines

Question 83

How do most Port grape growers make their money?

Answer 83

• Most growers don’t make their own port. They make their money purely through beneficio trading
  
  • this means there is lots of trading
  • all transactions/payments must be recorded by and made through the IVDP, which monitors and controls the process.

Question 84

Why do many producers feel the beneficio system does not help them?

Answer 84

• As demand for Port declines, the volume of Port has been reduced to avoid oversupply
• Yet at the same time total vineyard area has been allowed to grow, leading to oversupply of grapes for unfortified Douro wines
• As prices for these grape are not fixed by the beneficio, grape prices plummeted
• Port producers feel they are subsidising the industry for unfortified Douro wines by paying artificially high prices for Port grapes.

Question 85

Port sales

Answer 85

• Production in 2017 82m litres, sales 75m litres
• Steady decline after 3 decades of growth 1970-2000
• 82% Port by vol exported
• France is largest market, then domestic Portuguese. But cheap Port drunk as an aperitif in these markets and Holland.
• Yet increase in av price - premium ports like age-indicated Tawny up - better quality/ marketing
• Special categories (everything above standard Ruby, Tawny, White & Rosé) 23% sales vol, 45% value

Question 86

How are Port producers trying to revive fortunes?

Answer 86

• Symington, Qunita do Noval, Ramos Pinto, Niepoort all diversified into still unfortified wines
• It is hoped growing popularity of Douro still wines may attract new markets to Port wines
• Expansion of Rosé and White Ports, both as aperitifs & cocktail mixers - white Port v gin with tonic lower alcohol
• Further potential in Premium re Ports in hospitality eg Graham’s 4.5L Tawny Ports presented to customers as digestifs create great social media photos.