Port Flashcards
Name the 3 subregions of the Duoro Valley from west to east
Baixo Corgo
Cima Corgo
Duoro Superior
Quality assessment top line notes for a Ruby Port
Good quality
2 positive - complexity, tannins
2 negative - alcohol, concentration, finish)
Quality assessment top line notes for a Ruby Port
Good quality
2 positive - complexity, tannins
2 negative - alcohol, concentration, finish)
What is a colheita port?
Tawny port from a single vintage
Aged for min. 7 yrs
Role of the IVDP
Inter-professional body of the Duoro, that governs and represents the interests of producers.
Controls and supervises production and trade both unfortified and fortified.
Regulates amount of Port that can be produced in any one year (beneficio)
Controls the volume of Port that can be released in a year (one third of a shippers stock)
Holds register of vineyards and companies in production and shipping
Approve young wine for a VP
Approve age classification for Reserve Ruby & Tawny, Tawny aged
Promotion of Port and unfortified wines of Duoro
How and why are vintage ports declared?
How - producers register their intention to release a VP in the 2nd year after harvest. IVDP approve the young wine.
Why - grapes and young wines are of exceptional quality. Market conditions - if too close to a previous VP it may take sales away
Describe businesses involved in Port production
- Land owners/growers - 20,000, average 2.2ha each. Most sell grapes to a medium or large producer or co-op
- Co-ops - produce around 20% of wine. Can sell under their own label but due to the prominence of the shippers brands they often sell wines to producers
- Shippers/Producers - 80% of sales by volume. 5 main groups
- Brokers - employed to facilitate trade of grapes and wine between growers/co-ops/producers
- IVDP - interprofessional body that governs and represents the interests of the producers of the region. Controls and supervises both fortified port and unfortified wine. Controls beneficio as well as amount of port sold each year. Approves wines for classification of age. Promotion of wine.
What are the 5 extraction technique options in port production?
- Foot treading
- Modern lagares
- Autovinifiers
- Pumping over
- Pistons
What are the 3 main vineyard layouts in Duoro?
- Socalcos - traditional terraces rock wall
- Patamares - terraces steep earth ramp
- Vinha ao Alto - vertical rows
Describe the soil type of the Duoro?
Stony shallow soils composed of schist.
This schist that defines the border of the Duoro.
Poor nutrients esp. nitrogen
Plate movements in the earth have caused the schist in the area to form vertical layers (usually horizontal) which enables roots to grow deep into soil to access water (this is unusual, as schist would usually develop horizontal layers).
Similarities and differences of socalcos and patamares
Similarities: terraces, small tractors can be used (for the solcacos planted at lower densities), erosion (both on slopes, more of a problem for patamares)
differences: planting densities, labour, terrace wall, cost
Advantages and disadvantages of the 3 vineyard layouts of the Duoro
- Solcalcos adv: terraces make an efficient use of space, make labour more accessible than sleep slopes, can be planted to high density (walls dont take up space)
Solcalcos dis: high labour costs, expensive to maintain, can’t be changed (UNESCO) - Patamares adv: lower construction and maintenance costs, some mechanisation, best for very steep parts
Patamares dis: older versions have erosion, uneven ripeness on wide terraces - Vinha ao alto adv: cheapest
Dis: erosion, mechanisation impossible on very steep
Name the 5 biggest Port producers
- Porto Cruz
- symington family estates
- Sogrape
- Fladgate partnership
- Sogevinus
Describe the Beneficio system
Managed by IVDP.
Regulates the amount of Port must that can be produced in any one year.
Each vineyard is classified A to I (capacity to produce quality) based on location, aspect, altitude, soil, varieties.
A grade is the highest and can produce the most. Below F cannot make Port but unfortified wine or distilled into spirits.
Beneficio changes each year and is agreed upon between the growers, producers and IVDP and takes into consideration market demand and current stocks available in the market.
Aim: to keep grape and wine prices stable through its influence on the balance of supply and demand.
Vineyard owners granted beneficio card - which can be traded
What is the single biggest brand of Port and what is the name of the Producer?
Gran Cruz (producer is Porto Cruz)
What is the second largest Port Producer and its brands?
Symington Family Estates
Brands: Cockburn’s, Dow’s, Graham’s and Warre’s
Who is the third largest Port Producer (and Portugal’s largest wine producer overall) as well as its brands of Port?
Sogrape.
Port brands: Sandeman, Offley, Ferreira
Who is the fourth largest Port Producer and its brands?
Fladgate Partnership.
Brands: Taylor’s, Fonseca, Croft, Krohn
Who is the fifth largest Port Producer and its brands?
Sogevinus.
Brands: Burmester, Barros, Calem and Kopke
How are vineyards classified in the Beneficio system?
Given a numerical score for each quality category: location, altitude, aspect, soil and grape varieties.
Final total of score is used to give a letter classification, ranging from A to I.
A denotes the highest quality and is therefore allowed to produce the most Port.
Vineyards below F cannot make Port, but unfortified wine or wine to be distilled into spirits.
What is the aim of the Beneficio system?
To keep grape and wine prices stable through the influence on the balance of supply and demand.
Trend of Port sales since 1970s
In growth from the 1970s until its peak in 2000. Declining ever since. Decline is mainly of inexpensive ports in France and Netherlands.
2020 - production 70 million litres vs sales 68m litres.
Average price however has increased due to increase in quality of production and the focus of marketing more premium ports such as age indicated Tawny.