Port

Question 1

What is mistelle?

Answer 1

A wine in which must is fortified prior to fermentation. Also known as a Vin de Liqueur (although the EU has extended the VDL definition to include all fortified wines).

Question 2

What governing body oversees the the production of port?

Answer 2

Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Porto (Douro Port Wine Institute)

Question 3

The IVDP grants each grower his/her beneficio authorization, which dictates the maximum amount of wine that grower may fortify in one year. What are the factors that go into this?

Answer 3

Vineyard site: location, altitude, exposure, bedrock, rough matter, slope, shelter

Vine: type, density, yield, training system, vine age

Question 4

What are Vinhos ao Alta?

Answer 4

Vertical rows of vines leading directly up the slope.

Question 5

What are patamares?

Answer 5

Wider terraces that can be navigated by tractor.

Question 6

What are the preferred red grapes for Port, and what % of the blend must they constitute?

Answer 6

Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Cão, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Amarela, Tinta Francisca, Bastardo, Mourisco Tinto.

60%

Question 7

What are the preferred white grapes for Port?

Answer 7

Gouveio, Malvasia Fina, Viosinho, Rabigato, Esgana Cão, Folgasão

Question 8

How long is the port fermentation? What is the immediate goal?

Answer 8

Two to three days, fermented at high temperatures to maximize color and flavor.

Question 9

Approximately what % of the sugars have fermented at the time of fortification for Port?

Answer 9

30% - may vary slightly from house to house.

Question 10

What is the Portuguese term for fortification?

Answer 10

Beneficio

Question 11

What spirit is used for beneficio?

Answer 11

Aguardente, a neutral grape spirit at 77% abv.

Question 12

What is the alcohol range for port after fortification?

Answer 12

19-22%abv

Question 13

What is the traditional barrel for Port?

Answer 13

A Pipe, which may vary in size. The size of Pipes for shipping is 534L.

Question 14

What is the French equivalent of Beneficio?

Answer 14

Mutage

Question 15

Why were all ports traditionally matured in Vila Nova di Gaia?

Answer 15

The cooler maritime climate is preferable for long-term maturation; now that many estates have climate control, some smaller quintas mature in the Douro.

Question 16

What defines Ruby Port?

Answer 16

The simplest of ports, often aged in bulk. Characterized by dark coloring and fresher fruit tones.

Question 17

What defines Ruby Reserve Port? What was its former title?

Answer 17

More complexity and character than a basic Ruby Port. The previous term was Vintage Character.

Question 18

What constitutes Vintage Port?

Answer 18

Vintage years are declared from house to house, and must be approved by the IVDP. Aged in cask for 2.5 years before bottling.

Question 19

On average, how often will a port house declare a Vintage year?

Answer 19

3 times per decade

Question 20

What constitutes Single Quinta Vintage Port?

Answer 20

The product of a single estate’s harvest (most Port shippers use fruit from multiple estates). Often seen from good vintages, but not quite good enough for the shipper to declare vintage. Also seen from smaller, independent Quintas.

Question 21

What constitutes Late Bottled Vintage Port?

Answer 21

4-6 years in cask before bottling, as opposed to 2.5. Usually filtered before bottling, and will not improve over time. Somewhere between a tawny and ruby in style, and often good value.

Question 22

What does Envelhecido em Garrafa mean?

Answer 22

For LBV; indicates >3 years bottle age before release.

Question 23

What constitutes Tawny Port?

Answer 23

Basic Tawnys may be cask aged, but also may be paler simply due to less extraction, blending with white port, or poor grapes.

Question 24

What constitutes Reserve Tawny Port?

Answer 24

Multi-vintage, aged for at least 7 years before bottling.

Question 25

What constitutes Tawny with Indication of Age?

Answer 25

High quality fruit matured in seasoned wood, typically racked annually, and often topped up. The age indication refers to what the blend tastes like it should be, rather than the actual age of the wine.

Question 26

What constitutes Colheita Tawny Port?

Answer 26

Single-vintage Tawny, with a minimum of 7 years in cask. May be bottled to order, so bottle age and therefore character may be quite different.

Question 27

What is Crusted Port?

Answer 27

Port matured in the bottle, leaving sediment.

Question 28

What does Velho indicate?

Answer 28

“Old” - may be appended to 10-30year old tawny port.

Question 29

What does Muito Velho indicate?

Answer 29

“Very Old” - 40+ years

Question 30

What is the minimum required RS in Port?

Answer 30

17.5g/L

Question 31

What is the minimum RS in Extra-Seco Port?

Answer 31

17.5-40g/L

Question 32

What is the minimum RS in Seco Port?

Answer 32

40-65g/L

Question 33

What is the minimum RS in Meio Seco Port?

Answer 33

65-85g/L

Question 34

What is the minimum RS in Doce Port?

Answer 34

80-130g/L

Question 35

What is the minimum RS in Muito Doce Port?

Answer 35

130g/L+