Port Flashcards
What ensured that Portuguese wines receive lower duties in England?
Methuen Treaty of 1703
Sole company of Port export, and when was it enacted?
1756
Real Companhia Velha
Governing body of Port, and when was it enacted?
IVP - Instituto do Vinho do Porto
1933
Climate and size of Douro?
250000ha region with 43000 planted
Warm continental climate (NE Portugal)
Three sub-regions of Douro:
Baixo Corgo
Cima Corgo
Douro Superior
Soil of Douro:
Stony, shallow, poor in nutrients
Underlaying schist
Three types of vineyard layouts in Douro?
Socaicos (narrow terraces with stone wall)
Patamares (terraces with steep earth ramp)
Vinha ao Alto (vertical rows up slope)
Describe pros and cons of patamares?
Easier and cheaper to implement/maintain
Large/wide: efficient but inconsistent
Narrow: only support one row of vine, but more precise water access and ripening
Describe pros and cons of vinha ao alto?
Cheapest
High density, more efficient
Can’t be used above 40% incline
Water/erosion problems
Vine training methods used in Douro?
Cordon-training Spur-pruned or head-trained + cane-pruned VSP treillising Summer pruning to ensure sun exposure Drought-tolerant rootstock Frost protection Fertilizer Hand harvesting (typical)
Maximum and typical yield in port?
Max: 55 hL/ha
Common: 30 hL/ha
Grapes allowed in port?
Over 100! Main 5: Touriga Franca Tinta Roriz Tinta Barroca Touriga Nacional Tinto Cao
What is vinha velha?
Old-vine fruit
Grapes for white port?
Malvasia Fina (Boal) - neutral, full-bodied, honeyed Moscatel Galego Branco (Muscat Blanc a Petit Grains)
Two lesser-known port grapes?
Sousao - thick skinned, high acidity Tinta Amarela (Trincadeira) - full-bodied, spicy
Describe Touriga Franca?
Late-ripening Tight bunches/thick skinned Fungal resistant Vigorous Contributes color/tannin/acidity/juicy fruit/floral
Describe Tinta Roriz?
Early ripening
Prone to water stress (plant cool climate)
Contributes body/color
High yielding
Describe Tinta Barroca?
Early ripening
Prone to heat damage (plant high altitude/N facing)
Contributes earthy character, low acid
High yielding
Describe Touriga Nacional?
Mid-ripening
Thick-skinned
Deep color, high tannin, high acidity, concentrated black fruit and floral
Excess vigour and coulure susceptability
Describe Tinto Cao?
Low yielding Fungal resistant Small, thick-skinned Late-ripening Heat tolerant High acidity
Typical RS of port?
80-120 g/L
What is a lagare?
A shallow square tank used for foot treading
Extraction methods in port?
Foot trading Modern/robotic lagares Pumping over Stainless-steel pistons Autovinifiers
Describe autovinifiers and when/why they are used?
Sealed tanks that use fermentation’s CO2 to pump over the cap
Cheap, no electricity
Low extraction for lighter/basic styles
Key winemaking techniques in Port?
Maximum of 2 days extraction Stainless steel fermentation Ambient yeast Fermentation temp 28-32 reds, 17-22 whites Acidification common No malolactic Blending
What is the spirit added to port, ratio of addition, and its abv?
Aguardente
1L spirit to 4L must
77% +/- 0.5%
Final ABV of Port?
19-22%
When is fermentation stopped in port?
During fermentation
At 5-7% ABV and at the house’s desired sugar level (80-120g/L)
Typical maturation barrels for port?
Balseiros (100,000L oak vats)
Pipes (600L barrels for gentle oxidation)
Describe basic rubies?
Medium bodied, medium tannin Red and black fruit flavor Drink early, don't age Protective winemaking techniques Slightly harsh alcohol
Describe basic tawnies?
Light brown color from light extraction, not oxidation
No longer aging than rubies
Drink early, don’t age
Requirements for reserve ports?
Tawny: Minimum 6 years in wood
Ruby: No minimu aging, but must be approved by IVDP and be of higher price/quality
Describe tawnies with age indication?
Aged in old pipes for long periods of time
Clarification/stabilization occurs naturally in barrel
Examples of very old non-age indicated tawnies?
Taylor’s Scion (150 yrs)
Grahams Ne Oublie
Describe Colheita ports?
Single vintage
Small barrel-aged for a minimum 7 years
Tawny
Must state vintage and bottling year on bottle
Describe Vintage ports?
From a declared vintage
Must register intent/receive IVDP approval second year after harvest
Max 3 years in large wood, usually 18-20 months
No fining/filtration
Deep color, full bodied, high tannins, pronounced intensity, ripe black fruit, floral
Two recent great port vintages?
2011
2016
Describe a single quinta port?
Single vintage when a vintage port is not made
Single estate that is listed on the lable (Taylor’s Quinta de Vargellas or Graham’s Quinta dos Malvedos)
Describe a crusted port?
Non-vintage aged in wood for up to 2 years
No fining or filtration, creating a crust
Bottling date listed on the label
“Bottle-matured” listed on label after 3 years
Describe LBV?
Single-vintage bottled 4-6 years after harvest
Ready to drink after bottling
Stainless steel or large wood to avoid oxidation
Filtered, or labeled unfiltered
More intensity, body, tannin than rubies
Can list “bottle matured” after 3 years aging
Describe rose port?
Invented by Croft in the late 2000s
Made from cool-climate black grapes
Only a few hours maceration
Released within a year
Describe white port?
Varying degrees of sweetness and oxidation
Unoxidized: Based on Muscatel. Lemon color, medium bodied, stone fruit, floral
Oxidized: Based on Malvasia with skin contact. Aged several years in casks. Amber/brown color, caramel, citrus peel, nuts, dried stone fruits
Possible white port designations?
Reserve: Minimum 7 years in wood
10/20/30/40: Deemed by IVDP tasting panel
Colheita: Minimum 7 years in wood, single vintage
Cooperatives impact in port?
20% of wine production
Often employ brokers
Sell to producers
Top 5 groups of port producers?
Porto Cruz (Gran Cruz)
Symington Family (Cockburn’s, Dow’s, Graham’s, Warre’s)
Sogrape (Sandeman, Offley, Ferreira)
Fladgate (Taylor’s, Fonseca, Croft, Krohn)
Sogevinus (Burmester, Barros, Calem, Kopke)
What is the IVDP, and define it’s role?
Instituto dos Vinhos do Porto e do Douro)
Formed in 2003
Regulates the beneficio
Registrar of vineyards/wine producers, shipping
Regulates volume of release
Analyses product to verify standards are met
Define Beneficio?
The amount of port must that can be produced in a year
What is the ranking system of the beneficio?
Letters (A-I) assigned to individual vineyard parcels based on location and quality
Only A-E may make Port
Determines the amount of port that may be made from the parcel in a year
Discuss aspects of the beneficio system in the current market:
Growers can make money exclusively through trading
Producers feel the system is unnecessary in a declining market
Extra grapes used for still wines or spirits
Current port production and sales?
Production - 75 million L
Sales - 73 million L
Percentage of port exported?
82%
Top markets for port?
France
Portugal
