Port Styles Flashcards
What wines comprise the category ‘Ruby Port’?
Ruby Late Bottled Reserve Crusted Vintage Single Quinta
What wines comprise the category ‘Tawny Port’
Colheita 10 Year 20 Year 30 Year 40 Year
What is the general character of basic Ruby Port?
Medium bodied
Medium tannins
Red and black fruit aromas
Slightly harsh alcohol
Are basic Ruby Ports suitable for aging? Why?
Generally not. They are made using protective winemaking with grapes that are low in tannins and other structural components. These wines are intended for early drinking.
Are basic Ruby Ports vintage or nonvintage? Why>
Nonvintage to ensure consistency
How are basic Ruby wines matured? Why?
Usually in stainless steel or concrete for a maximum of 3 years. This method protects the color and aromatics of the wine.
What is the general quality and pricing of basic Ruby Ports? Why?
Acceptable to good, due to the limited aging and use of cheap fortifying spirit
How are basic Tawny Ports produced? Why?
With light extraction during fermentation and up to 3 years of oak aging. The lighter extraction will give the wines a color reminiscent of age, though the aging process doesn’t have a great effect on the wine’s color.
How might color and flavor be added to basic Ruby Port?
By draining the must used for a basic Tawny Port early, thereby concentrating the remaining juice.
What is a Reserve Ruby or Reserve Tawny Port?
A Port that had been made in either the Ruby or Tawny style with a minimum of seven years of aging. The wine must be tasted my the IVDP for approval.
What is a Tawny Port with an indication of age?
A Port wine made in an oxidative style with an average barrel age that is indicated on the bottle.
What are the ages that can be indicated on Tawny Port wines?
10 Year
20 Year
30 Year
40 Year
What type of barrel are used to mature afe indicated Tawny Port?
Pipes, a barrel that is typically 620-640 liters
What happens to the wine used in Tawny Port as they are matured?
The tannins soften, alcohol become more integrated, and primary aromas turn to tertiary aromas. Clarification and stabilization occurs naturally in the barrel over the aging process.
Do Tawny Ports with an indication of age need to be filtered prior to bottling?
No. Sedimentation and clarification occurs in the barrel.
How is the indication of age validated in Tawny Port?
Since the wines may be an average of different barrel ages, the IVDP tastes the wine to determine if it possesses the character of a Port with such an age indication.
What makes age indicated Tawny Port production more expensive than other styles of Port?
The evaporation in the barrels, as well as the sedimentation, requires racking and topping up which increases labor costs.
Have sales of age indicated Tawny Port increased or decreased in recent years? What has been the effect on producers’ wine stores?
Sales of increased, causing a drain on the wine producers have in their stores.
What subcategory of Tawny Port has emerged in recent years? Why?
Tawny Port with extremely long aging periods that can not indicate their age on the label. This started with Taylor’s Scion Port (150 years of age). The demand for long aged wine created this category and the prices are super premium.
What is a Colheita Port?
A Tawny Port made from a single vintage with seven years of aging in small barrels
What must be indicated on the label of Colheita Port?
The year of the vintage
The year the wine was bottles
True or False
A Port producer may bottle part of their Colheita stock in one year, and then bottle more of the same vintage in a later year.
True. Producers may determine market demand before bottling all or some of their Colheita Port.
How do Colheita Port producers avoid issues with evaporation in their barrels?
By topping up the barrel with other wines or spirit
Are Colheita Ports less expensive, as expensive, or more expensive than Vintage Ports?
Generally less expensive, though some producers will withhold small stocks of very old Colheita Port that can be sold at very premium prices.
When must Port producers declare their intention to make a vintage Port?
In the second year after harvest. They must provide a sample of young wine to an IVDP tasting panel for approval.
Are vintages likely do be declared frequently in the Douro?
No. The grapes must be exceptionally ripe and the young wines must be of extremely high quality.
Is the decision by Port producers to declare a vintage typically universal?
No. Some producers may declare a vintage while others will not. Quality of grapes is the key.
What factors come into play when deciding to make a Vintage Port?
Quality of grapes
Quality of wine
Market availability of Vintage Port. If the producer recently released a vintage, they may decide to hold back so as not to take sales away from their previous product.
Are old vines common in the production of Vintage Port?
Not common, though a category started by Quinta do Noval’s ‘Nacional’ uses grapes from old vines (some ungrafted)
Which grapes typically comprise the key elements of Vintage Port? What do they offer?
Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional
They provide color, tannins, and flavor concentration suitable for long-term aging
What winemaking techniques are used to ensure Vintage Ports are prepared for long-term aging?
Heavy extraction during maceration
Slow maturation in very large, old oak barrels
What happens to wine that is set aside for use as Vintage Port but doesn’t qualify through tasting?
It can be used as Single Quinta Port, Late Bottled Vintage, Crusted Port, or some form of Tawny Port
