Attributes:

Galway Pipe

Australia, Australia/New Zealand

Aged Tawny Port

750 ML

Food Matches:

In the past few decades Australia’s wine industry has transformed itself into one of the most technologically advanced in the world. A combination of a generally warm, dry climate and a cultural affinity for creating, rather than following, tradition has resulted in wines that are soft and pleasant to drink from an early age. They are the epitome of user-friendliness. Australia’s wine regions are mainly in the southern, cooler part of the country, clustered mainly in the state of Victoria, the southern part of South Australia and the cooler parts of New South Wales. Syrah, or Shiraz as it is known there, is the top grape, followed by Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Riesling, and Semillon. The wines are generally listed with the name of their grape variety, which must constitute at least 85 percent of the wine. Although Australia’s winemaking region is vast, most labels indicate only that their contents come from South Eastern Australia. Flavor is indicated by the variety of grape used to make the wine. Australia’s classification system is generally lax when it comes to quality and labeling. Some bottles indicate a specific state of origin (New South Wales, Victoria, or South Australia), or a region within a state, but these smaller zones are still being decided.

Aged tawny port is a fortified Portuguese wine aged in wood and one of the best known styles of port. It is generally a blend of ports from several years, aged in barrels for at least six years until it takes on the nutty, brown sugar and vanilla flavors, a silky texture and changes in color from deep ruby red to tawny. It is designated on the label as 10, 20, 30 or more years old (the age is the average age of the wine by taste). Many prefer its gentleness compared to the full intensity of vintage ports. It can be drunk both as an aperitif and as a dessert wine. (See PORT for more information on the region and fortification process.)

Attributes:

Delaforce

Oporto, Other

Vintage Port

375 ML

Food Matches:

The second city of Portugal and its commercial centre is Oporto. It is the city that gives its name to the port wine variety. The grapes for port wines are grown in the harsh conditions of the Douro valley and shipped down river to Oporto to be crushed and vinified into the uniquely strong and sweet port wines enjoyed around the world.

Vintage Port, a fortified Portuguese wine, is the best known and most sought after type of port. Made from a mixture of red grapes, it is produced only in good years when conditions are favorable for the production of a fine wine. The decision to declare a vintage is made by each individual port house and all the grapes included come from top vineyards in that vintage. Vintage ports are aged in barrels for a maximum of two and half years and then require another 10 to 30 years in the bottle before they are ready. Since they are aged in barrels for only a short time, they retain their dark red color and full-bodied strong fruit flavor. Younger vintage ports remain exuberant and powerful, while the older varieties have more finesse and integration, a result of the slow maturation process. To maintain its intensity, Vintage Port is neither fined nor filtered and throws a great deal of sediment as it matures and must be decanted. The flagship style of port, Vintage Port represents only 2-3 % of the total Port production. (See PORT for more information on the region and fortification process.)

Attributes:

Warre's

Portugal, Other

Port

750 ML

1996: WineSpectator Rating: 87

medium-bodied

berries

1995: WineSpectator Rating: 92

full-bodied

flowers, minerals

ripe

1995: Tastings Rating: 92

floral

awkward, deep

citrus, oak, spice

1992: WineSpectator Rating: 91

full-bodied, solid

racy

1987: WineSpectator Rating: 86

floral

full-bodied

deep

grapey

fruity

1986: WineSpectator Rating: 85

full-bodied

deep

elegant

berries, tar

ripe

1986: WineEnthusiast Rating: 87

floral

fragrant

cherries

fleshy

1984: WineSpectator Rating: 81

medium-bodied

cassis, tar

sweet

Food Matches:

Well known for its Port and Vinho Verde wines, Portugal is one of Europe’s leading wine producing countries. It competes closely with Germany for the position of fourth largest wine producer in Europe. Portugal is also the worlds leading producer of cork. Single-handedly it accounts for nearly 70 percent of the worlds commercially traded cork supply.

Port is a fortified Portuguese wine. Produced from grapes grown and processed in the Douro Valley in Northern Portugal, distilled grape spirits are added to the wine during the fermentation process, increasing the alcohol content and halting fermentation before all the sugar is converted to alcohol, to produce a strong sweet wine. The different aging processes produce a variety of different types of port. The lighter styles, including white and tawny ports, can be served as aperitifs or cocktails, while the heavier styles, including Vintage ports, are commonly served after meals often with accompaniments of cheese, roasted nuts or bittersweet chocolate. The Douro Valley, established as a protected region in 1756, is the second oldest defined and protected wine region in the world. Both U.S. Federal Law and European Union guidelines restrict the label "Port" to products from Portugal. The Douro River Valley consists of steep hillsides with numerous microclimes created by the twists and turns of the River. The hot climate and difficult terrain encourage deep-rooted vines and produce grapes with intense flavor. Most ports contain a mixture of several different grape varieties and over 30 varieties of white grapes and more than 50 varieties of red grapes are grown in the region. Most of the wine travels through the port city of Porto, at the mouth of Douro River, for export, hence the name. The Port industry is regulated by the Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Porto (IVDP or Port and Douro Wine Institute). Port became popular in England in the early 1700s while war with France prevented the import of French wine. Various stories exist about the discovery of the fortification process, but the end result is that it greatly improved the shelf-life of the wine, allowing it to be exported without spoiling. The English have continued to be involved with the port trade and the names of many port shippers are familiar, including Cockburn, Croft, Dow, Graham, Osborne, Sandeman, Taylor, and Warre. The differing styles of port are a result of the quality of grapes used and the aging process, cask-aging or bottle aging. Cask aging, usually in wooden barrels, exposes the wine to oxygen allowing evaporation and producing a heavy intense port. These can be ready to drink after fining, filtration, and bottling. Ports designed to age in the bottle are generally aged in oak for a short period of time and then bottled, usually without filtration. They may age in the bottle for several decades before they are ready to drink. The sealed bottle allows little or no exposure to air and produces a smoother, less tannic product. Typical styles of port include Ruby Port, Tawny Port, White Port, Vintage Port, Late Bottle Vintage Port, Colheita Port, Aged Tawny Port, Vintage Character Port, Single Quinta Port, Garrafeira Port, and Crusted Port.