The short version
What is Port?
Port is made in Portugal's Douro region. Grape spirit is added during fermentation, stopping the yeast and preserving natural sweetness. Aging choices create ruby, tawny, vintage, and other styles.
Ruby styles emphasize blackberry, plum, and chocolate; tawny styles move toward walnut, caramel, orange peel, and dried fruit. A small serving delivers considerable flavor and alcohol.
In the glass
Flavors to look for
01Blackberry
02Dried fig
03Chocolate
04Walnut
05Caramel
At the table
Food pairings that work
Match the wine’s weight to the dish, then let acidity refresh the palate and savory flavors echo one another.
Blue cheeseDark chocolateWalnutsBerry desserts
Where it grows
Regions to know
- Douro Valley, Portugal
- Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal