By Les Kincaid
 Port wine takes its name from the city of Oporto, Portugal,
which is the center of most of the world's port production.
The city lies at the mouth of the Douro River, which
twists its way through rugged, wind-swept mountains where
vineyards are planted in terraces to prevent erosion
on the steep slopes. Port has been made in this starkly
beautiful place since the time of Roman occupation, but
a connection with England thousands of year's later elevated
its character to its present level.
Port was introduced in Britain as early as the 14th century
and sales somewhat increased in the 16th century when
British ships began making regular runs to Portugal to
trade for New World products. Yet it wasn't until 1703
when England's Queen Anne went to war with France that
port, and the market for it, changed forever. In an attempt
to stymie French wine profits, English Ambassador John
Methuen negotiated a significant tax advantage for Portuguese
wines over all others coming into England. At first,
the typical Englishman who found the flavor too harsh
and sharp did not embrace the flood of port. But the
scarcity of other wines and a desire to make it more
appealing to the English palate led to experimentation
with the port-making process. It was discovered that
when brandy was added during fermentation, it not only
boosted the alcohol content, but also killed the fermenting
yeast. This allowed more of the natural grape sugar to
remain, and port was transformed into the sweet, rich
libation that made "an Englishman and his Port" inseparable.
Because of the Methuen Treaty and the subsequent English
appetite for port, enterprising British businessmen bought
controlling interests in the port trade. They began operating
foreign trading stations in Oporto called factories and
the famous building at the center of all the trading
became known as the Factory House. Constructed in 1790,
the elegant structure still stands and its wood-paneled
meeting rooms recall the history of British participation
in the port business. Waterford chandeliers and walls
plastered in Wedgwood patterns grace the luxurious ballroom
where English nobility and heads of state were entertained.
Massive iron stoves shipped from England was used to
prepare formal banquets, and the mahogany dining tables
are still used for the regular Wednesday luncheon meetings
of the port shippers. To this day, most of the names
on port wine labels are English, and the factories in
Portugal are almost all run by Englishmen.
The elegant history of the business operation contrasts
with the robust tradition of the wine production. If
I had been given a choice between attending a function
in the ballroom or participating in the winemaking festivities,
the latter would have won out. The method behind creating
the wine is a legacy passed down for centuries, and only
in the last few decades has modern equipment entered
the picture.
The making of port begins each year with a three-week
autumn festival during which villagers from miles around
gather to take part in the grape harvest. Led by musicians
playing an accordion or flute, men and women arrive with
their possessions stowed in baskets borne on their heads.
Traditionally women picked the grapes, which they hauled
to the pressing vaults. There the men would link arms
and rhythmically tread the fruit, moving in a circle
to a whistled tune. The work would continue into the
night and, like the port itself, the men would fortify
themselves with shots of brandy. Meanwhile the women
would return from the vineyards and dance as they cheered
the men on. Much of the same spirit and camaraderie still
exists today, although most port is now machine pressed.
After fermentation, the fresh wine is taken to the port
lodges in Oporto and its neighboring city, Vila Nova
de Gaia. In years past, the barrels of wine were ferried
there on quaint barges called rabelos, but today's port
is shipped by truck for expedience and safety. Once stored,
it is labeled and, depending upon the quality of the
port, aged either in wooden casks or bottles. The finest
port is called vintage, meaning wine pressed in an exceptional
year. Most shippers manage to get only about three vintages
per decade.
All ports should rest a long time before they are consumed,
but vintage port requires the longest wait to be enjoyed.
In order to mature, it must stay in the bottle a minimum
of ten years and will improve steadily every year thereafter.
It is a custom in England to buy a bottle of vintage
port upon the birth of a child, which will be saved and
used to celebrate the child's wedding. The other varieties
of port, such as tawny, ruby and white, all have their
merits and are usually more available. But vintage port
is in a class all it's own, and those who consume it
can almost taste its rich history in every sip. Make
it one of your New Year's resolutions to re-aquaint yourself
with the world of port. On a cold winter's evening by
the fire, you'll understand what the English saw in this
gift from the Portuguese sun and why the Portuguese are
justifiably proud.
Article © 2002-2006, Sauce
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