Port - a beautiful sweet red wine by Elena Castillo

Port is a fortified red wine which is considered to be the softest of any type of red wine. (It should also note that the Port can be dry and white, so we must take care to read the labels!) As a fortified wine, brandy has been added at the Port during the fermentation process, resulting in a more alcohol content around 17 20%. This process of adding spirits of wine began when crews of ships on long voyages of several months, or even more, that the addition of alcohol to their wine barrels is not the wine to go bad. The process continues today, but not for the same reasons. Today, the Port is high in sealed glass bottles, or wooden barrels.

Port is originally from Portugal and the grapes come from the Douro Valley. The wine takes its name from the Portuguese town from where it was shipped from Porto. While many considered the only true upcoming Port of the Portugal (as the only true champagne comes from France), it is also made in America, Argentina, Australia, Canada, India and South Africa.

Soft red port is generally considered a dessert wine, but it can also be served as an appetizer or dinner after drinking. Because of its high alcohol content, the Portuguese serve ports in very small glasses of wine for four ounces. Then, they fill the glass to Midway!

There are three styles of sweet red port: Ruby tawny port and Vintage Port. Ruby Port is, as its name suggests, a deep, rich red color. It does not need to be decanted and served better at room temperature. As a wine, Ruby Port pairs well with desserts rich and creamy and fruity desserts.

Tawny port is a lighter which color Ruby Port with the categories of ten, twenty, thirty and more than forty years. Tawny Port does not need to be decanted and can be served at room temperature, or a bit cooler. It can be served after dinner or with desserts. Fruity desserts, desserts rich and creamy or chocolate milk are excellent compliments to the Tawny Porto.

Vintage Port tends to be the lightest color due to the length of aging. It represents only 2% of all produced Port and to Portugal, a 'vintage' is declared on all three to five years. Vintage Port is deemed to be the best. There need to be decanted by using a small funnel with a strainer. It should be served at room temperature as a drink after dinner, or dessert as a dessert wine. It pairs well with fruity desserts, rich and creamy or chocolate desserts.