What is Port?

The distinctive character of Port does not come only
from its method of production. Like that of every great
classic wine, it is also born of an association of
climate, soil and grape varieties unique in the world.

Being fortified, Port is capable of ageing in wood for
much longer than most other wines – from two years
to many decades, depending on its character and
potential. It may mature in cask, vat or bottle - or a
combination of these.

These differing periods and methods of ageing give rise to a diversity of different styles, each
with its own distinctive character and purpose.

The Douro Valley

The steep green slopes of the Douro Valley are
situated in northern Portugal, near to the Spanish
border. The Valley gets its name from the Douro
River that winds for more than 500 miles from its
source in Spain, through Portugal, to Oporto where it
flows into the Atlantic Ocean.

To create the terraces on which the vines grow, the
sedimentary rock, known as schistous, is broken up
using dynamite. With the upper layer of soil
loosened, the vines have to push their roots down as
much as 25 metres to find water.

More than thirty grape varieties grow in the port wine region, but only five are essential
components of fine port wine. The varieties are extremely resilient as the climate in this region is
very harsh. The winters are bitterly cold, although it rarely snows, whilst in summer the
temperature often reaches 41 degrees Celsius.


The Grapes

Port is a fortified wine made from fermenting the juice of several varieties of grape, each having
different characteristics of taste and aroma.

These varieties are uniquely suited to the Port-growing region in northern Portugal and are
seldom found elsewhere.

TOURIGA NACIONAL

The finest of all grapes for making red port, this
variety grows vigorously but yields an
extremely small amount of fruit from small,
blue-black berries. Low as the yield may be, it
is massive in its power and quality.

The wine produced from the Touriga Nacional grape is
very dark and concentrated, with a powerful
and rich berry aroma. Its tastes are in perfect
harmony, with great reserves of fruit balancing
a tannic structure which is both massive and
supple.

It is this power and balance which
makes the juice of the Touriga Nacional a vital
component in most of the finest vintage ports.
Moderately resistant to fungal diseases, it
thrives in the hot and arid soils of the Alto
Douro.

A more productive grape than the Touriga
Nacional, yielding wines that are slightly lighter
in colour and weight. Its great value is the
heavily scented quality of the wine it produces,
which contributes a very fine and intense
perfume to the final blend.

TINTA RORIZ

Of the five classic port grapes, only one variety
- Tinta Roriz - is not a Portuguese native. The
variety is also grown in Spain, where in the
Rioja region it is known as the Tempranillo.
Tinta Roriz is tough and masculine in its
character, yielding surprisingly good quantities
even in the most arid conditions. Its wines
bring a firm tannic structure to the final blend of
port. They often have a distinctive ‘resiny’
nose.