Port is one of the world’s greatest fortified sweet wines, yet getting a handle on its many styles and knowing which type to buy can be difficult.

In very basic terms, Port can be divided into three categories: ruby, which matures mostly in the bottle and is named for its dark purplish ruby red color, tawny which ages in wooden barrels and has a tawny brownish color, and white, made in both aged and unaged versions, and like white wine, is pale or golden yellow in color.

What is Port Wine?

To be called Port, the grapes must be grown in the Upper Douro region of northern Portugal, the most mountainous wine region in the world, and a Unesco World Heritage Site. Douro also has the distinction of being the world’s first officially demarcated wine region, created in 1756, the only place in the world that can produce authentic Port.

Port is always a blend of different native grape varieties, and there are dozens of them, most of which you probably haven’t heard of, with the most common being red: Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca, Tinto Cão, and Tinta Roriz (aka Tempranillo). White Port, on the other hand, comes from obscure white wine grapes like Códega, Gouveio, and Malvasia Fina. But don’t worry, you won’t be tested on these names!

Generations of hard-working farmers have turned Douro’s steep schist and granite hillsides into terraced vineyards. The roots are forced to grow deep down into the rocky crevices in search of water to sustain them during hot, dry summers, resulting in extraordinary grapes born from harsh conditions.

“The wines become jewels,” says Lígia Marques of Sogrape, whose portfolio includes Douro’s Sandeman winery, “and are the lovely result of men and women who take good care of what nature gives them.”

Travel writer Rick Steves says that port production remains a labor of love. “Grapes are still generally picked by hand and crushed the traditional way — by foot — since machines cannot achieve high-quality results,” says Steves.

However, with manpower becoming an increasingly scarce resource in the Douro, mechanical methods for treading the grapes are now used in addition to traditional foot treading.

From Grapes to Port: The Fortification Process

Unlike traditional still wine that is fermented dry, Port is fortified. During fermentation, a clear grape spirit (usually brandy) is added, which stops the fermenting process, thereby preserving many of the grapes’ natural sugars and giving Port its signature sweetness. Adding the spirit also increases the alcohol content of Port wine, which is usually in the 18-20% ABV range, whereas non-fortified red wines are typically 12 to 15%.

After fermentation, most producers transfer their Port wine to their cellars (known as lodges) in the city of Porto, a three or four hours drive away. Porto is closer to the sea, and the humidity is ideal for aging the wines. Porto is a beautiful city to explore, and visitors are welcome at many of the lodges for tastings and tours, which I highly recommend.

Three Styles of Port

Within the three categories—Ruby, Tawny, and White—there is more than one style, each with its own labeling. It can be frustrating for a consumer to know and remember the many different kinds.

But, for starters, if you understand the three basic types well, you should be able to comfortably walk into a wine shop or restaurant and make a selection,or at the very least, ask the salesperson or waiter questions based on your budding knowledge.

Ruby Port

Basic Ruby Port

There are six types of Ruby Port, with those labeled as simply Ruby Port being the most basic. These wines, often bulk-produced, are made from a blend of younger wines from many vintages. They are easy-drinking, inexpensive, sweet wines; tasty, but not something to bring to dinner with the in-laws.

Vintage Port

The prestigious Vintage Ports are on the opposite end of the Ruby Port spectrum. These elegant wines, with their stunning dark purplish-red color and vibrant acidity, come from top grapes and are only produced in the very best years. Vintage Port spends no more than two years in barrels before being bottled and is sold young—meant to be cellared by the buyer, ideally in an at-home wine cellar with a cool and consistent temperature. These special wines can be left to sit for decades and will gain complexity.

However, while many people wouldn’t dare drink a Vintage Port until it’s had at least 15 to 30 years of aging, younger examples (up to 5 years old) can also be a delicious treat. They’re a different animal than the longer aged versions for sure, dominated by ripe red and black berry fruit flavors and a strong tannic backbone.

In Decanter Magazine, Andrew Jefford says you’re missing out if you don’t try young Vintage Port. “Even young, there is a complexity, a refinement, and an intrinsic subtlety engraved into a wine of this sort,” he says, “and those qualities are perfectly capable of youthful expression.”

While a young Vintage Port can undoubtedly be enjoyed, those that are aged offer wine lovers the most extraordinary experience. Given time in the bottle, the wine becomes intriguing, gaining complexity, elegance, and delicacy. As the fruitiness and strong tannins mellow, a whole new array of interesting flavors appears: dried fruit (particularly figs), black cherry, honey, pepper, spice, almonds, even hints of tea leaves and cigar box.

A classic food pairing with Vintage Port includes Stilton or other richly flavored cheeses accompanied by dark chocolate, figs, and walnuts. For dessert, try Vintage Port with anything chocolate.

Vintage Port producers to look for: Dow’s, Taylor Fladgate, Graham’s, Fonseca, Niepoort, Churchills, Quinta do Vesuvio, Croft, Conceito.

Between simple, quaffable Ruby Port and exquisite, meant-to-be-savored Vintage Port, there are four other Ports under the ruby umbrella that I’ve listed below in ascending order of quality.

Reserve Ruby Port is a step up from simple Ruby Port, made from better fruit and with more stringent standards.
Crusted is bottled unfiltered, leaving a sediment (crust) that forms in the bottle. This full-bodied style is similar to Vintage Port but at a much lower price point.
Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) is similar to Vintage Port in that it is from a single year and made of high-quality fruit. Unlike Vintage, it is bottled after a longer time in barrels, four to six years, and it’s produced yearly, not just in the most outstanding years.
Vintage Single Quinta is even more similar in style to Vintage Port, except that it originates from a single estate (called a quinta), whereas Vintage Port can be sourced from a variety of quintas.

Tawny Port

Like Vintage Port, Tawny Port is a connoisseurs’ wine; the best examples maintain a beautiful acidity with a sugar level that is not too high. Wine that is destined to become Tawny rests for a long time in wooden casks. The increased contact with oxygen results in a wine with a translucent reddish-brown color and a nutty taste.

In contrast to fruit-forward, powerful Vintage Port, Tawny Port offers a more subtle array of flavors, such as caramel, peanut brittle, dried fruits (apricots, dates, raisins, prunes), nutmeg, chocolate, and walnut.

In contrast to Vintage Port, tawny is aged before you buy it and is not meant to be cellared further. It is released in 10-, 20-, 30- and 40-year-old versions, with the age referring to time spent in wood. 10-year-olds show youthful fruitiness, whereas 20-year-olds offer more complexity and a lively freshness. 30- and 40-year-olds tend to be richer and sweeter with a more unctuous texture.

With its nutty nuances, Tawny Port pairs naturally with nut-based desserts like pecan pie and almond biscotti, but it is also capable of partnering with savory items such as a charcuterie board of salamis and thinly sliced hams, Pecorino cheese, olives, dried prunes and apricots, potato chips, and nuts.

Tawny Wines to Try: 10-year-old: Ramos-Pinto, Ferreira, Sandeman. 20-year-old: Graham’s, Taylor Fladgate, Dow’s. 30-year-old: Sandeman, Graham’s. 40-year-old: Graham’s, Taylor Fladgate, Sandeman, Quinta Do Noval.

White Port

Three White Port Cocktails for Sizzling Summer Soirées

White Port is only about 10% of the overall production of all Port wine and ranges from pale yellow to golden in color. It is produced in two very different styles—one, bottled young, is lighter bodied (and lighter in color), and less sweet with notes of wood spice and zesty citrus fruits—grapefruit, lemon and orange peel. The other version of White Port is barrel-aged for up to 40 years, resulting in a golden-colored, sweeter, and richer style with captivating notes of lemon curd, orange marmalade, and toffee.

The younger, drier style is typically served over ice, as a White Port and tonic spritzer, a classic Portuguese aperitif, or, increasingly, in cocktails. It is interesting to note that back in the 1800s, many American cocktails were based on Port wine, and today, once again, White Port is becoming every savvy bartender’s best friend. When added to cocktails, particularly those made with gin, vodka, or tequila, White Port’s bright acidity, residual sugar, and slightly oxidized, nutty notes make for outstanding drinks: light and refreshing but with a multitude of flavors.

On the other hand, the opulent wood-aged versions of White Port are best drunk on their own, simply chilled from the fridge, as you would a Vintage Port, and often accompanied with dessert. One of my favorite producers, Kopke, makes a beautiful 20-year-old White Port that is divine with tarte tatin, as well as fresh fruit tarts and crème brulée. Aged white Port can also be paired with more savory items, like blue and goat cheeses, pork belly, brisket, smoked salmon, and sushi. Like Tawny Port, these White Ports have been matured and are meant to be drunk when purchased.

White Ports to try in cocktails: Dow’s Fine White, Churchill’s Dry White, Warre’s Fine White, Quinta do Infantado White. Recommended Aged White Port: Niepoort 10 Anos White, Kopke 20-year-old White, Kopke Colheita 2003 White, C. da Silva 1971 Golden Colheita White.

Hopefully, the above is enough to get you started on your own fantastic Port wine journey. Try several different styles as well as different producer’s versions with all kinds of food. And make sure to keep track of what you like best.

For more information about Port wine, visit the IDVP: Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Porto. Many thanks to the IDVP for providing samples of Port Wine. All opinions expressed are my own.