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Wine Review: Port shouldn’t go the way of British films

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If anyone is a film buff and watches Turner Classic Movies, they have witnessed British movies of the past change from dull, boring, chatty, drawing room films to the high-speed action and adventure of the James Bond movies of today. You also have seen the beverage preference in those films change from port for the men and sherry for the ladies to vodka martini, “shaken not stirred" and champagne bollinger. This has left port out in the cold as a has been – which is definitely not the case.
 
True port wines come from Portugal and are red, sweet, powerful and incredibly complex beverages blessed with a full fruity flavor and a perfumed aroma that defies description. As an after dinner drink, it stands alone and aloof above all the rest that strive to achieve that lofty position. It is a drink for those who appreciate the best of everything.
 
Port wines are sold by quality. The best of the best is classified as vintage port, which receives no processing other than two years of barrel aging. The wine attains its magic in the bottle over 20 or 30 years. During the bottle aging, the wine obtains a heavy sediment and must be filtered or decanted prior to drinking. All of the fuss and bother will be forgotten with the first taste.
 
Most port is held in barrels for several years longer than a vintage port. The additional barrel time allows longer contact with wood and air so the wine will mellow out faster. Late-bottled vintage port is made with grapes from a single excellent year and held in barrels from four to six years. The resultant wine will need no further bottle aging and will not throw sediment in the bottle.
 
Tawny port is a blend of port wines that has been aged in barrels eight to 12 years to mellow and develop the velvet texture and rich flavor this style is famous for. Because of a longer time in the wood, the color becomes lighter and browner than the other styles. Ruby port is the most readily available and popular style of this wine. Like tawny, ruby port is a blend. The particular blend best exemplifies the style of the house the wine represents. Ruby port is kept for several years in the aging barrels to marry and mature before bottling. The wine is fruity and full flavored.
 
Grahm’s 10-year-old tawny port ($36)
Grahm’s 10-year-old tawny port is a wine that approaches the limits of the allowable alcohol level for a wine, at roughly 20 percent. This incarnation of the variety has been held in barrels for 10 years to mellow and develop greater depth. It has the beautiful brownish hue that identifies it as a tawny port.

While still sweet, it is drier than most other ports and has a spicy and nutty flavor coupled with a positive oak and caramel background. The finish of this wine is as memorable as the flavor and remains on the palate for a long time. This is a perfect way to end a special dinner.
 
Cockburn’s Special Reserve ($18)
Cockburn’s (pronounced Cohw-burns) Special Reserve is a soft, elegant sipping wine that is loaded with fruit flavors. This wine is perfectly balanced with an almost overpowering aroma and a rich, full-bodied structure. The finish is exceptional; it is long, fruity and seems to last forever. If you like port, Cockburn’s Special Reserve is a dream come true.
 
Dow’s 2011 Late Bottled Vintage Porto ($25)
Although not declared a vintage year, the grapes produced vibrant wines. This quality is reflected in the Dow’s 2011 Late Bottled Vintage Porto, a full-flavored port with a hint of oak in the aroma and a fruit-ladened flavor. This is a proper introduction to better port wines.

Nixa resident Bennet Bodenstein is a wine columnist and manages ArticlesOnWine.com. He can be reached at ben@articlesonwine.com.

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