Generality
The port wine (which from now on we will simply call "port") acquires the name of its city of origin, Porto precisely, still the second most developed urban center in Portugal.
Recently, the traditional port has been further diversified into several variants; the white port (as an aperitif) and the rosé port thus appeared.
The annual port production is around 130 million bottles, of which 115 million are classic. The traditionally BIG countries that consume this wine, today are experiencing a significant drop in purchases; on the other hand, nations with medium-sized imports incessantly maintain their trends.
Origins
The port is undoubtedly the most characteristic wine among Portuguese ones; however, similarly to what happened to the Marsala, the genius that gave birth to the "winning formula" was of British origin.
It was precisely the English who, in the second half of the 1600s, had the idea of adding brandy to the wine of Douro (sub region of Portugal); presumably, this intervention was not dictated by the desire to improve the organoleptic characteristics of the wine, but by the need to increase its conservation. Thanks to the high ethyl alcohol content, this latter goal was successfully achieved.
The Portuguese, who did not welcome the English intervention, found it hard to begin the production of this wine. Therefore, the marketing and commercial success of the port were also the exclusive work of British genius. In particular, it was JJForrester (in agreement with DAA Ferreira - landowner) to organize the very first port production cycle (1756 AD), delimiting production areas, prices and standards, preventing fraud and establishing the 335 zones of the quintas (plots with patronal headquarters, where the best wines come from).
Even today, the port is produced exclusively from grapes grown in terraced vineyards, located in the Douro valley. Today's quintas have become large companies, in turn linked to exporters located in the central area of the city of Porto (where wine is processed). Port production is regulated by the Istituto do Vinho do Porto, an institution created in 1933 which, after the revolution of '74, lost its corporatist powers.
Production
The port is produced through some basic steps, some of which differ from traditional winemaking.
Grapes are pressed in large granite basins called lagares. The resulting must is left to ferment only partially and then mixed with brandy to block the transformation process (mutation - to produce silent must); this trick (introduced in 1820 and widespread in '52) allows for more sugary wines.
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Nutritional values (per 100 g of edible portion)
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Then it matures in oak barrels and, finally, the bottling. The exception is ONLY the vintage port, which is selected within eighteen months of the harvest; this ages two or three years in cask before being aged another 15-18 years.
CRU of Port Wine
The vintage ports are derived from a single harvest carried out ONLY in the years defined as suitable (such as 2000), approximately every 3 or 5 years.
They are distributed by both English and Portuguese companies and some come from a single fifth (Single Quinta Port). Late Bottled Vintage (LVB) are wines aged at least 4 years in cask and 5 years in bottle. Other types of ports are: Tawnies (for example Fine Old Tawnies, aged some tens of years); Tawny Colheita (from a single harvest, with aging never less than 7 years); Ruby (the least prized, obtained from the cutting of different vintages and with maturation of about 2-3 years).
Nutritional Features
The port is a fortified wine that is part of the group of spirits; its chemical composition shows a moderate content of simple sugars, but the energy prevalence remains in favor of ethyl alcohol. Like limoncello, maraschino, grappa, gin, Marsala, nocino etc., even the port is NOT suitable for frequent and / or systematic consumption. Being a liqueur wine, the average portion should be less than that of traditional wine and the frequency of consumption only occasional.
Excessive port consumption is potentially harmful to the body, especially in the presence of metabolic diseases and hepatic suffering. The port is EXTENDANTLY not recommended for: hypertensive (due to the hypertensive effect of alcohol), hypertriglyceridemics (due to the high content of ethyl alcohol and simple sugars), overweight subjects (due to the high total caloric value and the effect isulin alcohol stimulant) and, in general, to all those suffering from metabolic syndrome, hepatic steatosis (alcohol and / or food) and gastro-oesophageal disorders.
