After-Dinner

Port-Style Wine

Fermentation is halted by adding brandy, leaving natural sweetness and higher alcohol.

Port is Portugal's great fortified red, born in the steep, schist-soaked terraces of the Douro Valley and finished with neutral grape spirit to stop fermentation and lock in sweetness.

The result spans a remarkable range — from the intensely fruity Ruby styles to the nutty, oxidative, long-aged Tawny — all sharing a generous, warming character made for after dinner.

Key Characteristics

  • · Fermentation is halted by adding brandy, leaving natural sweetness and higher alcohol.
  • · Ruby styles are young, fruity and age in bottle; Tawnies age oxidatively in wood, gaining nut and caramel notes.
  • · Vintage Ports are only declared in exceptional years and age for decades in bottle.

Food Pairing

  • · stilton
  • · dark chocolate
  • · hard cheese
  • · dried fruit
  • · walnuts

Serving

  • · 14-18°C
  • · Decant Vintage Port if young
  • · Port or tulip glass

Subcategories

Vintage Port

The declared-year icon

Tawny Port

Oxidative, nutty, ready to drink

Ruby & LBV

Fruity and approachable