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Port wine was originally known as Porto Wine. The name of the wine Port wine, comes from the name of a city Oporto. Basically port wine is produced in the Douro Valley, situated in northern Portugal. City of Oporto is placed in Douro Valley. Oporto is the center, from where port wine is exported. Since 15th century port wine is produced in Portugal. There are some wines similar to port wine and is also called port wine. These kinds of port wine are produced in Australia and USA. Original port wine made in Portugal is labeled as “Port”.
Port wine is a very sweet, thick and rich wine. Port wine is also consists higher percentage of alcohol than other contemporary wines. The alcohol percentage in port wine is between 18% to 30%. In the processing of port wine, distilled grape spirit is added to fortify the wine. This added distilled grape spirit in the port wine halts the fermentation process. For this reason all sugar isn’t converted into alcohol.
Port wine is served as dessert wine after the meal. You can have port wine with cheese too. The higher percentage of alcohol gives port wine an edge over the other wines regarding storing flexibility. The wines having alcohol 15% to 17.5% get spoiled when they come in contact with open air. Port wine has alcohol percentage of more than 18% to 30%. It can be easily stored in the wooden casks with little bit of ventilation. Generally these wooden casks are airtight but if there is any breathing place, then port wine can be safe for years without any worry of it getting spoilt. As the port wine gets older it gets richer in taste.
Port wine is very famous in England since its introduction. The trade got better with the signing of Methuen Treaty in 1703. According to this treaty the import duty got cheaper. In the days of war between England and France, the English could not cherish this wine. After the war the English regained the good old days with port wine. |
