Sunday, August 9, 2015

Putting a Pinky Up for Port

Prior to working in the wine industry, I thought of Port as a mysterious substance only suitable for fancy, sophisticated people. Thankfully, I've been educated enough since then to forfeit this naive misconception in pursuit of appreciating this special sector of craft adult beverages for it's unique set of characteristics and purpose. I still have a lot to learn (understatement) but I do know it can be just as approachable - and potentially as enjoyable in certain settings and circumstances - as wine. 


My friend here in Atlanta recently coined the term "Equal Opportunity Enjoyer"(EOE) to describe someone like myself who is open to learning about a variety of speciality libations...for enjoyment, of course. This concept couldn't be more accurate. While my first love will always be vino, my knowledge of that industry has harbored an interest in and an appreciation for the specialized processes associated with producing anything from coffee to bourbon. Therefore, I often find myself drawn to opportunities in which I can dive into a new realm of the beverage industry simply to compare and contrast to the world of wine. A few weeks ago, Savor Wine Boutique in the Kirkwood Station neighborhood of Atlanta served as the aforementioned catalyst for sparking my curiosity in a new specialty beverage. They extended a complimentary admission as a partner in the industry to attend their special Port tasting event...this EOE happily accepted because, hey, why not?


Savor has a great tasting event space and always seems to draw a nicely-sized crowd, so I was excited to mingle with fellow beverage enthusiasts for the special event. It's interesting, though, because I felt a little out of my element. When I walk into a wine tasting, I know what to expect, I know what vocabulary to use, and I know how to take tasting notes. In this case, however, I only knew that I'd probably be the one asking a lot of questions. 

When I worked in Virginia, many wineries were producing Port-style fortified wines using Touriga Nacional grapes because it tends to grow very well in that climate. We sold one called "Tavern" - named for an old tavern that used to occupy the land on which the winery was built. We promoted it as an after-dinner nightcap perfect for fireside chats and an occasional cigar (according to my husband) because it was rich, full-bodied, peppery, and spicy with deep flavors of slightly-candied plums and prunes. It was definitely a crowd favorite during the winter holiday season, but I still could only count on two hands the total number of times I'd ever sipped a Port-style wine...and they were all born-and-raised in Virginia. I never fully committed to truly appreciating it's full potential.


So, case in point, I walked into Savor that evening for the Port event as a novice (well, more like clueless) but ready and willing to learn. They had a lineup of 6 Ports all under the Dow's label available for us to taste. Founded in 1798, Dow's is a Port-producing dynasty run by a family with over 100 years of experience, and I suppose that's exactly what you'd like to hear when you're wanting to gain a baseline education about the craft. What sets Port apart from other wines is the terroir on which the grapes are grown (such as the Douro) but also the addition of spirits halfway through the grape fermentation process which preserves a proportion of the grapes' natural sugars (and boosts the alcohol content). I like to imagine it as if Port wine is the wine that went out to the bar, took a few shots, and then stayed out to party longer than everyone else.

The distributors leading the tasting that evening were incredibly friendly and welcoming. They were just as eager to share their knowledge with the crowd as the crowd was eager to learn about the Ports which facilitated an awesome amount of nerdy discussion while sipping. 


We kicked things off with the Fine White Porto. It smelled like sweet candied flowers and had a golden glow of color in the glass. "Fine" in the world of Ports translates to any producer's "basic, general, standard" offering and usually encompasses the bottom 90% of grapes produced. The top 10%, conversely, is used to make the higher-end "Vintage" Ports in a portfolio. I enjoyed the nutty complexity and fresh, fruity finish on the White Porto, and I enjoyed it even more when they offered to mix it with a little splash of tonic water for a refreshing champagne-like cocktail.

Moving to the red Ports, I buckled up and focused on taking notes to keep them all organized...but at 19-20% alcohol in each sip, it got increasingly more difficult as we moved down the list. I actually giggled at my piece if paper when I took it out to write this blog post, so to save myself the time in deciphering each entry to type summaries of each tasting, but also to give readers an equal opportunity to giggle...I thought I'd just take a photo of the notes instead:


I asked a lot of questions and I consequently learned a lot. Most importantly, I learned what I like and what I don't like which is always my objective when guiding tastings for fellow wine enthusiasts. My favorite of the flight was Dow's Fine Tawny Porto - it tasted like apples and walnuts with layers of bright citrus, caramel, and almond flavors. The runner-up for the evening was Dow's 10-Year Old Tawny Porto, the last tasting on the list, which smelled less sweet than all of the others but had a nose bursting with toffee, ripe fruits, and walnuts with a longer, richer, balanced finish on the palate. It reminded me, in fact, of bourbon...yet another example of how appreciations for craft beverages can overlap.


Have I sparked anyone's curiosity to try some Port? It's fun, and it makes you feel fancy. For my pay-it-forward moment, here's the one piece of knowledge I think anyone should know going into a Port tasting: Ruby vs. Tawny. These are two "styles" of Port aside from the Fine and Vintage classifications addressed earlier in the tasting notes. Essentially, these terms simply refer to the color of the liquid. Ruby Port is a Port that has not yet aged in a barrel long enough to oxidize, so it maintains a purple, reddish color. After 6-7 years of aging in a barrel, the Port will oxidize and change color. Tawny thus describes these Ports that are more brown and orange in color which concurrently indicates an aging timeframe of 7+ years. I can confidently say that I am a fan of the Tawny camp because I love the caramel and toffee notes being expressed on velvety, nutty flavors from the oxidation process in the oak casks. 

So, go out there and try some Port. There's nothing to lose, and wine will understand with no hard feelings. Besides, Port pairs well with cold, winter nights and the forthcoming holiday season. Fun fact? Tawny is also a color of Crayola Crayon #TheMoreYouKnow






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