Port, or more accurately, Port-style wine, is a fortified wine, originating in Portugal. In Europe, you cannot refer to a wine as “Port” unless it was made in Portugal. In the U.S. we are not so persnickety. It’s more of a guideline than a rule. For simplicity I will utilize the word, Port going forward (despite upsetting some of my European colleagues). Ports are considered dessert or after-dinner wines. According to Kevin Zraly, author of Windows on the World Complete Wine Course, there are two types of Port: Cask-aged Port (Ruby Port and Tawny Port) and Bottle-aged Port. Cask-aged Port is ready to drink once it is bottled (after aging in wood for a year or two), but will not improve with further aging in the bottle. Bottle-aged Port can continue to improve for up to 30 or more years in the bottle after the vintage year.
Tawny Port is the lighter colored Port that looks and tastes very similar to a Sherry. Of course, Ruby Port retains its rich red color because it spends less time in oak casks than Tawny Port, which takes on more of the cask color and loses some of its natural fruity color and taste. Both style Ports are made from red grapes in the Douro region in Northern Portugal.
There are a number of New Jersey producers of Port wines. Most of these are of the Ruby red variety, but their base can vary, as well as the degree of sweetness, the alcohol percentage (generally between 18-20% ABV) and bottle size (from 375ml to 750ml), as well as price. The most common base for Jersey Port wines is Chambourcin, though Cabernet, Merlot and other red wines are also used. As is true elsewhere, most of New Jersey wineries fortify their Ports with Brandy. I am not aware of any Tawny Port makers in New Jersey, but there are a few of New Jersey wineries that I know of that make a white Port (Hopewell Valley Vineyards, Cape May Winery and Old York Cellars).
The picture above only reflects those currently in my cellar and two are absent (due to recent consumption). In preparation for this post I did open a few of these to refresh my memory, since I had not tasted them in a while. It should be noted that, while I will share some of my favorites from those pictured and named in this post, their very presence in my home means I liked each of these well enough to pay for and add to my collection to be consumed at a later date.
I must also note (especially in the same month as Valentine’s Day) that Port is often paired with chocolate. The sweetness of the chocolate also will play a role in which Ports you may enjoy. Other common pairings are cheese, dried fruits and nuts, as well as Winston Churchill’s favorite, a good cigar. I have tasted each of the Ports on their own, as well as with Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate. Unfortunately, I have not had a cigar in almost three years, so I can’t comment on those pairings.
Ports Recently Sampled
- Unionville Vineyards (500 ml; 18.5% ABV)-Among the best and most interesting NJ Ports are the Unionville Ports, which are made in the same fashion as the famous Solera system of aging it by fractional blending (in which small quantities are taken from each of several vintages from their barrels or casks). Of the three I have tasted, my favorite (pictured above) was Vat #19.
- Hopewell Valley Vineyards (all 375 ml and 18% ABV) Three Vintage Ports (all 2006) conspicuously absent in the picture above are from Hopewell Valley Vineyards. They make an excellent Ruby Red Port and super Chocolate Port. They also make a White Port that I have not yet tried.
- Alba Vintage Port 2011 (500 ml; 18.5% ABV) Chambourcin base and fortified with Sherry. I enjoyed this one best all by itself (though I was missing a good cigar) and with some walnuts and dried, not overly sweet fruit.
- *Sharrott Winery Wicked (500 ml; 18.5% ABV)
- *Turdo Vineyards – Turis Rubino (500 ml; 18% ABV)
- *Cape May Winery & Vineyard Isaac Smith New Jersey Port (500 ml; 18.5% ABV).
- Note: *I found the Sharrott, Turdo and Cape May Ports to be most similar and among the best (Solo or paired with any of the typical options).
- Plagido’s Empire Port I enjoyed this one best with my chocolate. – 750ml
- Old York Cellars Southpaw 2015 (500 ml; 18.6% ABV) Made from Riesling. They also make a Ruby Port, but I have not tasted that in a couple of years. The White Port is delicious and comes in a beautiful bottle, suitable for displaying that last, vibrant red rose from Valentine’s Day.
- Tomasello 2014 Port (750ml; 18% ABV)- I tasted this first at one of Tomasello’s Wine Down Wednesday Dinners; great with our dessert (you might want to try the dinner there as well).
- Valenzano Winery (750 ml; 19.5% ABV) Jersey Devil Forte (yes, I spelled that correctly). Very good with dark chocolate.
- Bellview Port (750 ml; 19.5% ABV)- Made from a blend of Chambourcin and Petit Verdot and fortified with brandy made from their Cayuga grapes! Very New Jersey and very good.
My overall favorites among these Ports are Unionville Vat #19, Hopewell Valley Vineyards Chocolate Port, Alba Vineyards Port 2011, Sharrott Winery’s Wicked and Turdo’s Turis Rubino.
Again, all of these Ports are worth trying. Some are sweeter and may be better appreciated when paired with a good chocolate. For those of you who like sweet wines, you definitely should try one of these. I like my red Ports served around 65 degrees F. and my white Ports around 55 degrees. The taste of each will vary with changes in temperature, the degree of sweetness of the chocolate you pair it with and, of course your palate and preferences. Experiment with pairings and temperatures and see what you enjoy the most. While I am a dry red and dry white kind of guy, I do like a good Port. I will do an update down the road and add some other producers as I get a chance to sample a few more, and perhaps include a couple of Sherries. I am only aware of two New Jersey producers of Sherry (Amalthea and Balic), but I’ll keep on researching.
Any Port in a Storm? No, NJ Port!
Cheers!
Coming Attractions
- Jessie Creek Winery Revisited
- A Snob-Free Taste of NJ Wine
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