Port Wines: A Series Part 1




As you all know, Prime Steakhouse prides itself in exposing our guests to as many beverage options as possible. Whether it’s our Aperitifs, Amari, or our Award-Winning Wines List, we are passionate about providing both the opportunity and education our guests deserve to enhance their dining experience. Port Wine deserves to be celebrated. Here is part one of a series of essays I’ve written to pique your interest in this most unique and intriguing beverage! Enjoy, and next time you visit Prime, please feel free to discuss Port with me!


Cheers, 

Felix Albano

PRIME at Sky Meadow General Manager 


Port is one of the most overlooked and underrated styles of wine on the market. When produced by great houses, these wines can provide some of the most delicious drinking experiences possible. 


Whether paired with dessert, mixed into a cocktail or sipped neat after dinner, the versatility of port wines knows no limits, though understanding what the fortified wine is all about is key.


Port was created in Portugal as a way to preserve the country’s red wines during their long, hot journey down the river from the vineyards in the Douro Valley to the town of Porto, where they are stored in warehouses and then shipped around the world.


Where Port Is Made

Port wine is produced in Portugal’s Douro Valley, located in the northern part of the country. Most ports are red, although white and rosé versions exist. The main grape varieties used to produce port are touriga nacional, touriga franca, tinta roriz (tempranillo), tinta barroca and tinta cão. More than 50 varieties are permitted in port vinification, though these five are by far the most commonly used.


How Port Is Made

There are a handful of styles in which port wines are produced, bottled and labeled. These styles are mostly determined by how the wines are aged.


Port wines are fortified, meaning that a neutral distillate is added during the vinification process. Post-harvest, grapes are crushed and fermented like any other wine. However, prior to the completion of fermentation, port producers add a neutral spirit to the wine. This addition of alcohol kills the remaining yeast and leaves residual sugar in the juice, hence the perceived “sweetness” of Port. The wines’ alcohol content is also boosted to about 19% to 20% due to the addition of the distillate. 


The neutral spirit in port also acts as a natural preservative, meaning that the wines have a longer shelf life post-opening than do standard wines. No need to rush to finish a bottle; simply pop, enjoy a pour and let the bottle hang out in your refrigerator for a few weeks, which is fortunate, since port is often enjoyed just one small glass at a time.


Next time, we’ll discuss how to drink Port, and the various types of Port Wines that are available and served at Prime!


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