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A little Bit of Port
The following is a little bit of information for you about Port. We have obtained this general information through our experiences in vineyard & winery work as well as through wine studies and barrel work.
The History Of Port
Port is a fortified wine from the remote vineyards in Douro Valley, Portugal. Port takes its name from the city of Oporto, which is at the centre of the world’s port production. Although there are many port style wines made around the world, the word port strictly refers only to wines that are produced in Portugal.
Australian styles of port or fortified wine include; fino, amontillado, oloroso, tawny, vintage, muscat, tokay and other sweet white fortified wines.
For your port keg you will generally be filling it with bulk tawny ports and muscats.
Vintage port is to be drunk from the bottle (not literally!) within a few days.
Fortified Definitions
TAWNY PORT: This fortified wine is aged in Oak barrels over a period of 15 plus years. The slow oxidation that occurs helps to develop the port characters. This wine is often sold in Bulk to place in your own Port keg.
VINTAGE PORT: This fortified wine spends 1-2 years in oak barrels before being bottled. Vintage styles are made to develop/age in the bottle for many years. Most should be decanted before serving. Just like any other wine a Vintage port is best drank within 3 – 4 days of opening. Do not put this in your port keg.
Our Recommendations:
The Barossa Valley has a fantastic selection of both vintage ports and tawny ports. Many wineries also offer bulk tawny port for sale. Seppeltsfield Wines are famous for it’s fortified, in particular its Para Port. Grant Burge has a special fortified cellar door called Illaparra where you can taste both bulk and bottled ports. Peter Lehmann has some fantastic bulk ports, including a bulk Muscat. Other wineries include Kies, Liebichwein and Bethany all have bulk port for sale. Bethany’s white port is a popular favourite and give Kies wines a try for a great frozen port!
Other suitable basic ports for purchase by the bottle in most liquor outlets are: Queen Adelaide Port, Angoves Port and Penfolds Port.
There are many other wineries Australia
wide who produce both great vintage
and tawny port. Why not try them all!
Happy Port Exploration!
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