Can Port Grapes be compared to Classic 'Wine Grape' types

[Alan C.]

Whilst reading Port & the Douro, I came across the different varieties of Port grapes.
Does anyone know them that well that they could list their classic wine-grape equivilant.

Like, this one is similar to the Shiraz grape, or this one is more like the Merlot.

Maybe you could simply tell me it doesn't work like that, for whatever reason.

Just a thought,

Alan

[Derek T.]

Alan,

It does work like that. Some of the Douro reds I tasted on the Harvest Tour in October were single variety wines. Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca etc.

I am affraid that is the full extent of my knowledge but others will be able to help - or tell me I was dreaming and am now talking complete %£$*&^%$.

Derek

[Roy Hersh]

Out of 80 Douro grapes that are qualitied and approved for the use in Port blends (both white and red) many could be compared to others around the world.

Just one example from "the main 5" Port grapes, is Tinta Roriz. This is a powerful grape and makes the Port cuvee much more intresting. It is better known in Spain where it is call Tempranillo and is one of the keys to Rioja.

Is that what you are talking about Alan?

[Todd Pettinger]

That helps me Roy. (Although I would be keen to know if Shiraz resembles any particular taste - from the vast experience here. I have had several non-port versions from the land down under where they blend Shiraz into their 'port'... Each time I get a very distinct taste and feeling. Wondering of others feel the same and if those with greater experience than I have a feeling that "Shiraz tastes like _________.")

Todd

[Alan C.]

I am not a wine expert, but unlike France/Italy which appears to categorise its wine by regions, the rest of the world generally does it by grape.
In general terms, I like Shiraz/Syrah, Cabernet Sauvigion, Chardonnay, and Muscadet, for example, and I'm not so keen on wines from grapes like Semillon, Merlot, Pinot noir.Pinotage, Grenache,Riesling, or Colombard
So I wondered if you could categorise the Portugese Grapes as being similar or the same as the main types. Roy gives an example with Tempranillo. And if you could, would it be worthy of interest. Could you say, for example, the Taylors House of Ports generally come from a Shiraz type grape and that can be dictated in the taste.

Alan

[Ronald Wortel]

As hardly any port is made from a single variety, it is IMO very difficult to make a comparison of a producer's style to the taste of a grape. Most ports are blends of at least 3-5 grape varieties, but generally many more (especially when the grapes of old vines are used; these are mixed plantings).

In the Douro table wines, it is more common to use single varieties, but still I find it difficult to compare the grapes to 'international' varieties. The flavours are unique. But on the other hand, if you taste an aged Douro wine (like a Quinta do Cotto Grande Escolha from the 1980's), you'll find that these wines can taste much like a fine aged Bordeaux.

[Kris Henderson]

I'm not sure if one could map for example Touriga Nacional to Cabernet Sauvignon, Touriga Franca to Merlot, etc. I have tasted a few examples of 100% Touriga Nacional table wines. In my opinion, it is a totally unique grape and tastes nothing like other common red grapes like Cabernet, Merlot, Grenache, Syrah, or Mourvedre.

In more generic terms maybe, some grapes for example in Bordeaux play a minor role in blending but help contribute to structure. I'm sure some Port grapes are used like that. I don't know enough about the individual varieties to say which though.

This does bring up an interesting question in my mind though. For those who are pasionate about Port, what kinds of dry table wines do you like to drink? For example, I love Rhone valley red wine particularly the Southern Rhone. I also like Barolo and Barbaresco a lot. Then there's Amarone, I don't drink enough of that but I like it a lot too. Bordeaux is yummy too.

[Roy Hersh]

In more generic terms maybe, some grapes for example in Bordeaux play a minor role in blending but help contribute to structure. I'm sure some Port grapes are used like that. I don't know enough about the individual varieties to say which though.

Kris,

I agree with 100% with your assessment, each of the major 5 grapes and then others that are slightly less known but often used when field blends are involved which today is still the majority of the Douro (by far!) like Bdx grapes, are used for specific characteristics. It might make for an intriguing article when I have time, or a Question for the Port Trade.

I have said before that there are grape combos that seem to be common matches in terms of people's interest due to similarities in aromatic, flavor or textural profiles or even the way wines age in comparison.

To assert two examples:

a. I have found a large number of Burgophiles also love the German Riesling grape for the similar ways the wines evolve over time, their innate sense of terroir, and the textural pleasures both the Pinot Noir and Riesling grape provide with a couple of decades of age ... not to mention the earthy funk of sous bois in the former and petrol in the latter, respective grapes.

b. There is a similar dynamic with those who are Port lovers. I frequently have found (of course there are many exceptions though) that there are cross-enthusiasts (mostly American and Italian though) who love Zinfandel/Primitivo as well as the grapes of Rodinella, Corvina and Molinara which make up Amarone and Valpolicella Classico.

There are a few other examples, but this is a Port board, so I'll just stick to these two. An interesting side bar to the discussion.