Making Port - Large versus small casks/barrels

[Carl D]

As a part of our version of The Great Reserve Ruby Taste-Off of 2012, we wanted to spend a few minutes on educating our guests about the various types of port and how they're made, in very broad strokes.

I like the diagram at http://www.quintadonoval.com/categorie- ... nos.portos - it quite succinctly shows the basic relationships between the common types of port, but it makes no mention of the different sizes of wooden casks/barrels that are used and the effect that cask size has on the wine.

My understanding is that Ruby (VP, LBV) wines are aged 2-7 years in large (10,000L) casks, while Tawny ports are aged in small (400L) barrels. But is that the whole story? Do tawnies actually spend the first 2 years in the large casks before being transferred to pipes?

[Glenn E.]

I think it depends on the producer and the year, etc. Some producers know right away that the need some grapes set aside for tawnies so they put them in pip as immediately. Others leave the Port in balseiros or tonels for the first two years, presumably to give them time to decide whether to make lbv or tawny out of the Port.

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[oscarquevedo]

As Glenn says, it depends on the house style, also on the location of the vineyards. The eastern you go, the lower the rainfall level, meaning lower yields and more concentration. These Ports will have more structure and maintain the darker colors for longer. So you probably need more small barrel aging to get the tawnies properly aged. For the rubies it is very important that the oak is of big capacity to minimize the oxidation, so the Port will maintain the fruity flavors.

[Glenn E.]

The eastern you go, the lower the rainfall level, meaning lower yields and more concentration. These Ports will have more structure and maintain the darker colors for longer.

Thanks Oscar! That makes perfect sense, but I had never actually thought about it. It does help explain why the Coheitas we tasted from cask at your estate were so dark, and the same for the one we had at Vesuvio.