For The Love Of Port

Do you think that the mix of 4 parts grape juice and 1 part aguardente makes for the best Port?

For example, some people are quite sensitive to the alcohol that sometimes if not oftentimes protrudes from Port. Others just plain can't stand it when the finish is hot. Still others don't mind at all.

Could these and other dilemmas with drinking Port be alleviated by varying the ratio of the juice vs. grape neutral spirits?

Ultimately what effect do you think it would have on Port enjoyment?

One would have to be very much into port to know when what is what.

And it's unlikely that there'd ever be a market for varied alcohol levels in port. The area is difficult enough as it is.

When that is said, I don't see any need for a dogmatic interpretation of the 20. vol. that's used now. I sometimes see port (old port) that holds 19.5 etc. but if it makes better port is difficult to say.

I guess my conclusion would be: if it isn't broken, don't fix it.

I guess it all comes down to balance and what the shipper is trying to do. Where's the fun if all Port tasted alike!

I think most of the established Port makers get the alcohol level about right. They know their grapes, and the quality of their aguardente very well. Their methods are well practiced and for the most part, they know what they are going to get before the first cluster is crushed.

However, I have tasted first vintages of port (small ‘p’ – California) that have not been in balance at all. One bottle I tasted was in the neighborhood of 19.0 - 19.5% alcohol, but the alcohol was so in your face as to be nearly undrinkable. Knowing how balanced well made Port even in the 21% range can taste, the lesson I took from that bottle was that book knowledge and familiarity with the Pearson Square is no substitute for winemaking experience.

Bryan makes a great point... these guys have been doing this an awful long time and many times, the master blenders and folks controlling the wine-making process are passing their skills down to younger generations of offspring, keeping the methods fairly accurate, of not identical from generation to generation.

I'm not sure just how much the ratio of juice to aguardente would affect something like the residual sugar amounts in the Port as it would be critical as to the TIMING of tha addition. Less auardente may not necessarily end up with a sweeter end product, but ceasing the fermentation earlier by adding the aguardente sooner would.

I suppose the ratio would affect the overall alcohol volume, but it is likely affected to a great degree by timing.

Todd

Within limits, I'm not sure that the amount of aguardente added would make much of a difference. I think it would be difficult to tell the difference between Port's with an alcohol content of say 18%, 20%, or 22%.

In my opinion, more important than the amount of aguardente is the quality of aguardente. I have tasted fine Cognac and Bourbon at 40 to 50 percent alcohol that have less alcoholic burn than some 20 percent alcohol ports. Could aguardente be made with the smoothness of alcohol that fine Cognac and Bourbon have? If so, It would make Port more drinkable at all stages of its life and not affect its ability to age.

Well to add some context Bryan, I have just obtained the first and second vintages of a new CA port producer that wants to see how they measure up. Watch for the TNs in the January Newsletter in the Roy's Recent Tasting Notes column. I will pay very close attention to the degree of integration of the alcohol and the fruit.

Roy Hersh wrote:Well to add some context Bryan, I have just obtained the first and second vintages of a new CA port producer that wants to see how they measure up. Watch for the TNs in the January Newsletter in the Roy's Recent Tasting Notes column. I will pay very close attention to the degree of integration of the alcohol and the fruit.

If you get the opportunity to ask the winemaker, I’d be curious as to what grapes they used and where they were grown. Seeing as US winemakers don’t have access to Touriga Franca / Francesa or Tinta Barroca, two major components in practically all Portuguese Port, I’m always curious about the different approaches winemakers take in dealing with that hole in the lineup.

Very thought provoking question....

I agree that probably the most important aspect is the quality of aguardente. Since producers can now get it from where ever they chose, it is important that they don't cut corners by getting a lower quality arguardente. I've been lucky (well, not really..lol) to have tasted several times pure arguardente used by different producers. I could see how getting a lower quality could make a huge difference in the finished product.

Of course other factors come into play too, such as quality of grapes, how long they allow fermentation to continue before fortifying, mechanical vs. foot trodding, etc. Without getting to technical, I've tried the same vintage grapes that were processed by different means. I can say that they all tasted distictly different. One of which showed more heat (spirit) than the others. So this too has an affect.

So I don't think changing the ratio of arguardente to grapes is the answer. But using better ingrediants and production methods that are favorable to those particular grapes / terroir is the answer.