Distinguished and sophisticated, port is definitely one for the mature drinker. Traditionally the chosen drink to finish off a meal, it’s a sweet dessert of the alcoholic kind.

What is it?
Port is a fortified wine. It’s sweet because it has been fortified with brandy, killing the yeast in the part-fermented wine and producing a rich and sugary flavour.

Where does it come from?
As its name hints, port comes from Portugal and in particular from the North-Eastern Douro Valley. There’s an area of about 1000 square miles where the vineyards are situated.

History of port
An angry Britain declared war on France in 1698 and blocked French ports, resulting in a shortage of wine. British wine merchants approached the wine renowned Portuguese but the wines weren't the same quality as the French so the Brits took control. Brandy was added before fermentation and port was born.

Distinguishing between types of port
Ask if the sweet snifter has been bottle or cask aged. Bottle aged port keeps its colour and fruitiness when maturing while cask aged port loses some of its colour. Ruby is the cheapest - cask aged and usually drunk young. Tawny is cask aged too but spends longer in the cask, developing a more sophisticated flavour.

Late bottled vintage ports are cask aged before being bottled with some sediment to add character. Vintage ports are on the Rolls Royce level of the beverage. Made from the best wines and aged for a few years before bottling, they are at their best after a long maturation period.

Pass the port please
British naval officers passed the port from port to port – that’s clockwise to you and me. Want to play along? The host should pour for the guest to his right and then pass the bottle to the guest on his left. It’s then passed to the left all the way back to the host.

Port is often served at the end of the meal in London restaurants but it can be on occasion be enjoyed in London pubs and bars as well.

Natasha Vuckovic