Port

When it comes to port wine, I sometimes see that some people wrinkle their noses a bit. When I ask about it, it often has to do with their grandparents having an open bottle in the cupboard for years on end — which, to put it mildly, didn’t taste great over time.

Fortunately, port wine is much more than that and is an often-overlooked wine type. Its long history and varied flavor profile make it the perfect companion for desserts or as a standalone meditation wine.

It is important to choose correctly here!

Port wine is a sweet, intense wine originating from the Douro Valley in Portugal. During its production, the wine undergoes a special process to achieve its characteristic sweetness and complexity. During the fermentation process, grape spirit is added, which stops the fermentation. This preserves a certain amount of grape sugar and results in a sweeter wine with a higher alcohol content.

There are different types of port wine: Ruby, Tawny, Vintage, and Late Bottled Vintage (LBV), and each type has its own flavor nuances and characteristics.

One of the most important considerations when choosing port wine for dessert is to ensure that the flavors match. If your dessert is rich and chocolate-based, a Tawny port with notes of nuts and dried fruit will work perfectly. The roasted aromas and delicate sweetness of the Tawny port can balance the power and intensity of the chocolate.

If you are serving a fruit-based dessert, such as a berry tart, a Ruby port would be more appropriate. Here, the fresh and fruity flavors pair well with the fruit dessert.

The age of the port wine is also important when selecting the right wine for your dessert.

A young Ruby or LBV port has a more intense and fruity flavor profile, which pairs well with lighter and fresher desserts such as sorbet or fruit desserts.

On the other hand, a mature and aged Tawny can add depth and complexity to a rich and creamy dessert like crème brûlée. The fine nutty and spice tones will play perfectly with the soft texture of the dessert.

If you really want to have the full experience, consider pairing your dessert with a Vintage port. Vintage ports are produced in exceptional years and are bottled without long aging in wooden barrels. The result is a deeply concentrated and complex port wine that can hold its own against even the most demanding desserts, such as a dense chocolate cake or a refined cheese plate.

Port wine is a gem in the beautiful world of wine. When you nail the right port wine for your dessert, you’re guaranteed a delightful finish to a delicious meal.

As always, we are here to help you make the right choice – and we look forward to elevating your dessert serving to new heights!