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| Comfort Drinks: Port and Sherry
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November 11, 2008
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Although they’re often shoved into the “dessert” category in wine lists and liquor stores, port and sherry are perfectly nice anytime, especially during the cold winter months. As an aperitif with appetizers, with meals, or as a host gift for parties, you can’t fail with one of these superbly versatile wines. Sherry has been making a comeback in cocktails, with bartenders around New York crafting new twists on pre-WWI era drinks like the sherry cobbler and the bamboo. They’re both fortified, meaning boosted with added alcohol, but that’s where the similarities end between port, a sweet wine from Portugal, and sherry, a dry wine from southwestern Spain. Here are a few recommendations for party gifts—or bottles you might want to nip into yourself.
| Port Side |
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Here’s how to tackle the port aisle of your local wine shop: Start by looking for a seal from the IVDP (the Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto), which certifies it’s an authentic product of the Alto Douro region. One such wine, produced from four of the best-regarded quintas (wine estates) in the Douro valley, is Graham’s, established in 1820. Graham’s Six Grapes is one of their oldest blends, a fruity, rich, and robust mix of superior grapes that results in a young wine that tastes like a vintage. Six Grapes, which retails for about $20, is excellent with starters like cheese, nuts, and olives.
Port is the only naturally sweet fortified wine, unlike sherry, which is naturally dry but can be sweetened with added wines post-fermentation. Pair a ruby port like the Quinta do Noval LB Finest Reserve Porto with dark chocolate, raspberries, or a decadent dessert. Ruby port is aged in large stainless steel or oak vats, which help retain its fruity characteristics and trademark deep red color. The Quinta de Noval ruby port is sweet but complex enough to stand up on its own or with food, and at around $16 a bottle, it’s an affordable but elegant end to any meal.
For the opposite end of the port spectrum, tawny, try an aged port like the Porto Calem 10-year Tawny, which retails for $20 to $30. Tawny ports, which are aged in oak casks for anywhere from 7 to over 40 years, are known for their gorgeous golden brown color and aromas of dry fruit, vanilla, caramel, and coffee. They gain complexity over time, but a 10-year tawny like the Porto Calem is perfect for pairing with anything from appetizers to rich main courses, or chilled for drinks with friends. |
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