We hope you enjoyed our previous blog about Indulgent sweet wines made from the juice of extra ripe, botrytised, frozen and dried grapes. We now introduce you to another category of delicious sweet wines which are produced by adding a high strength grape spirit to fermenting wine, which kills the yeast and leaves a sweet, sticky wine. This method is called fortification, and raises the alcohol content to 15-20% abv, whilst retaining the sweetness in the wine.
Styles of Fortified wine
Port
The most famous of fortified wines is Port which is produced in the northern region of Douro, Portugal. The majority of vineyards are located roughly 50 miles inland from the city of Porto in the Cima Corgo, Baixo Corgo and Douro Superior sub-regions. Port can be made from a blend of more than 80 permitted grapes; however, the main varietals are Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca as well as Tinta Cão. For white wines, the main varietals are Malvasia Fina and Gouveio. The grapes are crushed by foot in traditional stone lagares, which gently releases colour, tannin and flavour. Port can vary dramatically in style from clean and crisp white to nutty Tawny, fruity Reserve and Late Bottled Vintage as well as the powerful and most sought after, Vintage Port.
We recommend:
Graham`s Late Bottled Vintage Port 2017
Vibrant aromas of blackberry, blackcurrant and liqourice with undertones of rockrose and mint. Full and compact with ripe, juicy tannins and a voluptuous texture that is complimented by its further dark fruit core and black pepper spice finish. Pairs wonderfully with dark chocolate desserts as well as hard cheeses such as Cheddar and Manchego.
Quinta do Noval 10 Year Old Tawny Port
Historic Quinta do Noval has a reputation amongst the best Douro producers as one of the finest houses, producing meticulous wines with great care and attention to detail. This complex vibrant Port is full of spice, fruit aromas and flavours, and after fortification is moved to old, 640-litre oak barrels. The cask holds a blend of vintages which are aged for 10 years and it is a blend of Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca and Tinta Barroca. This is a crisp, fresh style of Tawny, ideally served lightly chilled. Pair with chocolate cheesecake, apple pie, fruit cake, tiramisu, and crème brûlée.
Vin Doux Naturels
Vin Doux Naturel (VDN) is a category of fortified wines that can be made anywhere in the world, although the term originated in France. They are made in a similar style to Port where a sweet base wine is made and finished with neutral grape brandy. The most celebrated muscat-based VDN are Rivesaltes and Beaumes de Venise (France) and Rutherglen muscat (Australia). Maury (France) is a lesser-known Grenache-based VDN.
We recommend:
Domaine Pouderoux Muscat de Rivesaltes
Robert and Cathy Pouderoux produce excellent Vin Doux Naturel (natural sweet wines) from the Languedoc-Roussillon in the southwest of France, such as this Muscat de Rivesaltes. Crafted from Muscat Blanc a Petit Grains, this is a delicious dessert wine similar to Sauternes, just a bit fresher and brighter. Aromatic nose of white stone fruit, nectarine, orange blossom, honey and quince spice. Bright and vibrant on the mid-palate supported by clean, linear acidity that flows into a core of further citrus and white stone fruit with a generous honey-infused finish. Seamless and succulent finish makes you come back for another sip! Superb with lemon cheesecake or sherry trifle.
Domaine de Pouderoux Maury, 2019
Crafted from Grenache Noir, this has wonderful aromas of blackcurrant, cassis and fig with touches of dark chocolate. Rich and round on the palate yet well balanced and not cloying thanks to purity of further black forest fruit and bright acidity and sweetness as well as a gentle liquorice spice finish. Perfect with dark chocolate puddings as well as blue cheese such as Roquefort or Gorgonzola.
Sherry
Sherry is a fortified wine, made in the southern Spanish region of Andalucía. Here the winemaking is slightly different as the fortification occurs after fermentation, unlike most fortified wine where the grape spirit is added during fermentation. Most sherries are dry, except for those made from a grape called Pedro Ximenez, which makes very rich sweet wines from intensely sweet sun-dried grapes. The sweet cream Sherries and Olorosos are fortified after fermentation and then some sweet Pedro Ximenez is added. Pedro Ximenez grapes are laid on the floor in the vineyard in Sherry country. The idea is similar to botrytis: by desiccating the grapes, sugar and acid are increased, and fermentation stops, leaving lots of sugar in the finished wine.
We recommend:
Gonzalez Byass Noe 30-Year-Old Pedro Ximenez
Intensely sweet and extraordinarily complex, this long-aged Pedro Ximenez Sherry is about as rich and treacly as wine can get. Well worth trying for any sweet-toothed wine fan, this is a unique dessert wine, full of turbo-charged exotic dried fruit and burnt toffee flavour. One of a kind. This 30 year old PX commands an intense yet delicate nose of cinnamon spice, raisins, chocolate and caramel. The palate is dominated by luscious caramel and intense dried fruit with more treacle on the finish. Serve in small copitas next to a rich espresso and petit fours. Feel free to tip into the espresso - delicious!
Gonzalez Byass Matusalem 30-Year-Old Oloroso
This rich, dark Sherry has a gorgeous mahogany colour and complex flavours of toffee, roasted nuts and rich dried fruits. Sweetness comes from the addition of some Pedro Ximenez, adding a delicious burnt sugar character. Made from 75 percent Palomino and 25 percent Pedro Ximenez, this sweet Oloroso Sherry has aged in cask for 30 years, which has helped develop its mahogany hue, and multi-layered character. Complex aromas of dried dates, figs, raisins and prunes as well as toasted nuts and toffee. Delicious marmalade on the palate with accompanying chocolate, dried fruit and a touch of spice. Try with a salted caramel dessert, or some mature cheese and dried figs.
