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The first category of Ports gets their name because they have spent considerable time maturing in a wood barrel. During this time, the passage of oxygen (hence oxidative aging) alters the color from a bright ruby red color with an opaque intensity towards an evolved brick red color with medium intensity. The considerable barrel aging also imparts a nutty and caramel aroma/flavor to the wine. The three common types of barrel aged ports are identified below:
Tawny Port Tawny port takes its name from its (brownish-red) color. This port is a blend of several vintages that have been aged in wood. The aging can last for decades; however, most are aged closer to the six-year minimum.
Colheita (cuhl-YAY-tah) The word colheita means vintage in Portuguese, therefore this wine is simply a vintage tawny Port made of wines from a single year. The date of harvest appears on the label and is aged for a minimum of seven years before it is bottled.
Aged Tawny PortAge indicated ports are some of the highest quality expressions of port. This type of Port is mellow and rich in aromas/flavors and structural sensations. Aged tawny Ports are made from high quality grapes and are usually bottled as 10-, 20-, 30-, or even 40- year-old wines, labeled according to the average age of the Ports in the blend. The younger wines add freshness and vigor while and the older wines add complexity.
The second category of Port is named as such because it has spent considerable time maturing in sealed tanks or bottles, with limited exposure to oxygen. Through this time of resting, they experience reductive (without oxygen) aging. This method preserves more of the youthful color and aromas/flavors of dried cherries and tobacco.
Ruby PortRuby is a young, bright red, sweet, and peppery wine meant to be drunk young. It is a blend of several vintages that are normally aged in tanks (often not made of wood) for two to a maximum of three years and then made into a house style. Ruby is simple and has the straightforward style of Port (as well as being most affordable). It is bottled in such a way as to limit as much oxidation as possible.
Single Quinta PortsSingle Quinta (KEEN-tah) Ports are similar to high-quality estate, chteau, or single vineyard reserve wine. All the wine is from a single estate, usually labeled as such, in non-vintage years to establish the vineyard's claim of a superior port. Today some firms also are doing this during declared vintage years. The qualities of single quinta port can range from house to house.
Late Bottled Vintage (LBV)Late bottled vintage Ports are not blended, because they are from a single year, and they are bottled between the fourth and sixth year from harvest. They sometimes are referred to as the poor man's vintage Port, not because they are lower in quality, but because of their accessibility to be drunk much sooner. These wines are softer, less tannic, and not as full bodied as vintage Port.
Vintage PortVintage Port is one of the rarest and most sought after of all Ports because it accounts for only about 2 of production. The wine is made with high-quality grapes and is declared to only become a vintage when the crop is exceptional within a single year. In order for the wine to be called a vintage, the winery must seek approval of the Port Wine Institute. Vintage Port is bottled between its second and third year from harvest. It spends the majority of its life (sometimes up to fifty years for the wine to reach its peak) evolving and maturing in the bottle to achieve great depth and complexity.
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