The discovery that adding brandy to wine, meant that you could ship it around the world for ever, sealed Porto's reputation as the birthplace of the ruby liquid.
Arriving in Portugal's second city Porto, doesn't leave much room for doubt that the port wine trade, is still important to this city.
Checking into your hotel, you may be offered a glass of the ruby liquid.
And then, when you climb Torre dos Clerigos, the highest tower in Portugal, and look across the
Douro river, you can see dozens of warehouses, each with one of the famous names of the port trade- Graham's, Sandeman's, Dow's, Cockburn's- emblazoned on their roof.
Meanwhile, on the riverbank are moored several BARCOS RABELOS- boats that traditionally transported barrels of port from the vineyards, now used for sightseeing trips. Port is made from a blend of grapes-including the tiny, inky-black Touriga Nacional, the fruity Franka and vibrant, fresh Tinta Roriz, the Portuguese name for Tempranillo- all of which thrive in the remote, arid Upper Douro. Any plant that grows there has to be robust, and the vines that can hack it, produce low yields that result in formidable wines.
That such rarified wines became a favourite British digestif, is down to a discovery of disputed origin that adding brandy to wine, would allow it to keep longer, so it could be shipped to Britain, an ally in wars with France and favoured trading partner. White port is rarely sold in the UK. It can be as sweet as its red siblings (the sweetest is known as lagrimas), but more interesting is extra dry, served in Portugal as an aperitif, mixed with tonic or soda and served with ice and a slice.
The reds are divided into bottle- and wood-aged ports. The latter spend only a couple of years maturing in barrels before being bottled, unfiltered.
In the best years, they are declared vintages by the producers. They need to mature in the bottle for at least 15 years (and can keep improving for up to 30), before being decanted (and drunk within a few days). Outside vintage years, individual estates can produce a single quinta vintage, which can be almost as good.
Wood-aged ports divide into two further groups : ruby and tawny. These names are based on their colour, which depends on the length of time spent in oak casks. After, on average, three years of ageing, the ruby ports are younger and fruitier, while aged tawnies range from caramel-nutty 10-year-olds to marmelady 20-years-olds.
Then there are late bottled vintages-richer, more spicy and intense than other wood-aged ports but softer than most vintage ports.
It is worth trying different houses' ports to find the style that suits you. For example, Dow's has a drier character compared to Warre's lighter, elegant, perfumed notes.
And there is no better place to explore the varieties than at a restaurant on the river: smart D Tonho (dtonho.com), which has had Eusebio and Jacques Chirac as customers, or laid-back Armazem do Sal.
The history of the port trade is bound to figure strongly in any visit to Porto. At Graham's Port Lodge (grahamsportlodge.com), you can find out about the winemaking process (for example, the traditional foot-stomping in granite troughs versus modern robotic imitators, which are better partly because they...don't drink on the job) or simply gaze in awe at the rows of casks and vats as well as centuries old vintage bottles inside the peaceful cave.
The World Heritage site city center is packed with reminders of Porto's trading heritage. Steep, cobbled streets and alleys have a crambling grandeur, but there are grand edifices such as the 19th-century trade hall'Palacio Bolsa and Gustave Eiffel's Maria Pia bridge, too.
Serralves museum of contemporary art has a sculpture garden with works of many artists,while the Casa da Musica, designed by Rem Koolhaas, is a great venue for fado lovers. And under the ownership of hip hotel group Lagrimas, Hotel Infante Sagres has thrown off its royalty-encrusted past to become a great boutique hideway.
With tastings that pair ports with organic dark chocolates, modern packaging and young tawnies made for chilling, it seems Porto is set for a new era of appreciation from a more demanding clientelle than 70s port'n'lemon drinkers....
Now if you loved the Douro river and wanted to follow its waters to the east, I strongly suggest a stay in Alijo, HOTEL ROMANEIRA, QUINTA DOS SOHNOS, for total relax on the Douro's banks.....
