About Fortified Wines from Portugal

About Fortified Wines from Portugal
Portuguese wine is of course, most famously represented by Port, a fortified wine made from grapes in the Douro Valley in northern Portugal. There are several different types of Port, from the basic Ruby, meant for early consumption to vintage ports, which drink well in some instances upon their 30th or 40th birthday. Other wines from Portugal include dry table reds made form grapes that can also be used for Port production. These include Touriga Nacional, Tinto Cao and Tinta Barroca; of these three, it is Tinta Nacional that produces the most powerful wines. These are big, ripe, modern red wines with moderate acidity. The best white wine in Portugal is Albarino, an aromatic, dry white with plenty of floral perfumes as well as white spice notes. These are lovely wines for shellfish or merelt for consumption on a hot summer's day. Vinho Verde - literally "green wine" - is a lighter, dry to off dry white that is refreshing and down to earth; it pairs well with simple salads and seafood. Finally there is Madeira, a fortified wine from the eponymous island in the Atlantic. Examples of Madeira have been known to age for more than one hundred years and in a few examples, even two centuries

Top Picks for Portugal

Fortified Wines

Sandeman  20 Year Old Tawny Porto Douro
95 points
$64.99
A high quality and dangerous after dinner drink that would pair well with dessert and transition splendidly to an after dinner brown spirit.
Awards: 2022 Best Port 2022 Best Port 20 Year Tawny
95 points $64.99
Sandeman NV Founders Reserve Ruby Porto Douro
93 points
$24.99
An excellent after dinner Port to pair with a mild Maduro cigar, flourless chocolate cake, or blue cheese.
Awards: 2022 Best Ruby Port
93 points $24.99