About Fortified Wine

About Fortified Wine
Fortified wines, those inevitable after-dinner elixirs, have been a part of the American wine industry since its inception. The early American taste for fortified wines was well documented, as the signing of the Declaration of Independence was toasted with a round of Madeira. It, along with port and sherry, was the preferred drink of the Eastern aristocracy well into our own century. That the native industry should strive to compete for this market was only natural.

As in much of the wine-producing New World, vintners took a run at sherry (and do to this day), but the results on the whole pale, often quite literally, when compared to the Spanish original. Port, however, has fared beter. While the climate and soil of Jerez has not been duplicated elsewhere, the broiling heat and winemaking practices of the Douro have proven much easier to replicate--perhaps nowhere more so than in California's Amador County and San Joaquin Valley.

Port-style wines are being made beyond California. As might be expected, a certain measure of heat helps; the most successful examples have come from warm states such as Missouri. As the saying goes, a little residual sugar can cover a multitude of sins, but the Missouri ports of producers such as Stone Hill and Mount Pleasant truly stand on their own, and have proven as consistently competent as many California versions.

Fortified refers to wines that have additional alcohol as the result of neutral spirits being added. The most common fortified wines are port and sherry, in which the alcoholic level is between 17% to 20%, higher than a standard table wine of about 13% -14.5%

Additional alcohol technically means these wines can age longer, but that period also depends on the type of wine produced, as some ports and sherries are rather light and need to be enjoyed within a few years of their release.

Given the higher percentage of alcohol, pairing these wines can be tricky, as they could overwhelm milder dishes. For port, rich cheeses, especially blue, are fine, as are walnuts. For a dry sherry, a tomato or cream soup would be an excellent match, while for a sweeter sherry, an almond tart or a simple pound cake with honey would be an excellent match. Otherwise, enjoy these wines on their own.

Top Picks for Fortified Wine

Two K Farms NV Barrel-Aged Pommeau Leelanau Peninsula
92 points
$35
Delicious fresh apple cider with more apple juice, a little baking spice, and just a splash of Bourbon.
45 North Vineyard & Winery NV Special Reserve Northport #21 Leelanau Peninsula
92 points
$65
A silky and satisfying fortified wine with loads of delicious berry and Bourbon-barrel accented flavors.
Maan Farms Estate Winery NV Strawberry Dessert Wine Fraser Valley
87 points
$18.74
A fun and delicious ride of caramel strawberry from beginning to end.
87 points $18.74
Maan Farms Estate Winery NV Raspberry Dessert Wine Fraser Valley
87 points
$19.10
A rich, candied raspberry bramble beast for drinking or drizzling over your vanilla ice cream or sorbet.
87 points $19.10
White Pine 2021 Reserve Mirage Dessert Wine Lake Michigan Shore
87 points
$19
An intriguing fortified wine with interesting wood character; try in cocktails.
Sobon Estate 2020 Port Zinfandel
86 points
$17
An interesting pairing with candied smoked duck in plum sauce.
Soul Squeeze Cellars NV Crazy Carroll Cherry Fortified Wine Old Mission Peninsula
86 points
$35
A spicy cherry wine that will be fun to pair with.