Vintage Port

You might be surprised to know there are 8 different types of port made - so if you thought it was all just ruby port, think again. Port wine can be the driest, straw white port, through the deepest garnet coloured vintage port to the all new & vibrant pink port that Croft have brought out.

All port wines must be a product of the Douro valley in Portugal in order to be called port. This wine producing region near the Spanish border in Northern Portugal is the world's oldest demarcated wine region, older even than Bordeaux.

All port wine shares a common production method - that is taking a basic red or white wine made in the Douro and fortifying it with grape brandy at a key point in the fermentation process. Fortifying means strengthening in this case - wine at a basic 7% becomes Port at around 17% to 20% once the grape brandy is added.

At Cotswold Port main website you can also find advice on matching port wine with food, port gift ideas, information on how vintage port wine is made and the various shippers.

On the right you will find a short video we made at the lovely Taylors Quinta de Vargellas vineyard in the Douro valley, source of some of the best vintage port years ever made, plus a quick look at how port is made.

As ever, remember port is not just for Christmas...