Wine Terms of Portugal
Crusted:
Term for a vintage-style port, but blended from several vintages, bottled young and aged in the bottle, forming a crust in the bottle. Needs decanting.
Douro:
The valley (and River) home to fine Port producers.
Late Bottled Vintage:
Port of a single good vintage kept in wood for twice as long as a single vintage port, therefore lighter when bottled and ageing quicker.
Port:
Famous fortified wine, specifically a product of Portugal. Port is a rich ruby-red wine made from several different grape varieties, blended together for complexity.
Quinta:
(Keen-ta): Portuguese for “vineyard estate.” In the making of port, the wines are made at the quinta, aged briefly , then shipped down to the city of Vila Nova de Gaia for further blending and aging.
Ruby:
The youngest style of port, usually quite sweet.
Tawny:
Port aged for many years in wood, hence its tawny color.
Vintage Port:
Only produced in outstanding vintages. Bottled after only two years in wood and matures very slowly, for up to 20 years in the bottle. Must be decanted.
Vintage Character:
Somewhat misleading term used for a good-quality full port. Lacks the “nose” of vintage port.