Port

Question 1

Vineyard layout

Answer 1

• Socalcos
• Patamares
• Vinho ao Alto

Question 1

Environment

Answer 1

• Hot continental climate
• Divided into Baixo Corgo, Cima Corgo, and Douro Superiore
• River douro creates various microclimates with differing aspects, elevations
• Vineyards planted 150-900m above sea level
• Bedrock of schist that splits vertically meaning roots can dig deep down to find water and water percolates deep into the soil
• Top soil is shallow, stony soil that are free draining with poor nutrients which limits vigor
• Irrigation only allowed in periods of drought
• Granite is not suitable for viticulture

Question 2

Vineyard management

Answer 2

• Cordon trained/spur pruned VSP or head trained and cane pruned with VSP
• VSP for correct sun exposure/ripening and mechanical harvesting where possible
• Managing shade is important to ensure grapes get necessary levels of sun exposure
• Drought tolerant rootstocks are widely used such as 110R and 1103P (rupestris x berlandieri)
• When replanting vineyards, goals are to: increase vine density, using vineyard layouts that permit mechanization, and selecting best variety and rootstock.
• Max yield is 55 but often 30

Vineyard hazards include spring frost, poor weather at flowering/fruit set, downy/botryits

• Infections are treated with fungicides and canopy managemnt techniques
  * Fertilizers can be used to improve nutrient level in soils
• **Herbicides **used on patamares to control weeds that compete with vines for water and nutrients. A small mower can be used if there is space
• Cover crops can be grown with vinho ao alto slopes to reduce erosion, improve soil structure, nutrition, and reduce weeds

Question 3

Winemaking steps

Answer 3

• Extraction
• Fermentation
• Fortification
• Blending
• Maturation

Question 4

Winemaking extraction

Answer 4

Fermentation is stopped by addition of 77% grape spirit to create a wine with 80-120g rs. Maceration with skins is for maximum 2 days so extraction techniques need to speedy and effective

Foot Treading
Robotic Lagares
Stainless steel pistons
Pumping over
Autovinifiers

Question 5

Fermentation

Answer 5

• Modern fermentation vessels are stainless steel, small productions still use granite, concrete, and old wooden vessels
• Grapes are picked when tannins and flavors are ripe or as a field blend which means acidity and PH can be low, so acidification may be needed
• No malo since bacteria cant survive alcohol content
• Stems are used often since lack of ripeness is usually not an issue in the Douro
• Free run and press liquids are often blended
• Ambient yeasts are common since fermentation to dryness isnt necessary
• Fermentation temp for red is 82-90- warm enough to allow extraction but not so warm that the fermentation happens too quickly which would reduce extraction time before pressing and foritification
• Fermentation temp for white port is 63-72
• Fermentation is stopped at 5-7% abv and depends on the sweetness level the producer wants
• The must is drained from skins and stems before fortification – draining needs to be speedy because fermentation continues until fortification – modern vessels drain quickly and traditional granite lagares take hours
• The grape skins are are pressed and fortified seperately – it can be blended into the free run wine to provide more color and tannin needed for longer aging.

Question 6

Fortification

Answer 6

• Grape spirit of 77% abv and wine is fortified to 19-22% sometimes 18%
• Style and quality of aguardente are a major factor of style and quality of port
• Some are neutral which can best showcase the wine, others have fruity esters which can add character to port
• High quality spirit is used for high quality port and low quality spirit is used for lesser wine

Question 7

Blending

Answer 7

• Blending is key and can happen at any point or several
• Ports are usually belnds of different grape varieties, parcels, and vintages
• Co-fermentation of varieties is common
• Batches treated differently in the winery may be kept seperate and used as a blending component (a port producer may make a number of young wines with various sweetness levels which allows for adjustments to sweetness of final wine)
• Blending non-vintage ports is essential for mainiting consistent product year over year (house style of differing sweetness)
• Blending is also used for vintage ports blending wines that have deeper color, concentration and tannins. The more stock of different batches a producer has means the more tools to create a range of styles and quality levels

Question 8

Maturation

Answer 8

• All ports spend the first winter in the Douro, here they clarify before being racked off the lees
• A rotary vaccum filter is common to extract remaining wine from lees
• In the spring, the port is shipped to Vila nova de gaia where the atlantic influence keeps temps more consistent and cooler – many producers have temperature controlled lodges in the vineyard area instead
• Most styles of port are aged in wood. Vessel size depends on level of oxidation required with the largest vessels called Balseiros being 100,000L for freshness. 600L pipes will be used for gentile oxidation
• Racking is done to remove wine from lees and preventing off flavors from developing.
• Oxidation controlled by ullage and amount of rackings

Question 9

List of Styles of Port

Answer 9

Red Port:
* Basic Ruby & Tawny
* Reserve Ruby & tawny
* Tawny with indication of age
* Colheita
* Vintage
* Single Quinta
* Crusted
* LBV

Rose Port:

White Port:

• Fruity unoxidized
• Oxidative style
• Intermediate style

Very old wines