Ever had a dessert wine? When I ask this question, the usual answer is no. But these wines are a fascinating and intriguing – if little known – part of the wine world. The wines can be still like Sauternes and ice wine, sparkling like Demi-Sec and Doux Champagne or fortified like port and madeira. They all make great Christmas gifts!

There is a prejudice against sweet wines that stems, I think, from the early days of our wine-drinking when European shippers sent bland, sweet wines to break into the American market, which was dominated by soft drinks and sugary cocktails. Our wine-drinking taste has come a long way since then.

The best sweet wines are described as balanced. A refreshing acidity offsets the sweetness to create tension and contrast – balance – that makes the wine interesting, not cloying. From the steeply-terraced, centuries-old vineyards in the Douro region of northwest Portugal, port is made by adding brandy to fermenting red wine to stop the fermentation. This has the twin benefits of keeping some sugar in the wine and increasing the alcohol level.

Ports for tasting at Stew's

Ports for tasting at Stew’s

The traditional image of vintage-dated crusty bottles laid down for decades to achieve their sublime potential is not really what port is all about. Vintage-dated port is about 2% of total production but about 98% of the folklore. Vintages are only declared in exceptional years. The wine is aged in barrels for 18 months and then bottled. These wines, which continue to develop flavor, mature in the bottle and are meant to be held for decades before drinking. Don’t worry! I’m not suggesting these rare (and costly) wines.

A recent tasting at Stew Leonard’s showcased the wide range of ports on the shelves these days that are enjoyable, affordable and ready to drink.

A trio of Ruby Ports

A trio of Ruby Ports

For everyday drinking, ruby and tawny ports are reasonably priced and offered in a wide enough variety to yield ample tasting and drinking experiences. Ruby ports are made the same way as vintage ports but are a blend of several years and are made in a “house style”. The wine is bottled 18 months after harvest, allowing it to keep its bright red “ruby” color. Familiar brands include Graham’s Six Grapes Reserve ($22), Fonseca Bin 27 ($14), and Cockburn’s Special Reserve ($16). These smooth, fresh-tasting wines are a friendly introduction to port for everyday drinking.

An uncommon ruby port, Taylor Fladgate Vargellas 2012 ($50), was open for tasting at Stew’s. This single vineyard wine from a year when a vintage was not declared, was deemed worthy of its own dated bottling. Vintage-year, single-vineyard Ports like this are pretty rare.

Late bottled vintage ports (LBV) are wines from a vintage year, but not bottled with the intention of long aging. Held in barrels for longer than ruby port but not as long as tawny, they are at their peak flavor after a relatively few years. The wines can be a bridge between fresh young ruby ports and long-lived vintage ports. We tasted a delicious Taylor Fladgate LBV 2009 ($20) which has since been included at number 16 on The Wine Spectator’s list of 100 best wines for 2015.

Three tawny ports

Three tawny ports

Tawny ports are aged in barrels where exposure to air and evaporation morphs the wine from a bright ruby to a golden, caramel color while the flavor gains nutty notes and rich complexity. Ten year and Twenty year tawnies are the most common. At Stew’s, I tasted the Taylor Fladgate 10 year ($30) and 20 year ($40) tawnies, the 10 being a little sweeter, the 20 more balanced, complex and engaging. I’ve always been partial to tawny port.

Croft Reserve Tawny ($20), aged 7 years in the cask, is a new offering this year. With fewer years in the barrel it’s a great introduction to tawny port at an attractive price.

Older vintage tawny ports

Older vintage tawny ports

At the other end of the price spectrum, there were also two rare older tawnies: Taylor Fladgate 1964 and 1966 (both $280). Vintage dated tawnies are unusual – port from a declared vintage year aged in the cask, not in the bottle. The ‘64 was complex and a little sweeter, ‘66 drier, delicate, and delightful to sip. The port expert pouring the wine suggested thinking about the year of production and what was happening then, while sipping the wine. “Older vintages tell a story and encourage you to reflect on the year,” she said. If you have any 50th anniversaries coming up (birthday, wedding, family or work) the ‘66 is a great way to celebrate. I hope the memories are as warming and delightful as the port.

Port is usually served after dinner often with some nuts or cheese. In the manor houses of Victorian England, the ladies would retire from the table for coffee in the drawing room while the gentlemen passed the port decanter around the table with their cigars (à la Downton Abbey). Nowadays, everyone stays together at the table for their glass of port. English Stilton cheese is traditional in the holiday season; pecan pie is a good choice too. (Visit FranksFeast.com for my favorite pecan pie recipe) Any slightly salty cheese or nutty dessert would be a good match.

Any of these wines would be great under the Christmas tree, or you could give an introductory port basket. Include Richard Mayson’s enjoyable and entertaining book, Port and the Douro, along with a bottle each of ruby, tawny, and one of the special bottlings plus a pair of port glasses. If you’re lucky, you’ll get to enjoy the fruits of your gift.

Cheers, or as the Portuguese say, Saúde!

Shelves of Port at Stew's

The Port selection at Stew’s