Port - American Twists

I am a huge fan of Port during the fall and winter months of the year. Cool climates and crisp air seem to open up this wine style, releasing the flavors of these high octane aperitifs which usually range between 17 – 20% ABV.

In order to be called “Port,” the fortified wine must be made in Portugal - moreover Porto along the Douro Valley and river. I had the chance to visit this region a couple of years ago and I spent two days visiting the port houses along the riverside, taking in this lush beverage, sipping it on the riverside as I played my guitar in the dark night. Here is what I leaned:

Port is classified in two categories: Bottle Aged and Barrel Aged. A popular misconception is that the two Port categories are “Tawny” and “Ruby,” but these are sub styles of each category.  Ruby, along with Reserve, White, Rose, Late Bottle Vintage (LBV), Vintage, and Crusted (blends) represent the Bottle Aged category. Tawny, Colheita (single vintage Tawny – anything with a year on the label), and Garrafeita (Tawny Port which is aged 3-5 years in a barrel and an additional 5-6 years in a bottle) represent the Barrel Aged Ports. Basically it’s Tawny and everything else.

If you cannot take the time (or do not have the money) to go to Portugal and explore the Ports, you can pick up most of these imports in your local supermarket or boutique wine shop. Port is Porto’s largest export and the leading port houses export millions of cases all over the World from Douro – the third oldest wine region (1756), just behind the Tokaj-Hegyalja region in Hungary (1730) and Chianti (1716).

Another alternative is to visit your local wine region. Recently, there has been a growth of “Port Style” wines popping up throughout the US wine regions in the East and West. Again, these wines cannot be classified as “Ports” since they do not grow in Portugal, but they do provide a decent alternative. My local region is Virginia and on a recent trip with my Aunt for a day of wine tasting, heading deep into Albemarle County, I found two Port Style wines that took me back to my nights along the Douro River.

The first wine is called “Othello” (18% ABV) which comes from Veritas Vineyard & Winery in Afton, Virginia – just outside of Charlottesville. Othello it is a blend of three equally proportioned grape varieties of Tannat (a French varietal), Touriga Nacional (a varietal from Portugal and considered the backbone of Port) and Petit Verdot. This Port Styled wine is aged for two years in oak, which helps create the aromas of plum, black cherries, blackberries and caramel. The smooth tannins allow for it to be consumed by itself (as an aperitif or on ice). Veritas recommends that you “take Othello to its ultimate destiny with English Stilton cheese and a ripe pear pure heaven!”

King Family Vineyards, located in Cozet, Virginia (also outside of Monticello), produced the second wine simply called “7” (18% ABV) in honour of the 7 minute Chukkas (periods of play) in Polo – more specifically the last period. You see, along with producing wines, the vineyard also host polo matches on their custom field which sits in front of a back drop of the Blue Ridge Mountains and grape vines. This American, Port Styled wine is made with 100% Merlot and is fortified with brandy giving it an American twist. The mixture is then aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels for 2 years which gives it a subtle smoky, vanilla and burnt cherry flavour which would pair well with a cigar by an outdoor fire.

I hope you enjoyed these two wines from the State of Virginia. If you want to read more about my days on the Douro, you can always buy my book (www.colehiggison.com for more information). Remember, don’t sleep on Port. It is one of the World’s oldest wine styles and it is sure to warm you up on a cool autumn day or a cold winter night in front of the fireplace before stuff happens.

The Ultimate Pennsylvania Fall 6-Pack

With some added free time on my hands, I took to the road to visit some family and friends. As I traveled through the fall foliage to the south through Virginia, then north to Southern Maryland, and eventually on to Pennsylvania for a quick stay, I got an idea to do a blog on beers for fall.

At first, I thought about tying in beer for tailgating, but with the football season clearly underway, I decided to try and create “The Ultimate Fall 6-Pack” and what a better place to do it then in Pennsylvania. Sure this would take out some of my favorites like Stone, Bells, and Rogue to name a few, but it would also open my eyes to a handful of the 70+ breweries that call “The Keystone State” home.

Many of you may know of Yuengling which began brewing in 1829 and Iron City (1899), but how many of these beers in my “Ultimate Pennsylvania Fall 6-Pack” have you heard of or tied?

Oktober Fest (5% ABV), Stoudt’s Brewing Company, Adamstown, PA – Est. 1987

This seasonal, medium-bodied, amber lager combines a malty sweetness with a subtle aromatic hop character. It is brewed from imported malt and hops from Munich, Germany, and in is reminiscent of the Oktoberfest celebration beers that I had a few years ago at the actual festival.  This beer is easy to drink and would pair well with grilled or pulled pork, multiple German sausages, and even the giant pretzels of the Munich celebration.

Golden Monkey (9.5% ABV), Victory Brewing Company, Downingtown, PA – Est. 1996

Though Victory Brewing Company is better known for their top selling “HopDevil” IPA, this high octane, Belgian styled, Triple beer combines malts and hops with Asian Spices. German Malts and Belgium yeast are tempered by a sparkling approach which creates an overall light body and a nose of abundant herbal and fruity notes.

General Washington’s Tavern Porter (7% ABV), Yards Brewing Company, Philadelphia, PA – Est. 1995

This heavy, medium-bodied brew is one of four selections in from Yards and their “Ales of the Revolution” line of beers which recreates the old recipes of colonial times on the east coast. This porter pours a reddish-brown body with a tan head and has a rich nose of burnt sugar, caramel, toffee, and molasses. This carries over to a rich and sweet, malty smoothness with a coffee bitterness on the palate.

Sixteen (10.5% ABV), Weyerbacher Brewing Company, Easton, PA – Est. 1995

This interesting medium bodied specimen is a Dark Braggot Ale, which is an ancient beverage that is a mix of beer and mead (fermented honey drink).  This dark brown brew with a nice tan head has a slightly muted nose, but you can pick out chocolate, honey, and raisins.  There is a sweetness of the honey, a slightly smoky and burnt roasted malt flavor, and cherries on the palate.  This teeth knocker would be great to down just before a roll in the leaves with a special someone!

4 Seasons IPA (8% ABV), Voodoo Brewing Company, Meadville, PA – Est. 2009

This India Pale Ale is a wonderful example of what an IPA should be with its bitter hops and bold barley coming together to make one of the most sought after new ales in the country.  The brew is golden orange in color with a foamy white head on top. The nose is full plenty of citrusy hop aromas. The bitterness is solid with just a bit of sweet malt in the back end to balance it out.

Java Head (7.5% abv), Troegs Brewing Company, Harrisburg, PA – Est. 1996

I loved this beer! Troegs based this full bodied stout off their original 2005 recipe for oatmeal stout with a touch of coffee.  Once the beer is brewed (called wort), it passes through a “hopback vessel” (similar to a coffee press of sorts) which is packed full of whole leaf hops and a bed of coffee beans thus intensifying the coffee nose and releasing hints of coffee flavor. The result is a lush oatmeal stout balanced with cocoa and roast coffee flavors.

Honorable Mention:

Hopfish Indian Pale Ale (6.7%abv), Flying Fish Brewing Company, Cheery Hill, NJ – Est. 1995

Though this beer is brewed just over the bridge from Pennsylvania, I could not include it in the “Ultimate Pennsylvania Fall 6-Pack,” but I had to mention it since it is a great brew. This I.P.A. has a deep golden color and plenty of hop bitterness, all balanced by malty sweetness. There's a floral and citrus hop finish from a combination of American, English and German malts.

I hope you enjoyed this post. As always, no one pays me for my comments. These are a couple of brews that I wanted to share for the upcoming fall season! Who knows, you could drink these at your next football tailgate as well as just before a roll in the leaves. Thank you for reading and let me know if there is anything I should review!