In this cold and quiet time of year, we often find ourselves in the mood for something warming and contemplative. A good port fits the bill perfectly. Unfortunately, there are more than eight completely different types of port currently being made, most of which, to paraphrase Thomas Hobbes, are nasty, brutish and short.
Being great believers in the adage of "Life's too short to drink bad wine" we ignore the Rubies, the psuedo-Tawnies, the LBVs and the "Vintage Character" wines, most of which are inexpensive but offer little value. It's the Vintage ports and aged Tawnies that give such pleasure that we're drawn back to them again and again.
Just as we all come into the world naked, all port begins life in much the same way -- the grapes used are the same, its only later that the winemaker applies different winemaking techniques to produce different styles of port. All the grapes are grown in the upper Douro Valley in Northwestern Portugal, a desolate region known for its 60-degree slopes and 40-degree afternoons.