Vinho do Porto- Portugal

Wines are part of royal as well as normal cuisine in various parts of World. Many countries are famous for their wines and other beverages. Portugal is one of them. Portugal is famous for its Port Wine also known as Vinho do Porto in Portuguese and usually simply Port. Mango people in Portugal simply call this wine “Porto”. Port wine is a sweet red wine which is available  in dry, semi dry and white varieties. It is produced exclusively Douro valley in the northern provinces of Portugal.

Production of port

Port is made from grapes grown and prepared in the demarcated Douro region. The wine produced is then barricaded by the addition of a neutral grape spirit known as aguardente in order to pause the fermentation, leaving leftover sugar in the wine, and to increase the alcohol measure. The wine is then saved and aged, often in barrels like drums stored in a cave as is the case in Vila Nova de Gaia, before being bottled. Thus the wine was named as "port" in the latter half of the 17th century from the city of Porto.

Wine regions

Baixo Corgo is the western zone situated downstream from the river Corgo, focused on the municipality of Peso da Régua. The production of inexpensive ruby and tawny ports is done with the grapes grown here. 

Cima Corgo is situated further upstream from the Baixo Corgo, this region is focused on the town of Pinhão. The grapes grown in this zone are treated of higher quality, being used in Vintage Ports. 

Douro Superior is the easternmost zone moving nearly to the Spanish border. This is the smallest cultivated region of Douro.

Port types

Tawny port is sweet and medium dry wines made from red grapes, that are stored in wooden barrels which are exposed to oxidation and evaporation. Therefore, they slowly mellow to a golden-brown color.  It is consumed as a dessert wine.

Ruby port is the low cost and often produced type of port. It is aged in tanks of concrete or stainless steel to avoid oxidative aging and secure its bright claret color.