Fortifieds Areas

  • Port/vintage port

    Port, contrary to popular belief in the New World, may only come from the upper Douro Valley in northern Portugal and in the past subsequently shipped from Vila Nova de Gaia, though the latter condition ceased in the mid 1980s. It has been a largely British dominated trade for centuries with most of the old British owned shippers now consolidated into two groups. There are two main styles of Port...

  • Sherry

    Good Sherry is one of the most undervalued wines in the world. And according to Falstaff one of the best aphrodisiacs. Made mostly from Palomino grown on chalky soils, it is important to note that all sherry is white, and until otherwise modified, dry. It is fortified with grape spirit once fermentation is complete and then the choice of whether to make a Fino or Oloroso is made. Generally Finos...

  • Madeira

    Madeira is a fortified wine produced on the eponymous island and made in a similar way to Port, inasmuch as the fortifying neutral spirit is added once the desired level of sweetness has been reached. Five main grapes are involved, usually vinified and commercialised as a single varietal wine. Four of the varieties are each associated with a style, thus Sercial is dry, Verdelho usually medium dry...

  • Other

    Including French Vins Doux Naturels and other similar wines, as well as the `homages` to Port and Sherry from the New World and Cyprus. (CW 23/01/12)