Generality
The port wine (which from now on we will simply call "porto") acquires the name of its city of origin, precisely Porto, still the second most developed urban center in Portugal.
Recently, the traditional port has been further diversified into several variants; thus appeared the white port (as an aperitif) and the rosé port.
The annual production of port is around 130 million bottles, of which 115 million of the classic type. The countries traditionally LARGE consumers of this wine, today record a significant drop in the purchase; on the other hand, the nations with medium-sized imports are incessantly maintaining their trend.
Origins
The port is undoubtedly the most characteristic of the Portuguese wines; however, similarly to what happened for Marsala, the ingenuity that gave birth to the "winning formula" was of British origin.
It was the English who, in the second half of 1600, had the idea of adding brandy to the wine of Douro (sub region of Portugal); presumably, this intervention was not dictated by the desire to improve the organoleptic characteristics of the wine, but by the need to increase its conservation. Thanks to the high content of ethyl alcohol, this last objective was successfully achieved.
The Portuguese, who did not welcome the English intervention, struggled to start the production of this wine. Therefore, even the placing on the market and the commercial success of the port were the exclusive work of the British genius. In particular, it was JJForrester ( in agreement with DAA Ferreira - landowner) to organize the very first production cycle of the port (1756 AD), delimiting the production areas, prices and standards, preventing fraud and establishing the 335 areas of the quintas (plots with patronal headquarters, where the best wines come from).
Even today, the port is produced exclusively from grapes grown in terraced vineyards, located in the Douro valley. Today's quintas have become large companies, in turn linked to exporters located in the central area of the city of Porto (where the wine is transformed). Port production is regulated by the "Institute do Vinho do Porto, a body created in 1933 which, after the revolution of "74, lost its corporatist powers.
Production
The port is produced through some basic steps, some of which are different from traditional winemaking.
The pressing of the grapes takes place in large granite tanks called lagares. The must obtained is left to ferment only partially and then mixed with brandy to block the transformation process (mutation - to produce silent must); this device (introduced in 1820 and widespread in "52) makes it possible to obtain more sugary wines.
Nutritional values (per 100 g of edible portion)
Edible part
100%
Waterfall
71.1g
Proteins
0.1g
Prevailing amino acids
-
Limiting amino acid
-
Lipids TOT
0.0g
Saturated fatty acids
0.0g
Monounsaturated fatty acids
0.0g
Polyunsaturated fatty acids
0.0g
Cholesterol
0.0mg
TOT Carbohydrates
12.0g
Starch
0.0g
Soluble sugars
12.0g
Ethyl alcohol
15.0g
Dietary fiber
0.0g
Soluble fiber
0.0g
Insoluble fiber
0.0g
Power
150.4kcal
Sodium
4.0mg
Potassium
97.0mg
Iron
0.4mg
Football
4.0mg
Phosphorus
12.0mg
Thiamine
2.00mg
Riboflavin
0.01mg
Niacin
0.10mg
Vitamin A
2.00µg
C vitamin
0.0mg
Vitamin E
0.0mg
Then the maturation in oak barrels takes place and, finally, the bottling. The exception is ONLY the port vintage, which is selected within eighteen months of the harvest; this ages for two or three years in cask and then aged for another 15-18 years.
CRU of Port Wine
THE vintage port they are obtained from a "single harvest carried out ONLY in vintages defined as suitable (such as 2000), approximately every 3 or 5 years.
They are distributed by both British and Portuguese companies and some come from a single quinta (Single Quinta Port). THE Late Bottled Vintage (LVB) are wines aged at least 4 years in cask and 5 years in bottle. Other types of ports are: Tawnies (eg Fine Old Tawnies, aged a few tens of years); Tawny Colheita (from a single harvest, with aging never less than 7 years); Ruby (the least valuable, obtained from the blending of different vintages and with a maturation of about 2-3 years).
Nutritional Characteristics
Port is a fortified wine that falls within the group of spirits; its chemical composition shows a fair content in simple sugars, but the energy prevalence remains in favor of ethyl alcohol. Like limoncello, maraschino, grappa, gin, Marsala, nocino etc., even the port DOES NOT lends itself to frequent and / or systematic consumption Since it is a fortified wine, the average portion should be lower than that of traditional wine and the frequency of consumption only occasionally.
Excessive consumption of port is potentially harmful to the body, especially in the presence of metabolic diseases and hepatic suffering. Port is EXTREMELY not recommended for: hypertensive (due to the hypertensive effect of alcohol), hypertriglyceridemics (due to the high content of ethyl alcohol and simple sugars), overweight subjects (due to the high total caloric value and the isulin-stimulating effect of alcohol) and, in general, to all those suffering from metabolic syndrome, hepatic steatosis (alcoholic and / or food) and gastroesophageal disorders.
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