It seems that a lot of wine drinkers started their wine journey with something sweet, be it Carlo Rossi in the big gallon glass jugs, Moscato or Boone's Farm (no judgment here). This month's box is giving you some sweet and savory snacks, all in the name of Tawny Port.
The Deets about Port
Port is a fortified wine produced in the Douro Valley of northern Portugal. It is known for its sweetness, but can be made dry and can be either red or white. The wine is made from a variety of grapes - Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinto Roriz, Tinto Barroca, and Tinto Cão being the most popular. The addition of "aguardente", a neutral grape spirit, is used to stop the fermentation process early. The result is a sweet wine with a high alcohol content. It is then stored in oak barrels or stainless steel tanks and aged until ready for bottling. This wine is sweet with flavors of caramel, hazelnut, raspberry, chocolate, fig, and spices like cinnamon and clove.Types of Port
Ruby Port - Typically between 1-3 years old and are aged in concrete or stainless steel tanks to preserve their color and fruitiness
Tawny Port - Typically between 1-3 years old and get their color from a variety of methods - aging in wood barrels, using lighter colored grapes, blending in White Port, or heavy fining to remove color.
Reserve Ports - These ports can be either Ruby or Tawny and signify a higher quality. A Reserve Tawny must be aged in wood for at least 6 years.
Late Bottled Vintage - These Ports have been aged for 4-6 years, typically in large oak barrels.
Aged Tawny Port - Labelled 10, 20, 30, or 40 years old and must state the year it was bottled. These are known as the finest, most complex and concentrated Ports.
Vintage Port - Made entirely from the grapes of a declared vintage year. They may be aged in barrels or stainless steel for a maximum of two and a half years before bottling and then are aged in bottle for 10 to 40 years.
Tawny Port - Typically between 1-3 years old and get their color from a variety of methods - aging in wood barrels, using lighter colored grapes, blending in White Port, or heavy fining to remove color.
Reserve Ports - These ports can be either Ruby or Tawny and signify a higher quality. A Reserve Tawny must be aged in wood for at least 6 years.
Late Bottled Vintage - These Ports have been aged for 4-6 years, typically in large oak barrels.
Aged Tawny Port - Labelled 10, 20, 30, or 40 years old and must state the year it was bottled. These are known as the finest, most complex and concentrated Ports.
Vintage Port - Made entirely from the grapes of a declared vintage year. They may be aged in barrels or stainless steel for a maximum of two and a half years before bottling and then are aged in bottle for 10 to 40 years.
What's In The Box:
We wanted this month's Pour Pairings box to invoke a feeling that matches the vibe of Tawny Port - richness, luxury and class so we got a little fancy with it!
Duck Rillettes
Spiced Plum with Port Preserves
French Baguettes
Creme Brulee Truffles
Gourmet Apple Pie Caramels
Gold Wine Pourers
A Port Sipping Glass
Spiced Plum with Port Preserves
French Baguettes
Creme Brulee Truffles
Gourmet Apple Pie Caramels
Gold Wine Pourers
A Port Sipping Glass
How To Make Duck Rillettes Crostinis:
Warm up your bread as directed and slice into crostinis.
After they're sliced, if you like them with a little more crunch, pop them back into the oven for some extra toasting but make sure they don't burn.
Spread a little preserves and rillettes on the crostini and savor the deliciousness.
Other Tawny Port Pairings
Hard, nutty cheeses like Parmesan, Manchego
Spanish Jamon Iberico
Duck dishes like Peking or Roasted
Cheesecake
Pumpkin Pie