My favorite wife recently returned from a business trip to Barcelona and brought me a nice bottle of white port. I knew of the existence of white port but had never sipped any, relying instead on the traditional ruby port at the appropriate time.
What Is White Port?
Port is a fortified wine from the Douro Valley in northern Portugal. Grape brandy is added during production to stop fermentation, which gives port a higher strength than table wine, usually between 19 and 22 percent alcohol.
White port comes, unsurprisingly, from white grapes, unlike ruby port. Native Douro varieties such as Malvasia Fina, Gouveio, Viosinho, and Rabigato are among the grapes used. White port makes up only a small share of all the port produced.
White Port vs. Ruby Port: Taste and Color
White port is lighter in taste than ruby port and has a nice golden color. While ruby port has a strong grape taste, the taste of white port is more floral, with hints of citrus.
This makes white port more of a dessert wine or a fortified aperitif, and it is excellent when served cold.
How to Serve White Port
Serve white port chilled. On its own, it works as an aperitif before a meal or as a dessert wine afterward.
White port is also the base of the port tonic, a well-known Portuguese aperitif made with white port and tonic water, often finished with a twist of lemon or a mint leaf.
Ferreira Dona Antonia 10-Year-Old White Port
The bottle she brought was from the Ferreira concern, which was founded in 1751. What made the gift even better was that it was under the Dona Antonia label and had been aged for ten years.
The label takes its name from Dona Antónia Adelaide Ferreira, the nineteenth-century businesswoman who ran the family company and built its reputation in the Douro.
Like red port, armagnac (a brandy from Gascony in southwest France), and calvados (an apple brandy from Normandy), a ten-year span helps to ensure that a product is going to provide a very enjoyable treat. I have tasted one- and three-year-old bottles of calvados, and it was a good lesson in telling a cooking product from a product designed to please.
Is White Port Worth Seeking Out?
White port may be a bit more difficult to find, but it is worth the effort, and I do not believe you will be disappointed. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is white port?
White port is a fortified wine from Portugal’s Douro Valley made from white grapes. It is lighter than ruby port, with a golden color and a floral taste with hints of citrus.
How is white port different from ruby port?
Ruby port is made from red grapes and has a strong grape taste. White port is made from white grapes and is lighter, more floral, and golden in color.
How should white port be served?
White port is best served cold, either as a fortified aperitif or as a dessert wine. It is also used in the port tonic, mixed with tonic water.
What is a port tonic?
A port tonic is a simple aperitif made by mixing white port with tonic water. It is often finished with a twist of lemon or a mint leaf.
Does aging matter for white port?
Yes. As with red port, armagnac, and calvados, a longer aging period such as ten years helps to ensure a more enjoyable drink.
Who makes Dona Antonia white port?
Dona Antonia is a label of the Ferreira port house, founded in 1751 and named for Dona Antónia Adelaide Ferreira, who led the company in the nineteenth century.
