1815 António Caetano Rodrigues Porto Porto

Description

Until about 1756, the production of “vinhos de embarque,” as the Port wines were then called, followed the so‑called “old process” of winemaking. Fortification, always in small volumes, took place only after fermentation was finished, yielding dry wines. In 1820 the modern fortification process emerged, whereby alcoholic fermentation was deliberately stopped, producing sweet wines. This method only became widespread in 1852, at which point Port wines began to resemble those we know today. Thus, Port wine is a fortified wine produced in the Demarcated Region of the Douro under unique conditions derived from natural and human factors. The traditional production process involves halting must fermentation by adding grape spirit, blending the wines, and then ageing. Port wines are classified into various categories according to ageing style, ranging from Ruby, Tawny, White, and Rosé. The bottling year may not match the image shown (illustrative only).