Van Zellers 40 Anos Porto Porto

Description

Until about 1756, the making of “vinhos de embarque,” as the port wines were then called, followed the so‑called “old process” of winemaking. Distillation, always in small volumes, only took place after fermentation was finished, resulting in dry wines. In 1820, the modern distillation process emerged, in which the stoppage of alcoholic fermentation was induced, producing sweet wines. This method only became widespread in 1852, by which time 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 peculiar conditions derived from natural and human factors. Its production, based on tradition, includes stopping the must’s fermentation by adding grape spirit, vatting the wines, and then ageing. Port wines are divided into different categories according to the type of ageing, ranging among Ruby, Tawny, White, and Rosé styles. The bottling year may not match the image shown. (illustrative image)