Whitwhams Millenium Porto (Engarrafado Em 1999) Porto

Description

Until about 1756, the production of the “vinhos de embarque”—what were then called the Vinhos do Porto—followed the so‑called “old process” of winemaking. Distillation, always in small volumes, was only undertaken after fermentation finished, resulting in dry wines. In 1820 the modern distillation process was introduced, which involved stopping the alcoholic fermentation to produce sweet wines. This method only became widespread in 1852, by which time the Port wines began to resemble those of today. Thus, Port wine is a fortified wine, produced in the Demarcated Region of the Douro under peculiar conditions stemming from both natural and human factors. The winemaking process, rooted in tradition, includes halting the must’s fermentation by adding grape spirit, the blending of wines, and subsequent ageing. Port wines are divided into different categories depending on the type of ageing, ranging among the Ruby, Tawny, White and Rosé styles. (Illustrative image)