Port - A Fireside Sipper - Exit 9 Wine & Liquor Warehouse, Clifton Park, NY

It was disappointing to cancel the Wine Education class on ports that was scheduled for January 25. The forecast was for several inches of snow and possibly freezing rain, and we felt it was the right call. The storm didn't materialize, which added to the disappointment. Alas. Here's a summary of the class with the selection of ports. There are still plenty of wintery nights ahead that are perfect for these quintessential "fireside sippers."

Port is a fortified wine. This means spirits (typically brandies) are added to the wine during the fermentation process. This stops the yeasts from eating the sugars in fermenting wine, which is what produces the alcohol. The spirits contribute the better part of the alcohol by volume in a port wine, and they also contribute some sweetness.

Ports were created when red wines from Portugal were being shipped in barrels by sea to England. To help preserve them, the shippers added the spirits. The wines were well received, and they came to be known as port wine because they were shipped from Porto, one of Portugal's biggest cities, which sits at the mouth of the Douro River in the north. Ports became so popular in the 1700s that in 1757 the Douro River region became the first demarcated wine region in the world.

Ports are classified by their color and by how long they're aged. Ruby Ports are the youngest. They are typically a lovely garnet color and have fresh, fruity aromas and flavors. Tawny Ports are aged longer, typically in small barrels where some oxidation contributes to a deepening of flavor and some browning of the color. They have notes of spice and caramel. Late Bottle Vintage ports are identified by the vintage (most ports are not). Ports are aged anywhere from 2 to over 40 years.

Ports are classified by their color and by how long they're aged. Ruby Ports are the youngest. They are typically a lovely garnet color and have fresh, fruity aromas and flavors. Tawny Ports are aged longer, typically in small barrels where some oxidation contributes to a deepening of flavor and some browning of the color. They have notes of spice and caramel. Late Bottle Vintage ports are identified by the vintage (most ports are not). Ports are aged anywhere from 2 to over 40 years.

Fine White Porto from Dow's. Made from white wine grapes, this one was light and elegant with some citrus notes. Best served chilled.

Sandeman's is a 7th-generation port wine company that is one of the most iconic producers in the region. They are also the most highly awarded port wine company, with over 600 medals from top wine competitions in the past decade. This wine was a brilliant ruby color with notes of plum and strawberry.

Magalhaes 2014 Late Bottled Vintage Port. The flavors in this one were a bit more pronounced than the Ruby, but it was still light and fresh, with some spice in addition to the fruit notes.

Noval Tawny Porto, from a producer dating back to 1715. Noval knows its ports. This one was aged for three years in oak. It had a nice amber color and was full of raisin and nutty notes.

Fonseca 10-Year-Old Aged Tawny Porto. This wine has been well reviewed and was really nice. Smooth and silky and bursting with fig and black fruit and some licorice notes.

The ports were paired with apple cake, cheddar cheese, blue cheese, walnuts, and semi-sweet chocolate chips. Happy fireside sipping, and we look forward to seeing you in classes coming up in February and March.

Cheers!