Fortified wines bring warmth to body
The New Star | 01-01-2009
Buzz up! With the weather turning colder, it is nice to have a warm feeling inside. Not all wines provide that inner warmth. Now is the time to experience the glowing warmth that fortified wines can bring.
Wine is made from grapes. So is brandy. There is a direct relationship between these two potables. This was recognized back in the 1400s when there was a need to preserve wines for extended ocean voyages that were being taken by explorers looking for a westward route to the Orient.The key to making wine is fermentation — the process that turns sugar into alcohol. The yeast dies as the alcohol reaches 17 percent. Fortified wines are found anywhere between 17 and 21 percent alcohol. That means that alcohol must be added to create fortified wine. When a wine is created to be sweet, the brandy is added early to kill the yeasts and leave the residual sweetness in the wine. Dry stylings are allowed to ferment until all of the yeast dies naturally, then the brandy is added.
There are many different fortified wines on the shelves of you local wine shop, but they are all classified into just a few designations: port, sherry, madeira, marsala and malaga are the most produced and thought about.
There are a few other stylings that are fortified. Banyuls and pinot de charantes from France and vermouth are good examples.
Not many people think of vermouth as a drinking wine. The names of Martini & Rossi and Noilly Pratt are made in both red and white stylings. The reds tend to be sweet, and the whites tend to be bitter. We know these primarily as being mixed into drinks like martinis and manhattans. Vermouth is made with more than 20 botanicals. Why not try a small glass? Vermouth is a remarkable change of pace for wine.
Sherry comes in two basic styles — fino and oloroso. Fino sherry tends to be drier than oloroso. Finos also tend to be cheaper and lower in alcohol. If you have not tried sherry, I would suggest that you try a cream sherry — amoroso or rayas — all of which are oloroso styles. For a fino, try the dry-sack medium. It is a nice wine with nutty notes.
Portugal is home to the most famous fortified wine styling: port.
The country also produces madeira. Madeira is an island that belongs to Portugal. The Portuguese planted vines on the island in the 1400s. There are four styles of madeira. Sercial is the lightest and driest. Verdelho os a little sweeter and stronger. Boal is even sweeter and bolder. The sweetest, darkest and heaviest is malmsey. One of the most popular styling of madeira is rainwater, which is soft verdehlo.
The House of Sandeman is a company that specializes in fortified wine. They have interests in both Spain and Portugal. I am sure that you are familiar with this company, even if you don't recognize the name. The company has a distinctive symbol found on its labels. That is the famous caped-man silhouette. It has several styles of sherry and port but only two styles of madeira. If you want to try a quality madeira, consider the Sandeman Rainwater Madiera. It is not too sweet, not too dry. If you have not tried a madiera, you will find this to be a pleasant surprise.
Ports are the fortified wine stylings that are most consumed. There are two basic types of port: tawny, which is aged in wood for a number of years, and ruby, which begins its life in wood for the first two years and then finishes aging in bottle.
Ruby ports are brighter in color and cleaner in the mouth. They have less tannin than tawny ports. With just a few exceptions, ruby ports do not get better with age. They are ready to drink when they are bottled.
Tawny ports pick up their color from the wooden barrels in which they are aged. They are generally designated at 10-, 20-, 30- or 40-year tawny ports. Tawny ports tend to be more expensive.
A nice offering to try is the Taylor-Fladgate 10-year-old tawny port. Nice fruit notes are found in this fortified wine. Fig, apricot and orange peel blend harmoniously with a background of cream caramel in this rich offering. Nuts and brie will bring out the flavors of this wonderful creation.
A little bit of caution is needed when imbibing fortified wines. Remember, they have a higher percentage of alcohol than other wine stylings. The good news about fortified wines is you don't need to finish the bottle quickly. The high degree of alcohol helps these wines stay fresh for weeks.
